Thinking about getting a 2003 Sea ray Sundancer 320

S

saraml

New Member
Oct 22, 2015
4
Seattle
Boat Info
Bopatless
Engines
Boatless
We are new to boating but have looked a lot and are thinking of making an offer on a very low engine hour, clean and loaded (bow and stern thruster, autopilot, dinghy) 2003 Sundancer 320, subject of course to survey. Does anyone have any experience with this generation and model that would be useful? I don't see nearly as many of these around as I do the 340's. Any reason? What should I be aware of? Thanks so much.
 
Congrats on picking a Sea Ray. That 320 is a nice boat. A few things to keep in mind...
1-be sure to take the WA safe boating course so you have your certificate. I'd suggest you and your wife take the course in a classroom setting. You'll learn a lot from the interchange that goes on in the classroom.
2-be sure to have a survey done on the boat. I used Reisner, McEwen & Associates from Seattle for two surveys and was very happy with the results. Their report is top notch.

I didn't have a 320 but did have two 330's and loved both of them. They're great boats and are perfect for the Seattle and San Juans area.
 
saraml said:
I don't see nearly as many of these around as I do the 340's. Any reason? What should I be aware of? Thanks so much.
Click to expand...

I think most would agree the 340s were more popular than the 320s. There are actually several members here who upgraded form a 320 to a 340. More room in the cabin, cockpit and I have never liked the port lounger (320 and 280) as opposed to the fixed seat on the 340. Also many 340s had big block engines. In the used market, 320s and 340s can be very close in price. It may serve you well to look at both options. Not saying the 320 is not a great boat but just addressing your question. Might be the perfect boat for you.
 
I had a 2002 320DA and loved it but found we needed more room for extended trips we make. For a weekend boat it is great. The engine room is very tight for servicing however.
 
We love our 320 however if we went back in time I'd choose the 340 over the 320. Primarily for the little extra room in the cabin and the engine room. It does get cramped for extended stays aboard. One of the main reasons we went with a 320 was because the admiral loved the port side lounger over the single seat on the 340. The lower swim platform is pretty nice as well on the 320. It’s pretty easy to launch and retrieve the dinghy.

 
Season 9 on our 320. We like the boat a lot. That being said bigger is always better in the world of boating... The 320 was a popular boat for Sea Ray, not too far behind the 340. Finding a nice used boat that works for you is always key. It is harder than you think. It sounds like you have found a nice one. There are not major design, mechanical or structural issues with the 320.
 
Thanks everyone for the quick responses. We are so looking forward to becoming Sea ray Club members who actually own a Sea ray. I hear the preference for the 340 DA but here is our dilemma: 1)We are new to boating and the smaller size of the 320 seems less intimidating to drive and dock, 2)the 320 we are looking at has bow and stern thrusters and again we are newbies so find that reassuring, 3) we are empty nesters (and short!) so only the two of us would be sleeping on the boat, and 4) in the marina we would use the slip for the 320 is cheaper and I imagine it uses less gas. Are these reasons good enough to go the 320 instead of the 340, or do you still think the 340 is the better choice? Thanks so much for the advice!
 
I like the 340. I bought my boat new and it was about 50k difference (Don't remember exact difference) in price and the used market at the time was still really strong. The fuel economy will be similar between the two boats, the difference isn't worth putting much thought into fuel economy. The space is the biggest consideration and a few layout changes. If you are thinking about a 340 you will be as soon as you buy the 320 wanting a 340. Then buy a 340. If the 320 makes sense and you don't care about the extra space. You will like the 320. If I was to upgrade today it would be 40 foot plus. Otherwise it doesn't seem worth it for me personally.
 
saraml said:
Thanks everyone for the quick responses. We are so looking forward to becoming Sea ray Club members who actually own a Sea ray. I hear the preference for the 340 DA but here is our dilemma: 1)We are new to boating and the smaller size of the 320 seems less intimidating to drive and dock, 2)the 320 we are looking at has bow and stern thrusters and again we are newbies so find that reassuring, 3) we are empty nesters (and short!) so only the two of us would be sleeping on the boat, and 4) in the marina we would use the slip for the 320 is cheaper and I imagine it uses less gas. Are these reasons good enough to go the 320 instead of the 340, or do you still think the 340 is the better choice? Thanks so much for the advice!
Click to expand...
When I was searching, my reasons were similar to yours--First Mate and I were (still are!) new to handling vessels in the 30' range, and personal comfort/preferences were a priority, as we're also short and rarely have passengers for overnight. I can understand how you feel about thrusters being a reassuring feature, because for me that equaled finding dual engines rather than single. Hopefully some folks who have thrusters will chime in as to whether and how much of a difference they make. I say that because in the 2003 320/340 there's only 2' difference in length and 6" difference in beam. That's so close that, without thrusters, you might not even notice a difference in handling. Anything that gives you confidence is a good thing, but a little intimidation isn't a bad thing, so to me, thrusters might not be a deal breaker if you found a 340 that you liked but didn't have that feature.

Beyond looking for reasonable engine hours and how well one has been maintained, I'd say physically inspect as many of each as you can find so you get a feel for the cockpit and cabin space, as well as getting around both sides and on the bow to deal with dock ropes, etc. If you'll save a substantial amount of money by renting a smaller slip (substantial is subjective, of course), then that may factor more heavily, because it will give you greater security knowing you can handle cost of fuel/other consumables, as well as maintenance, to be boating as often as possible. And isn't that the point?

We spend nearly every spring, summer, and fall weekend on ours as our work schedules permit, most of them on the hook but some of them dockside. We launch less frequently in the winter, but still spend cozy weekends dockside by ourselves or socializing. If you think that will be your lifestyle, you might appreciate the extra space 340 owners are describing, assuming your budget can absorb the difference in slip cost.

The boat you can handle confidently, that you can move around in comfortably, and that's the biggest you can afford to buy and to maintain, is the right boat, because you're less likely to get two-foot-itis and want to get a different one any time soon!

Good luck in your search and happy boating--I wouldn't trade the lifestyle for anything!
 
saraml said:
1)We are new to boating and the smaller size of the 320 seems less intimidating to drive and dock
Click to expand...

You will get over the size of it in a month or 2 of operating the boat. Personally I would not let that be a factor.



saraml said:
2)the 320 we are looking at has bow and stern thrusters and again we are newbies so find that reassuring,
Click to expand...

Nice to have but not really necessary with V-Drives in the opinion of (probably) most. You would be better served to learn to operate the boat without these and use the thrusters only when absolutely necessary.

Sounds like a nice boat. I think skolbe gave some great advice. It is all about the space in cabin, cockpit, bilge/engine room and whether or not you like the port lounger. Other than that the 340 and 320 are very similar. If you are empty nesters, your wife may love the port lounger. I hated it on my 280 because the people sitting there were stuck staring at me and could not really look forward like you naturally want to when the boat is moving and you are sitting up front. If she likes laying out, it may be perfect for you. I would be open to buying one myself if the price was right but would definitely compare it to similarly priced 340s. Just look at both model boats and keep an open mind. You will get what fits your needs.
 
Last edited:
Sarami,
We also are recent owners of a 320 DA.
We were tallying up nights spent on our boat this year, over dinner Labor Day weekend.
Which was our last time out for the year.
Sadly,...... Just get real busy on our weekends.
We spent 45 Nights on our 320 this year, and never really felt that we were cramped or short on room.
I am 6ft tall and my wife is 5ft. 5.
Have kids down during the day, but actually staying overnight,.... it is us and our Min. Schnauzer.
We feel it is the perfect size for our needs.
We do have outdrives, and the bow thruster has come in handy a time or two.......But not absolutely necessary.
Good Luck on what ever you decide on.
 
Thanks so much. We are going to look at a 320 and 340 tomorrow, one right after the other, to see how much we perceive the extra space in the 340. Then we will decide.
 
Dollar for dollar, the 340 was one of Searay's finest boats ever. Great handling, space aboard, sight lines, overnight capabilities, space to work in engine room, easier raft-ups.... it does everything well and the prices on the used market are great for what you get...
 
Just thought I would chime in and say we love our 340! Ideal size for two and four at a push now and again for weekends. We had ours for about 3 years then had a bow thruster installed which is VERY helpful but you do need to know how to captain it without ...just in case. The bow thruster is great in tight quarters,
you don't have to "shuttle" about quite so much and a really big help when it's windy. I have RA, and not too nimble so it's been a godsend for me. Should have had one sooner:) Good luck with whatever you decide.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Thanks everyone. We did get a chance to look at the 320 and 340 in the same day yesterday and decided the majority opinion on this forum--go for the 340 if the price works--was right. Your advice really made a difference, and we looked much more carefully at the 340 than we would have otherwise. Thank you for your generous sharing of your experience as we have none! We put in an offer, subject to survey and sea trial of course. Fingers crossed!
 
Good choice in vessel!

Dale
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
113,182
Messages
1,428,039
Members
61,088
Latest member
SGT LAT
Back
Top