Weekender vs. Amberjack questions

[Captain Crispy]

After I sold my 1979 sedan cruiser in February, I got a 1979 Pro-line center console cheap, but it just isn't making it !! I need more beam, more LOA, MORE SPACE !

Looking at a fishing boat for me that is comfortable for my wife. I like the mid-80's AJ 27, but I ran across the 30' Weekender which of course has more space.

Other than length and beam, any difference between the Weekender and the AJ ? Deadrise angle ? Cored bottom ?

Are all Weekenders straight inboards ? The boat would stay in the water, so I would rather not have outdrives, and V-drives present access problems.

How hard is it for a woman to get on the bow of the Weekender ? My wife likes to lay out and sunbathe on the bow while I fish, cuss, and grumble in the cockpit.

Anyone put a hardtop on a WE ?? aAny pics ?

 

[sbw1]

I've not seen an amberjack of the mid 80's vintage that did not have outdrives. The 27 is a pretty boat and a friend we boat with has a really nice one that shows as new. Still, it's small compared to a WEr which we bought new in 1986. All around, it provides more utility than the same vintage AJ. It has generous deck space, a better head, better bed and much larger cockpit. As with all SRs of that era, stringers and transoms must be assumed to be wet unless proven other wise. Neither of these boats were cored below the rub rail although the transoms had wood around the water lines for outdrives, trim tabs etc. Foreward of that, they were built with chopper guns but no coring. The forward decks were cored.

 

[fwebster]

I think the mid-90's WE's were one of the best mid sized boats Sea Ray ever produced. They were available with inboards which is much preferred oer i/o versions for both maintenance and wet transom core issues. I think you can forget the spec questions, other then length and beam because the boats are so different that the COG, weight distribution of t he load, beam, I/O vs. inboards all have tremendous affect on performance, ride and handling. My view is that there is no comparison between a mid 20's ft. AJ and the twin engine inboard W/E...the W/E is a superior in every regard for a boat that stays in the water and is used regularly.

 

[Captain Crispy]

Thanks, sbw1.
I knew the AJ was only made with outdrives, which is one of the reasons -including those noted by you-that I am leaning toward the Weekender. Outdrive maintenance is a pain even for a trailer boat. Since I plan on slipping the boat 11 months of the year, I would prefer avoiding that.

I plan on a survey, but as I screen out possibilities I will check out the suspect areas of stringers, transom, thru-hulls, etc. In that vein, what the hell is a limber hole ??
I have read on this forum that the limber hole(s) is a source of water intrusion into the wood stringers.

 

[sbw1]

They are holes drilled at the bottom of stringers to allow water to drain into the bilge pump sumps. SR drilled right through the stringers and smeared a little silicon on the exposed wood to prevent rot. That does not work. Holes need to be glassed. These boats should have dripless shafts installed as they are almost always have water in the bilge which is not a good thing.

 

[fwebster]

Don't be fooled if you see a piece of pvc pipe siliconed in place in the limber holes. Sea Ray did that to try to seal up the saw cut in the stringer, but they still leak. The correct fix is as sbw1 said. But, not every limber hole leaks, in fact, usually only those in neglected boats........where the stuffing boxes were allowed to leak a lot without adjustment.....caused problems. Be sure to look for low places in the bilge where a limber hole stays wet for potential problems.

For the most part, the 300WE was a trouble free boat. The potential for a rotten stringer is there due to the construction, and the cost to repair on is about what the boat is worth, so it is something to check and be aware of.

 

[Captain Crispy]

Thanks for the info. I was pretty much sold on the AJ for its deck space and general fishability, but I might as well beat myself to the punch and get the extra 3 feet now and go with the Weekender.

I didn't expect the boats to handle the same because of the difference in weight, beam, length, and engine configurations, but the hulls look similar. I know, one is I/O and one is prop pocket straight drives.

Only 1 degree difference in deadrise for 1986. The Sea Ray archive indicates 21 degrees for the 30 ft WE, and 22 for the 27' AJ.

And thanks for the identification of "Limber Holes." My 1979 had them, too, but I didn't know what their name was.

 

[berth control]

One thing to keep in mind, IO's are faster and more fuel efficient, can be trimmed up in shallow areas, and, in my opinoin, better for trailering. I've heard that in salt water they are more mant., but they aren't so bad for freshwater. Mine are 20+ years old, have never been replaced, and still have all the original paint on them.

 

[Captain Crispy]

I agree, Eric, with everything you wrote about I/O's. I will be slipping is salt water, and my previous experience with I/O's in saltwater convinces me to go for straight inboards. I know I will lose some speed and fuel efficiency, but I am NEVER in a hurry in the boat.