The problem with the question you posed is that what might make, or not make sense to us might not be the same for you. If you do make the move, make sure you have a good survey done on the boat and the engines/trannies.

 

We had thought about a larger Trawler type boat it really made sense for us the way we use ours now, our wants were a complete walk around type boat for our price range it would have been mid 80's or early 90's. After considering all the maintenance & upgrades we wanted, even if the boat were in pristine condition we decided to keep what we have. The 270 Sundancer we have has been used mostly used for fishing, crabbing & shrimping with a few trips to some places we've never been. Has 2 Cannon Mag downriggers 2 gennel pole holders & a pot puller. It's all comes down to what your needs & wants are. Get a SURVEY both Mechanical & Structural.

Will be selling a well maintained 270 for fishing in the future.

 

We went down in size from a 2008 280DA to '97 Cobalt 232 and I couldn't be happier. The key is to have patience and wait until you find one that is mechanically and cosmetically in the condition that you are looking for. In our case, our '97 is truly in showroom condition and the engine has reasonable hours and I have all of the service records going back to the original purchase. No regrets at all.

Again, the key is patience, good judgement and a survey.... and luck in finding a gem.

 

Thank you for your feedback! We appreciate it! The boat DOES have low hours; the owners hardly ever left their dock! NOR did they use the fishing package! He just kept "upgrading!" So, everything pretty much like new! I wil pass this on to my husband, as he is "leary" to make such a move.....Thanks, again!

 

We definitely would have it surveyed as well as, have our mechanic on board with us, for a sea trial.....we'll see what happens within the next couple of weeks! Thanks for the feedback!

 

Its all in how you look at it, what you want, and what you consider "upgrade". For example I'd gladly take a pristine '67 Corvette convertible in trade for my wife's 2014 VW Jetta.

 

It all comes down to how well the older boat has been maintained and serviced. If the survey checks out you'll want to make sure you consider in you budget the additional maintenance costs for the older boat.

 

Are you looking at King Arthur?

 

Comparing an 290AJ to a 370EC isn't really an apples to apples comparison.

The EC is designed for bigger water and better handling than the 290AJ. The benefits are better sea keeping in heavier seas, much better handling around docks and in open water. The EC has a keel which makes them track like they are on rails........they handle s lot like much bigger than 37ft boats. These boats were designed to compete with Tiara and Cabo in the mid sized fishing market, but give the buyer typical Sea Ray ammenities, fit and finish, so they were built with big boat features but did not sacrifice on creature comforts. The AJ is a much smaller boat and acts like it. The 370EC is one of the best boats Sea Ray's designers have given us.

Separate the cosmetics from the bones. You can replace fabrics, canvas and vinyl to make an older boat fresh if it needs freshening or upgrading, but you can't add overall design features to a newer boat that doesn't handle well, isn't wide enough, throws spray in your face, etc.

We have a couple of EC's in our area that the owners have completely upgraded with teak/holly cabin soles, leather interiors, ostrich hide wall covering, one has a teak transom, and they are real show pieces. This boat is one worth investing $$ because there is a steady demand for them, especially diesel models with hardtops.