sea ray boats

[Ike]

For 20 years or more I worked in USCG Boating safety monitoring boat manufacturers, their product recalls, quality etc. I learned a couple of things.

1 Never ask a dealer or owner of other brands what they think of a particular brand of boat. Ask the people who own the boats you're interested in.

2. Everybody except a Bayliner owner or dealer bashes Bayliner. WHy, because Bayliner has consistently out sold every other boat manufacture, not just in the USA but all over the world. They in fact produce more boats than any other manufacturer.

Yipsters response is right on target. But it applies not only to Brunswick products. It also applies to Genmar products and Bombardier as well. It is a fact that over 80 percent of the boats sold in the USA are made by companies owned by those three corporations. Those corporations didn't get where they are by selling bad products.

I am not defending these people simply because I know a lot of people who work for them either. It's because I have seen what happens to their products over the years and for the most part they are good products. Yes everyone produces a lemon from time to time and I can tell you stories about almost any US manufacturer you can name. (and a few foreign builders too) But for the most part they all consistently make good products.

There are some out there that I wouldn't touch but Searay is definitely not one of them.

Now for some practical advice. The USCG maintains a database of recalls on boats. http://www.uscgboating.org/recalls/recalls_database.htm. Look it up.

BOAT/US has a database of the recalls plus consumer complaints they have received from boatowners. http://my.boatus.com/consumer/defaul...T.mc_id=400056 you have to be a member to access this database.

However they also have a forum and on that forum are threads on specific manufacturers. http://my.boatus.com/forum/default.asp You do not have to be a BoatUS member to use the forums. But you do have to join the forum just like here at BoatDesign.net.

Last but not least, any used boat you are seriously considering buying should be surveyed. Even smalls ones on trailers. You are too close to the boat to be objective. You need someone who is, to examine the boat.

[shane blower]

thanks alot ike sounds like you know whats up. whatever i buy it will be surveyed i work too hard for my money and this boat must last until i find that pot of gold:

[SamSam]

Some think this guy knows something, some don't. He doesn't like Sea Ray. Or, to put it in his words...

Many of the e-mails we receive contain statements such as, "You obviously don't like Sea Ray." Unfortunately, many people who read these reviews are not reading them closely. We never said anything about not liking Sea Ray; they get that impression from our constant chiding Sea Ray to do a better job. We have, in fact, said over and over that Sea Ray comes close to being a VERY GOOD boat, but "consistently falls maddeningly short."

Any well known name of any manufactured thing is susceptible to being exploited by beancounters who cut quality and rely on the name recognition for profits.

http://www.yachtsurvey.com/boatrevie...boatreview.htm

This might tell you a little more about cores. This was posted in 2000, back when oil and resins were cheaper. There's really no telling (since most of a boats construction is hidden or inaccessable) what sort of high tech "improvement" corner cutting is going on now with oil at $113 a barrel.

http://www.yachtsurvey.com/Fiberglass_Boats.htm

[juiceclark]

Sam,
What a coincidence! I was just typing a post and linking to the same article!! I've learned a lot of things about what to avoid and appreciate from YachtSurvey. Since Pascoe is in FL, many of the problems he cites are more specific to the year-round beating boats take here.
http://www.yachtsurvey.com/searay_ba...re_bottoms.htm

Shane,
Everyone has opinions and some are worth a lot more than others. Mine is worth only the puny experiences I've had on different boats. I was on a brand new Meridian in 3 footers when the radar arch FELL OFF and nearly killed someone in the cockpit. I've been on an almost new SeaRay where, when it got a bit rough, you could actually see parts start falling off. The cheap plastic door latch to the cabin broke on this 29' Amberjack and the door began slamming wildly...I had to laugh. But I also see SeaRays down at the charter boat docks that have been going out everyday for 25 years.

I owned a freakin' Carver a long time ago where the entire flybridge began to sway on the way back from the Keys...windows were falling out!

You can buy a commercial style boat with a diesel very inexpensively. I'd say buy one of those and get to know the boat by dressing it up with your own gingerbread...a blank slate to personalize as you'd like. If you can't find one, there's good boats around:
be careful of foamed-in fuel tanks on Stamas...but good boats:
http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listi...quick&spid=121

I think the F-32 Trojan was the most popular boat ever...they are everywhere for sale. Do a close stringer inspection and, as in most boats, closely inspect the cored decking for delamination and water intrusion. The hull is 7 layers of glass:
http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listi..._id=43106&url=

Good luck!

[yipster]

http://www.yachtsurvey.com/boatrevie...boatreview.htm well informed and critical survey site that is samsam, sadly i can only agree with

With quality like this, is it any wonder why so many of the products we buy bear the label "Made in Japan"?

yes, its all compared to what and now i'm left wondering what is that japanese lexus boat wonder made in china...

[juiceclark]

Look no further, here it is:
http://www.boatdesign.net/gallery/sh...php/photo/3289

(notice the cig in his mouth as he mixes glass putty!)

Seriously though, it must be Hampton Yachts. 5 layers of vinylesther, then a layer of kevlar and then a last layer of glass...now that's a hull! They appear the first to figure cheap labor is best utilized to create quality...not capacity.
http://www.hamptonyachts.com/740PH3.htm

[Ike]

I agree that David Pascoe's Yacht Survey site is excellent. I don't agree with everything he says but usually he's right on the money. ANd I will be first to admit he has a heck of alot more experience surveying boats than I do. Of course you have to realize he's seen all the bad ones. People like David don't often get called to look at boats when there is no problem. Like with my job. We saw all the nasty consumer complaints and recalls. It's like being a cop dealing with bad guys, you get a little cynical. You have to keep reminding yourself that there are hundreds of the same boat running around out there without the problem. But then, sometimes they all have the same problem. Geez I'm slipping again.

Yes, I've seen boats where things fall off, hull deck joints come apart, stems split open, tanks corrode, gaskets turn to powder (that was a good one), transoms fall off (a nightmare that still shows up in my dreams) the electrical system looks like spaghetti, and so on. And those were the new boats! Yikes!

BUt I've also seen a lot of really nice, well built boats that, properly taken care of, will probably outlast their owners.


I just get annoyed when a entire brand (with a few exceptions) is varnished with the same brush. It's just like the old saying, "never buy a monday car". There's going to be a bad one in almost any batch.

By the way Shane, let me know when you find that pot O'gold! LOL

[shane blower]

thanks ike yah i went to that web site. that is cool but didnt like what they had to say about searay.but now i know what to look for.didnt find gold but found some more rot on my boat this thing is making me lose sleep check out my new post on stringers there are some photos ,not good!

[longliner45]

shane,dont get discoraged,,,you can take a wore out boat and fix it up into a nice ride,lets just say ,,for example,,that boat manufaturer A builds a nice hull but crap for everything else ,,with some elbo grease and time ,,this can still be a nice boat ,,yipster likes his,ya probably cant pry it from his fingers ,,he must put alott of sweat into his boat ,,upkeep ,,and all,he knows his boat ,,its strenght and weeknesses,,you could compare his to another,,,and see big differances,even if they are the same year and model,,get my drift,??,longliner

[kengrome]

I have no interest in this personally, but I just got an email from a guy in the USA who is considering partnering with me in a new venture, and here's what he said:

I think your idea of a mobile repair shop is probably the way to go. Lets do some figuring on it if your inclined. As I said I am no mechanic or glass man but I do know boats pretty well and I know the basics of good work. I can tell good work and construction from bad or just so so. This is the main reason I bought a Bertram there built like a German tank. In comparison a Sea Ray is a piece of crap.

Personally I have no idea if Sea Rays are good, bad or otherwise -- and I don't care either. I'm just passing along a quote that seems to apply in this thread since it is entitled "sea ray boats". For whatever it's worth.

[the1much]

theres things that need to be sorted,,,,,theres a difference in boats made crappy,,or boats that have "cosmetic" problems,,and boats with just bad design(like bayliner,,they suk cause of how they handle, ride,and is just a bad floating raft hehe ) ,,ive been on $6 million boats and have had things like fiddleheads fall off,,cracks round the port lights,,gimble messed up on stove,,but they were safe, with good design,,,so unless you find out ya boat handles like crap,,or things like transoms falling off,,,,everything else is easy to deal with and make better,,so look for a boat that "rides nice" then you can "customize" hehe