Opinion: 1998 Sea Ray 215 Express Cuiser

[rock doc]

We are considering purchasing the above noted boat. It is located 4 hours from us so I was hoping to get some advise to decide if it is worth the trip. Our family are beginner to intermediate water sports so we are looking for the right compromise between comfort and sport. We typically have 5-6 people on board. My wife insists that we cannot go without a cuddy. When we overnight, our 2 girls camp on the shore and we stay on the boat so it works out pretty good. It is not uncommon to have 1-3' chop, which translates to a rough ride in our current boat ( 1990 210 Larson All American with a 4.3l).

The SR 215 has a 5.7l paired to an Alpha 1. Reportedly it is in mint condition with approx. 200hrs and has not been used in salt water. I noticed it has bottom paint - which I am a little concerned about because it likely sits in the water for most of the summer (perhaps I am being too picky). The owner reports a top speed of 42 mph with 2 people and a 19 pitch prop - which seems slow given it has a 5.7l merc. I am not overly concerned with top speed, but would like something that planes out easily and cruises well at 30mph.


I have attached a few pics. Thoughts?

 

[cptrick3]

Replacing a 21' boat with a 21' boat will not improve your ride a great deal, even with a Sea Ray. If you like to run with 5 or 6 people on board I would be looking for a 23 or 24 foot boat. I have a 5.7/Alpha 1 on my Chaparral Signature 24 and I can get to 42MPH with 2 or 3 people on board.

 

[Slip Away]

The 215 is a heavy boat for it's size, and not expected to get much more than 45mph out of it. Cabin accommodation are very small, I am 6'1" and could not
lay down comfortably in the cuddy.

 

[redneck joe]

What is the rpms at WOT? 19 might be a bit small but i think 42 sounds reasonable. It is a heavy 21 footer. We had an 89 and we got 39 but i had some waterlogging.

 

[rock doc]

I am not sure about the RPMs. I am worried it is waterlogged. I checked the SR forum and most are getting high 40's with the 5.0l merc. I recognize that the 5.7l won't make that much difference on top end, but 42 mph seems slow. Maybe the speedo is off. I can get 40 mph on GPS with my boat, which only has 4.3l. I know mine is lighter, but I am also running a 19 pitch 4 blade turning point. The more I think about it I'm going to go with my gut an pass on this boat. The bottom paint has me concerned too - I know there are boats out there for about the same money that did not sit in the water. The longest we have left our boat in the water is 2 weeks. I find it makes a difference when they are pulled regularly - especially for an older boat.

 

[Brian 26]

Reportedly it is in mint condition.....

Most used boats are reported to be in mint or excellent condition, it's my belief that the anonimity of craigslist has made it easy to tell mis-truths. The word mint comes from the coin world and means the coin left the mint and went right in to protected storage, it was never touched by by anything. Of course that is not possible with a boat that's been used. Sorry for the rant, many hours of my life have been wasted chasing down mis-represented condition claims.

The pictures show that the boat is in good condition but it is very possible you'll drive all that way and find flaws. I once drove 45 minutes each way to look at "excellent condition" jet skis, 20 seconds into my inspection it was revealed that they had blown off the lift in a storm and spent the night washing up on a rocky shoreline. Huge chunks of gel coat missing.

Hope it all goes well, let us know what happens.

 

[Volphin]

I'd look for something little larger with more space? but that is just me.

 

[Mischief Managed]

I think those are great boats and worth a look for sure. That said, I don't think it will be a great boat for water sports because it is heavy for its size and has an Alpha drive. A Bravo 3 would be a better choice, IMO.

I own a similar cuddy cabin boat of similar vintage and would recommend looking into a late 90s/early2000s Regal 2550 LSC like mine, with a Bravo 3 or VPDP and a 5.7 or 7.4 engine.

Both boats will suck for water skiing, but the Regal makes a great wake for wake boarding, according to the people I tow... The big advantage of the Regal is the ability to sleep 2 adults and 2 kids, due to the mid-cabin berths that the Sea Ray lacks.

 

[rock doc]

Yes- perhaps I will wait another year and save up some more $$. We were hoping to find something in the $9-12K. Perhaps we need to spend a little more. Our current boat is treating us ok so there is no hurry. Sometimes it is better to stick with the devil you know. After rebuilding the motor and replacing the seals in the outdrive it has worked flawlessly for 3 seasons. Just regular maintenance.

 

[gotboostedvr6]

The 215 express rides like a much larger boat. It weighs in at 4150 pounds.

It really needs trim tabs to preform due to the weight.

My 215 with a new 5.7 and alpha runs 43 mph with a 19 pitch 5 blade.

It will cruise with 6 or 7 people comfortably. A 3 blade 19p prop without tabs had trouble planing with 4 people.