1981 Sea Ray Sundancer

[62cruiserinc]

Well, looks like the 1984 Express Cruiser from my previous thread has been sold.

One of the boats I am looking at (have an appointment Wednesday to look at it) is a 1981 Sea Ray SRV 260 Sundancer.

It looks to be in good shape from the pictures (don't know structurally of course) and well taken care of. Unfortunately there is no trailer.

I am including the link below. What do you guys think of it?

Also, if I am asking for opinions on a few boats, is the forum preference here to start a separate thread for each one, or put them into a single thread?

 

[southkogs]

... if I am asking for opinions on a few boats, is the forum preference here to start a separate thread for each one, or put them into a single thread?

Start with just one thread. If it get's too crazy, you can always start a new one and reference this one.

This one looks decent, but feels pricey to me. BUT, I know boats are a little cheaper in my area. Which is a consideration for you ... you may want to see if making the trip down to the Southeast is worth it for you.

 

[62cruiserinc]

Start with just one thread. If it get's too crazy, you can always start a new one and reference this one.

This one looks decent, but feels pricey to me. BUT, I know boats are a little cheaper in my area. Which is a consideration for you ... you may want to see if making the trip down to the Southeast is worth it for you.

OK, I'll keep them in one thread. I know that forums have a way they like to do things and I like to ask first.

I have an appointment to see the boat on Wednesday. Pictures don't seem to convey the whole story. It seems you have to stand in the boat and then you get the "feel" of it (how roomy, how well the visible stuff is maintained, etc). A big negative for me is no trailer and like you said it seems pricey for a 1981.

Here is another boat I am going to see on Thursday. I talked to the owner and he was a boat mechanic. He described in great detail some small things that need to be repaired, but otherwise it should be water-ready (he says).

 

[ezmobee]

That is a nice boat. Someone clearly has taken very good care of it. Price seems high for the age and no trailer though.

 

[harleyman1975]

Your gonna be into a trailer for $5k otherwise I think it is a nice boat. 26ft is getting to the size where one engine is gonna be working very hard to get it on plane.

 

[wrvond]

Sea Ray has a habit of making the same boats in different lengths. That is, a 260 isn't necessarily 26 feet long, it could be more, it could be less. In this case, the gunwale length is 29'9" and the centerline length is 24' 7".
The biggest problem area for these boats is those long cabin windows. They are prone to leaking, so you'll want to spray them with water. Also, where the deck rail stanchions mount to the deck.
I think the price is rather high, too.

 

[four winns 214]

Looks a TON better than the $3,800 boat in your first post. You can probably find a decent used trailer way cheaper than $5K suggested above. The instrument panel is not original. I question the 40 gallon fresh water tank and 5 gallon holding tank figures. Doesn't sound right to me. Seems to me boats in this class have something like 20 gallons fresh and 20 gallon holding. In any case, if those figures are correct and you have full fuel and full water, plus four to six people on board, performance will be doggy with a 5.7L engine.

 

[62cruiserinc]

I looked at the boat below last night. It was shrink wrapped, but we entered it through a door in the wrap. He is going to remove the wrap in about 10 days and then I can get a better look (could not look at engine due to stuff on top of the engine cover).

The boat looks pretty good. It has some wear and tear as a 30 yr old boat would have, but it did not look beat up. There is a newer (2013) camper top and he put in a 12V/120V fridge 2 yrs ago. The floor was solid everywhere I looked. He was also willing to move on the price, I think $5K would take it. It has the Volvo Duo-drive props and a 305 engine. The upholstery was in very good shape, only one or two places where the vinyl had slight rips.

I am going to see the 1981 Sea Ray Sundancer that is at the top of this thread tomorrow. However, adding the price of a trailer will most likely price the boat too high for me, even if it's in great shape (which it looks to be).

Right now the Imperial looks like the front-runner.

Steve

 

[wrvond]

Looks a TON better than the $3,800 boat in your first post. You can probably find a decent used trailer way cheaper than $5K suggested above. The instrument panel is not original. I question the 40 gallon fresh water tank and 5 gallon holding tank figures. Doesn't sound right to me. Seems to me boats in this class have something like 20 gallons fresh and 20 gallon holding. In any case, if those figures are correct and you have full fuel and full water, plus four to six people on board, performance will be doggy with a 5.7L engine.

It's also missing the windshield wiper arms, which leads me to believe the motors are no good. They are made of unobtanium, apparently.

 

[62cruiserinc]

I just looked at the 1981 Sea Ray 260 Sundancer.

It looks to be in very good shape. Everything is well-kept and clean. The upholstery is pretty much perfect and the woodwork has been maintained. The engine was replaced with a new crate engine. Also the exhaust manifolds, etc. were replaced at that time. The engine and the engine compartment was very clean.

The only thing he mentioned was that the water pump impeller should be replaced soon, as he hadn't done it in a while.

I forgot to mention the windshield wipers (missing arms).

I am tempted to make an offer, even with no trailer. The boat was is much better condition than the others I have looked at. He said in about a month the marina would start putting the boats back in the water and then I could drive it.

Maybe I could find a used trailer while waiting to drive it, or I could have it transported to a dock near my house ( the boat is about 20 miles from my house).

Steve

 

[ezmobee]

Sounds real good!

 

[19611starcraft]

I would still want to test run the boat before making a offer if it was me .I have been burned before with a boat owner saying he replace this and that then the boat needed a head gasket.I bought my old boat around this time a few years back thinking I found mint boat

 

[62cruiserinc]

I would still want to test run the boat before making a offer if it was me .I have been burned before with a boat owner saying he replace this and that then the boat needed a head gasket.I bought my old boat around this time a few years back thinking I found mint boat

Actually, the owner said that he wouldn't feel right having me take the boat without driving it. He says the marina will be putting the boats in the water in about a month or so, and only wants a very small deposit on it until I can drive it then. He says he wants me to drive it before paying the full amount.

 

[southkogs]

Actually, the owner said that he wouldn't feel right having me take the boat without driving it. He says the marina will be putting the boats in the water in about a month or so, and only wants a very small deposit on it until I can drive it then. He says he wants me to drive it before paying the full amount.

That's an encouraging thing.

 

[flipbro]

I would go with the SRV. Nice boat a little pricey with no trailer. Have a good look in engine compartment for rot aswell as Transom.

 

[62cruiserinc]

Well, I bought the 81 Sea Ray SRV 260 Sundancer. There were a few other guys interested in the boat bidding on it, so the price was a little higher but this boat was in so much better shape than any of the other boats I looked at (even 10 year newer ones) that I felt it was worth it. The interior also doesn't need any cleaning, you could eat off any surface. Also, I would have probably spent dozens of hours looking for other boats, so for a few hundred dollars more than I planned I now have a boat. I gave him a small deposit and in about a month he will have it put in the water and we will take it for a drive. If all goes well, I will pay the rest and own the boat.

Now I need to find a slip and have the boat moved there, unless I get lucky and find a cheap trailer for a 26' boat. Otherwise I have the summer to look for a trailer, as I would like to store it at home so I can work on it here (I have 13 acres and a barn it fits in so I have the room).

Looks like I have joined the ranks of being a boat owner for the first time. A lot to learn.

Steve

 

[Alumarine]

Congrats, looks like a nice boat!

 

[ezmobee]

Congrats!