SEA RAY Owners

[Redeye1620]

WE are going tomorrow to check out 2 Sea-Ray cruisers. The first one is a 1999, 270 with a new 496 cu in mounted to a Bravo 3 outdrive. The second is a 1995 290, (my choice, better floor plan imho) with a 7.4 replaced in 2014 mounted to a Bravo 2 outdrive. Both are price within 1k of each other, & both are equiped about the same. Is there any members out there who have any experence with these two boats? This will be my first time buying such a large cruiser for my family of 4...Thanks in advance for your expertise.

 

[keninaz]

I had a Sea Ray back in the vintage and type you are looking at and it was a solid boat. Sea Ray owners seemed to be happy with their boats overall at the time.
They are bigger and heavier boats of course and with the big block motors fuel in not going to be cheap of course. If propped correctly I think you will find that 6-10 gallons per hour will be about average. Just a tip, if they are carbureted check to find out what RPM the secondaries of the 4 BBL kick in and try to keep it below that RPM for best fuel useage. I think if either one is fuel injected I would look at it first for overall fuel economy but they are both most likely carbureted in that vintage unless updated.

 

[Redeye1620]

After reading 35 pages on the sea ray forums about the 290,II'm thinking of backing away from the 290. At 10, 000 lbs the boat may be an under powered barge with the 7.4 bravo 2 combination. One poster stated it sucks gas at 17gph at 50% throttle... Still trying to get in touch with the owner of the 270 w/ the 496 & bravo 3 combo....Stay tuned....

 

[keninaz]

Winds, tides, rough or smooth water and loading of the boat will all affect your fuel usage needless to say.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Yeah you are gonna be over 10 gph IMHO...

At full throttle with any big block you are in the 30-35 gph range and at cruise you MIGHT stay on plane at 10 gph but expect 15+

 

[smokeonthewater]

FWIW my 28' wellcraft struggles to get 1.5 mpg... I do have twin small blocks but IIRC the single big block version only beat that by 0.1 or 0.2 mpg with lower speeds all around.