mattsmall1972
Petty Officer 1st Class
- Joined
- May 14, 2006
- Messages
- 238
I'm trying to decide whether or not to jump into a big project. My father bought a Sea Ray Sedan Bridge a few years ago just like the one in this thread (http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=281276&highlight=searay+sedan). It's got a couple of straight-6 engines with mercury drives (I don't know what versions or engine sizes). He had a *lot* of work done to it - the drives rebuilt, and a new floor put into the cabin. However, he never really got it going, and then he gave it to my brother. My brother took it out a couple of times but also never really got it going right, and brought it back to my father. It has been sitting on my father's land for 3-4 years (at least) now. I discovered last year that my brother left it sitting there *WITH THE PLUG IN IT*. I checked on it then and water had filled the entire engine bay. The engines look rusted to crap and I believe they are shot.
In addition, the cuddy cabin had the hatch left open and there is sitting water in it now. Since there is no drain plug for that part of the boat I would have to get a pump to pump it out.
I have been watching all of the builds on this forum and dreaming of doing something awesome to this boat to take it out way deep. I just found out yesterday that the transom had also been rebuilt and so that makes me think that this boat may not be nearly as bad as I thought.
I'm not a fan of the style of this boat. The rear area and the cabin are at different levels and feel very small for the size of the boat. I love idea of a bridge but the controls and electrics seem really decrepit after having sat outside for the past several years.
Were I to get this boat, my idea would be to remove the entire cabin (including head) and bridge part. The hull seems very sound and is actually in good condition aside from being nasty. I want to completely remove the engines and drives and sell for whatever I can get for these things. I would plug the drive holes and mount an engine bracket - I'm not sure if a single or dual bracket would be in my future. I would also do one of two things: 1) Since the cabin is gone, have a step down from the rear deck to the cabin deck. 2) Cut out the rear deck and cabin deck and make it all one level deck. That would make the deck area seem much larger since it's all one level.
The only problem with all of this is that I see boats for sale that are 25-28 feet long with decent engines going for $7-10K... I think to myself "why do all of the work"? Then I think that I would have a completely cool rebuilt boat if I did this.
My other thoughts are about the engine setups - I would prefer a single motor for gas and cost but is a single motor really enough to push a boat this large? If a single, how much HP? I can always get a kicker for safety reasons. I don't care about going fast and but I need enough to be safe.
So those are my thoughts. Throw it at me.
In addition, the cuddy cabin had the hatch left open and there is sitting water in it now. Since there is no drain plug for that part of the boat I would have to get a pump to pump it out.
I have been watching all of the builds on this forum and dreaming of doing something awesome to this boat to take it out way deep. I just found out yesterday that the transom had also been rebuilt and so that makes me think that this boat may not be nearly as bad as I thought.
I'm not a fan of the style of this boat. The rear area and the cabin are at different levels and feel very small for the size of the boat. I love idea of a bridge but the controls and electrics seem really decrepit after having sat outside for the past several years.
Were I to get this boat, my idea would be to remove the entire cabin (including head) and bridge part. The hull seems very sound and is actually in good condition aside from being nasty. I want to completely remove the engines and drives and sell for whatever I can get for these things. I would plug the drive holes and mount an engine bracket - I'm not sure if a single or dual bracket would be in my future. I would also do one of two things: 1) Since the cabin is gone, have a step down from the rear deck to the cabin deck. 2) Cut out the rear deck and cabin deck and make it all one level deck. That would make the deck area seem much larger since it's all one level.
The only problem with all of this is that I see boats for sale that are 25-28 feet long with decent engines going for $7-10K... I think to myself "why do all of the work"? Then I think that I would have a completely cool rebuilt boat if I did this.
My other thoughts are about the engine setups - I would prefer a single motor for gas and cost but is a single motor really enough to push a boat this large? If a single, how much HP? I can always get a kicker for safety reasons. I don't care about going fast and but I need enough to be safe.
So those are my thoughts. Throw it at me.
