Re: What are late '80's SeaRay's like?
Skategoat, I own a '88 SeaRay 19' Sorrento bowrider with a 205 HP 4.3LX Mercruiser. I find the boat to be solid and handle well in the ocean. It has good power. The gel coat (maroon) is chalked and does not shine up well, but this is inherent to all dark gelcoats to some extent.<br />I do have some complaints however, such that I think the boat is an aberation from "normal" SeaRay quality standards. Over the last four years I have made the following repairs: The original keel under the Ski well was a piece of 3/4'plywood mounted on its edge(no resin or glass) and stapled to the plywood floor of the well. Water got into this space somehow and rotted it out. I ripped out the floor of the well and used solid pressure treated lumber to repair, new floor in the well etc. Next the hull cracked (probably due to too much flex) on the second strake from the keel, under the front seat on the port side. I cut out the floor (that I had replaced two years earlier due to general rot) and dug out the foam, layed glass on the inside of the hull, and added a frame. The stringers were fine, althought I doubled them for good measure. I installed new foam and a new plywood floor. <br /><br />In general, the boat is heavily upolstered, and water is trapped under the vinyl causing the wood to rot. This affects the side panels, motor box and seats. Notwithstanding these repairs, which should not have been necessary, the boat has high sides and good weight making it seaworthy. You need to load it properly (not too many folks in the Bow) or it rides like a barge.
