Just wanted to ask everyone here, does the 300 Sundancer (2002-2005) offer v-drives at all or are the all i/o's? Do you have to go larger with Sea Ray to get true inboards? The reason I ask is that I am considering moving to Florida, and may see my Carver 356 here (in MI) and get a smaller boat down there. I really like the 300 (especially with the blue hull), but I also really like v-drives, and have read that i/o's generally cost more to maintain. Thanks in advance for any input!
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300 Sundancer
- Thread starter rich356
- Start date
Looks like the 300 is available with i/o's only.:http://www.searay.com/2007_sea_ray_sport_cruisers_300_sundancer.asp?display=brochure&tab=1&modelid=80584&reqtype=1,5,9,19
However the 310(base price $10K more) is available with v-drives: http://www.searay.com/2007_sea_ray_...brochure&tab=1&modelid=81094&reqtype=1,5,9,19
However the 310(base price $10K more) is available with v-drives: http://www.searay.com/2007_sea_ray_...brochure&tab=1&modelid=81094&reqtype=1,5,9,19
Thanks! Sounds like the 320 would work out well. Don't mind the extra couple of feet. Hell, it's still going to be much smaller than my current boat (mostly in height and length). Nothing wrong with i/o's I guess. Just like v-drives better.
- Joined
- Mar 2, 2000
- RO Number
- 59
- Messages
- 162
Rich,
Just a thought, a cold dash of reality.
I'm a diehard Sea Ray guy and I had a 02 320 and the 320 has to be the most miserable handling and rough riding boat I have owned.
BUT, some of this can be fixed.
With V drives the wheels are small, so be prepared to grab a handfull of throttle when you dock and the boat will respond.
It is hard to keep the bow down when entering a head sea at slower speeds. The fix...Tom McGow from Bennett set me up with an extra set of trim tabs.
I know its hard to imagine 4 tabs on a boat but they did the trick.
So buy a 320, the interior is great, but be prepared to compensate for the quirks. Better idea, beat up a dealer and find an 04 360.
Jim Conroy
Just a thought, a cold dash of reality.
I'm a diehard Sea Ray guy and I had a 02 320 and the 320 has to be the most miserable handling and rough riding boat I have owned.
BUT, some of this can be fixed.
With V drives the wheels are small, so be prepared to grab a handfull of throttle when you dock and the boat will respond.
It is hard to keep the bow down when entering a head sea at slower speeds. The fix...Tom McGow from Bennett set me up with an extra set of trim tabs.
I know its hard to imagine 4 tabs on a boat but they did the trick.
So buy a 320, the interior is great, but be prepared to compensate for the quirks. Better idea, beat up a dealer and find an 04 360.
Jim Conroy
I own a 320 - not familiar with the rough ride - compared to other 32's it is actually a great ride. When docking in wind or current I find that it does require some throttle (900 RPM's in reverse from 600 Rpm's) to get the spin started - but if you are dead in the water and have no wind or current - it will spin quite well with inboards with no additional throttle.
Hmm. I am a bit surprised to hear that the 320 would have a rough ride. At what speed? Up on plane I would think it would have a good ride in moderate seas due to decent dead rise (certainly when compared to my Carver which has about an 11 degree dead rise aft). What engines typically are in the 320 (in a say 2001-2005 model year)? I have 454's in my current boat and it's good deal bigger and about 2 tons more heavy than the 320, and it has no problems spinning.
- Joined
- Mar 2, 2000
- RO Number
- 59
- Messages
- 162
Guys
The problem lies in steep waves with small intervals.
Try to keep the bow down at slower speeds, when you want the sharper part of the 'V' to slice the water first.
The 320 sticks its bow up so the waves 'slap' the hull at its flatter sections.
The extra tabs keep the hull flatter and causes the 'V' to do it's job.
The 350 mags do produce 300hp, however the max torque and hp come at higher rpms (and higher speeds)than big blocks.
900 revs would be a minimal, I generally docked the boat with the idle set up to a point just below 'clunking' when shifting.
I found that short 'blurps' worked very well in getting the boat to pivot. I put a 150 hours or so on my 320 and it was nice.
I have to restate that i am a Sea Ray guy through and through, I'm on my 8th Ray. I did like the 320, it just has its quirks.
And I'll tell you that spending a few extra bucks for a 360 makes a 'world' of difference.
You get 18,000 lbs, 12'6" beam torque monster 8.1's all at a price that if you shop will not be that much more.
I've run the 360 in all kinds of stuff, small craft warnings, tall chop, large rollers, steep waves, beam seas quartering seas, you name it.
There is a world of difference. And you are correct the bilge is tight.
Skolbe take one for a spin you'll see what I mean.
I just wanted to voice my observations.
Jim
04 420DA
The problem lies in steep waves with small intervals.
Try to keep the bow down at slower speeds, when you want the sharper part of the 'V' to slice the water first.
The 320 sticks its bow up so the waves 'slap' the hull at its flatter sections.
The extra tabs keep the hull flatter and causes the 'V' to do it's job.
The 350 mags do produce 300hp, however the max torque and hp come at higher rpms (and higher speeds)than big blocks.
900 revs would be a minimal, I generally docked the boat with the idle set up to a point just below 'clunking' when shifting.
I found that short 'blurps' worked very well in getting the boat to pivot. I put a 150 hours or so on my 320 and it was nice.
I have to restate that i am a Sea Ray guy through and through, I'm on my 8th Ray. I did like the 320, it just has its quirks.
And I'll tell you that spending a few extra bucks for a 360 makes a 'world' of difference.
You get 18,000 lbs, 12'6" beam torque monster 8.1's all at a price that if you shop will not be that much more.
I've run the 360 in all kinds of stuff, small craft warnings, tall chop, large rollers, steep waves, beam seas quartering seas, you name it.
There is a world of difference. And you are correct the bilge is tight.
Skolbe take one for a spin you'll see what I mean.
I just wanted to voice my observations.
Jim
04 420DA
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2004
- RO Number
- 14642
- Messages
- 2,612
If you are looking at a 300 and going to a 34 or 36 may be out of budget, then go with the 320. I have found it to be a real nice boat. I have had mine for going on 5 seasons now. I upped from a 280. Where and when you boat can determine your needs. For me on the Great South Bay on LI and the occasional run to other further locations, I have found the 320 to be a fine boat. But I can also see some of the negative points. However, I have not found the need to upgrade just yet.
delliott00
Member
- Joined
- Dec 12, 2005
- RO Number
- 19741
- Messages
- 14
Before I bought my 320DA (for sale at $125K on the classifieds section) I took a test ride on an identical boat at a boat show in Florida. It was a really crappy day and the dealer did not want to go outside the channel, but we talked him into it. But I found the boat did well in 2-4' choppy seas. It does need tab to level out, but the tabs on my 2004 and the 2006 I test rode were more than adequate.
Although my 320 has been used only on lakes, we do have a lot of rough water on busy days and the 320 just slices through them.
I would agree though that it takes a few revs to get the boat to spin on windy days. No big deal. I see it as a tradeoff for the prop pockets. They help keep the boat from drawing a lot of water so I consider it a good compromise.
The bilge is tight, but the rigging is nicely done and I have found that the regular maintenance stuff can be done once you find the right foot space.
-Dave
'04 320DA (for sale or will consider 28-31' cruiser as partial trade)
'07 Sea Hunt 220 Triton
Although my 320 has been used only on lakes, we do have a lot of rough water on busy days and the 320 just slices through them.
I would agree though that it takes a few revs to get the boat to spin on windy days. No big deal. I see it as a tradeoff for the prop pockets. They help keep the boat from drawing a lot of water so I consider it a good compromise.
The bilge is tight, but the rigging is nicely done and I have found that the regular maintenance stuff can be done once you find the right foot space.
-Dave
'04 320DA (for sale or will consider 28-31' cruiser as partial trade)
'07 Sea Hunt 220 Triton
Thanks for the responses everyone. It's not really a budget thing because I'd be selling my current boat, but more of an issue of changing needs. If I lived in Florida and could dock the boat behind my house I wouldn't need the living space that my current boat has (2 berths (well 3 if you count the dinette which converts) and 2 heads). I would, however, like the option of spending nights on the boat if we chose to. So I figured a somewhat smaller Sea Ray would make sense. Since I'd be on the Gulf, rough water wouldn't be such a huge concern so the 320 might work.