Sea Ray Performance Reports?

J

JeffR

Member
exMember
Joined
Dec 7, 2005
RO Number
19718
Messages
277
How can I get performance reports for particular Sea Ray models - specifically 300 and 320? I'm looking for charts that show speeds and fuel burn through the rpm range, for given engine/drive options. I've called my local dealer (very large dealer), and I've called Sea Ray directly, and they both are giving me the same story - Sea Ray does not test every model with every engine combination, and therefore does not have this data. WHAT?! My dealer went on to tell me that even if they did, they would not publish/share the date because of liability. Again, WHAT?! I can go to Four Winns website and get printed performance data for years back; I can call Regal and Cruisers and get them to quote test data. What is the deal with Sea Ray? This is the type of thing that keeps me questioning whether I want to pursue a Sea Ray.

Done ranting...can anyone help me?
 
I'm surprised that any mfr would publish performance data. Doing so sets them up for warranty claims and complaints as conditions beyond their control change. Auto manufacturers don't do it either, at least none that I've seen.

Have you looked at boattest?
 
pde - are you referring to my intended question about performance data? Or, are you implying I'm beyond help based on my very last question?!;)

slw - I'm not looking to debate, but how is this really different than posting "expected" fuel economy on new car windows? I have no idea what the industry does as a whole. All I know is that I've had no problem getting this data from the other manufacturers that I've been interested in. Nowhere does it say that it's a guarentee. It's data gathered from tests based on certain conditions. Common sense that outputs change as inputs change.

Are you telling me that when/if you were going to purchase a different (new or used) boat, you would not research "advertised" cruise rpm/speed/fuel, wot rpm/speed/fuel, etc. How do you know during sea trial if parameters are in line with what's expected? I just assumed this is common practice that most want to know.(?)
 
Jeff,

If my reply came off as combative, it wasn't meant to. I was saying that I don't expect those figures to come from manufacturers - especially in our litigious society. Big Business learned long ago that no "asterisk" can protect them from claims and lawsuits.

The figures you see posted on car windows are from the EPA. The auto mfr's don't provide that data, and in case of every segment beyond sub-compact, they probably wouldn't post them at all if given the choice.

I can honestly say that no, I don't look to any advertising claims when making purchases, from electronics, to cars to boats.

On the flip side, when I bought my last car, you'd better believe that I had read every review from the respected car mags, averaged the figures they found in real-world testing and used that to set my expectations.

Boat mags are a different story. They're not easy to trust from and editorial/subjective standpoint, but they do tend to perform realistic sea trials and performance tests. I take their data comparatively seriously.
 
SLW...All of our lines publish performance specs for thier entire line-up. Typically they underestimate by approximately 10%, and of course, we do not add that when talking to a customer. I, just today demo'd a Chaparral 250 Signature with a Volvo 8.1. They publish 49 as the top speed, and I got 55MPH GPS certified out of it...the customer was EXTACTIC I must say!
 
In other words, Chap altered the performance specs and published an intentionally-low figure. This is in line with mfr's wanting to avoid selling a boat to a customer that for a variety of reasons may not perform "as promised" or "as expected" or even "as suggested".

So if Carver and Cruisers does the same thing, and SeaRay doesn't publish at all, we have 4 major mfr's who avoid publishing their (real) performance data.
 
slw, not a problem, no offense taken. I should have used a different word than "advertised", that's why it's in quotes. Maybe "published"? My point being, there indeed are many variables that must be taken into account when considering performance numbers on a boat. But, likewise, all the more reason to understand ahead of time how the boat is "expected" (yes, more quotes) to perform under a certain set of parameters. As we all know, not only conditions of the water, etc. affect performance, but many, many variables in the design and construction of the boat, and let's face it, sometimes they miss the mark. I've read numerous threads here (boatered, not specifically Sea Ray) where individuals have experienced lower than "expected" performance when compared to documented results, and with the help of others on the board were able to diagnose some problems. Different than why I want the data, but still valid.

Anyway, I simply was hoping to research performance data on some Sea Ray boats and would appreciate any info.
 
Well SLW, Carver doesn't publish any top speed performance, but does publish (correct) cruise and usage stats. Chaparral is in no way the only one who underestimates their performance...When we sold Maxum, they litterally told us that their published figures were 10% lower than what their test boats had acheived. They did this assuming that, like most boaters, they would load the boat up with stuff to where the boat could not achieve their unloaded test numbers. If it did...frosting on the cake, if not, well, performance has a lot of variables. I'd like to see a boat manufacturer who can predeict that EVERY XXXmodel performs exactly the same regardless of where in the world it may be and with all the different load possibilities there can be! Logic and physics say that it is not possible.
 
Ram, correct me if I've mis-understood your point, but aren't we in agreement? :)

Jeff, I'm with you on gathering data. The more the better! As I THINK we all agree, mfr data is suspect to say the very least. Owner experience can be valuable, but I've also know guys who ran their boats 8 knots too slow for a decade because someone convinced them that a given RPM was a "sweet spot".

Still, a sample of say half-a-dozen owners with that hull and power package, plus some magazine runs etc. can yield some decent info. (and it'd be info that I trust more than anything that's published by the builder)
 
Jeff.............why not ask other owners for that information? I can tell you anything you want to know about newer 260DA's based on my own experience with my boat and I am sure owners of the models you are interested in could do likewise.

The only other published data I have ever seen is either from magazine tests or tests done by Boattest.com. You might try searching some of the boating magazine web sites to see what you can find.
 
I have a few different beliefs here.
I think Searay has learned that they can sell boats off the showroom floor and do not have to publish performance information. Most buyers will not even ask, nor will they seatrial the boat. And if offered a ride by a salesman, will not try to determine fuel usage.

There is no guarantee that new boats are delivered with the best, or even appropriate, props. In fact there have been manufacturers who have intentionally installed "incorrect" props - and have had to replace them. This all affects performance substantially, especially given the different usage by various owners.

Many buyers have made decisions they consider more important than performance and so become less concerned with performance stats: Diesel vs. Gas, Inboard vs. sterndrive, large vs small engine, twins vs single, tail-heavy vs balance design. No wonder they don't ask about performance and efficiency.

BTW, is it good that a 25 ft Chapperal can do 55 mph?
 
BTW, is it good that a 25 ft Chapperal can do 55 mph?

I was impressed...it was a cruiser, NOT a sport boat. and it wasn't WAY underpowered like my friends' Sea Ray 260 DA with a 5.0L engine
 
DS - I think that's what I'm doing. This is a Sea Ray forum, presumably frequented by Sea Ray owners. I was hoping I could get some responses from those owners.

Capt10 - I hear ya!! I was simply chatting with someone from my local Regal dealer this afternoon while at the marina, and got on this exact topic (not relative to Sea Ray, but performance data, in general). We were discussing a larger Regal, and his answer was, "give me a call this week when I'm at my desk and I'll look up the data." I'm not even looking to buy anything close to the boat we were discussing, we were just talking boats. The problem is that I really am starting to like the 320DA, but I feel like just like you say, that Sea Ray just wants you to buy the boat simply on Sea Ray merit. "Our boats are built really well, and perform really well, trust us." These are some of the things that kept me gun shy of Sea Rays in the first place.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top