Newbie with questions....

Howdy folks!<br /><br />I have been boating for almost my entire 45 years, but have always been with the runabouts. Right now I have an old 1973 Glastron V174 that still runs great! Even the gauges still work!<br /><br />But I have an itch that won't cure. I want to get a cruiser. Specifically a 27' Sea Ray Sundancer. I have done lots and lots of research on this boat and am looking for one built between 1987 and 1995. I don't want to pay over $25,000 for one, but if I have to..... <br /><br />Anyway, my questions are:<br /><br />1. Are these boats every bit as good as advertised? Do any of ya'll have one and what are your experiences with them?<br /><br />2. Would it be worth it to travel up to the Great Lakes region to buy one? I live near Atlanta, only five minutes from Lake Lanier and I've seen on various online boat traders that many boats up there are stored indoors during the winters and that the seasons are pretty short, therefore that equals fewer hours.<br /><br />3. What about Florida boats? I hear that those boats are kinda to be avoided for the opposite reasons about Great Lakes or northern boats. Same with any boats on salt water.<br /><br />4. How "firm" are the values for these Sea Rays? Will there be any haggling over the prices from the owners/brokers? What's the best way to get the best price, yet not rip off the seller?<br /><br />5. What should I look for when doing an inspection on the boats when I start looking?<br /><br />6. What about financing? I am starting the process of saving my $$ and plan to put half down when I make the purchase. How long will the various boat financing companies finance boats this old for? I want to keep my payments as low as possible for obvious reasons.<br /><br />7. What kind of tow vehicle should I get? I don't want to pay a lot of $$ for such an animal. Can I do OK with my '89 GMC Jimmy? Or should I look for an old 3/4 tone pickup with a Class III hitch? I don't plan to wet storage this boat and where I keep my old Glastron is only about 1/2 mile from the nearest ramp on Lake Lanier.<br /><br />Any other pieces of advice would be welcomed with open arms! I'm excited about this and plan to buy one, if not next year, the following year. I do want to buy one that is completely turn-key. I don't want to have to spend a dime on it other than putting gas in her and outfitting her.<br /><br />Thanks!<br />ihorizon<br />Sugar Hill, Ga

Re: Newbie with questions....

I don't know about this particular boat. I do think, however, that it is a big boat to be towing around, especially with an '89 Jimmy (unless it's the K, not the S). I strongly feel, and others will agree, that if you leave your boat in the water, you will use and enjoy it more. I'd start looking for a slip now. Many marinas have waiting lists of one year or more. Keep at it with your search. I prefer the turn-key approach, as well. That boat is out there for you, somewhere. Good luck.

Re: Newbie with questions....

Yeah I'll probably look around for an old truck that will be used to tow to and from the ramp.<br /><br />What I think I'll do is to keep the boat in dry storage the first year in order to save some $$ and the second year put her into a marina.<br /><br />We went out yesterday (Sunday) and SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed) finally started to notice the differences between the brands and is warming up to the idea of spending weekends on the lake!<br /><br />Thanks for the reply!<br />ihorizon<br />Sugar Hill, Ga

Re: Newbie with questions....

sundancers are good boats, plenty around. but with any used boat, it's all about the care. if well maintained and not abused, you may find yourself a gem.<br /><br />for a boat that size and with what will come on it, highly suggest a water test and professional survey prior to buying.<br /><br />rule of thumb is that the fall is better for the buyer. seller just finished his season and doesn't want to have the boat sit over the winter. start researching, learning, and shopping now, but don't be rushed. in a few months, you'll know the right price and you'll probably find the correct boat.<br /><br />traveling for a boat can save you money. geographic regions play into the price. factor in costs of shipping or trailering and see if you are still getting a good deal. i traveled 330 miles for my first boat, but it saved me over $4K.<br /><br />27' sundancer will be a bear to launch/haul. check the beam to see if you can even trailer without a permit. also heavy, so you probably need to step up your two vehicle. i would go for a slip. i personally will never trailer again.<br /><br />good luck-

Re: Newbie with questions....

Ditto on the survey especially since your going to be getting into a lot of stuff on the boat that your not used to such as shorepower, hot and cold water systems with pumps etc. Depending on the age your insurance company may insist on one anyway but it's going to cost you as the buyer to pick up all the costs associated with the survey such as launch or haulout plus the survey costs. I believe the older 27 Sundancers (late 80's) had a 10 ft beam so check out local regs for trailering first.

Re: Newbie with questions....

Thanks for the reply, guys. Really appreciate it! <br /><br />One reason I want to be able to trailer her is because I want to explore more than Lake Lanier. We want to be able to pull her to Chattanooga and take a Tennessee River trip. We also want to pull her to Columbus, Ga and go down the Chattahoochie River to the Gulf of Mexico. And we WILL most DEFINETELY pull it down to South Florida for a cruise to The Bahamas! <br /><br />But what do you know about financing this thing? Like I said in the opening post, I want to save up $$ and be able to put at least down for the down payment. How long would the boat loan outfits advertised on here and other boating sites finance such an old boat for? I want to keep the payments under $200 if possible. I do have to budget storage and insurance as well as gas for it.<br /><br />Thanks for all the replies folks!<br /><br />ihorizon<br />Sugar Hill, Ga

Re: Newbie with questions....

I was in about the same position you are, a year ago.I wanted something trailerable. I ended up with 94 sundancer, only a 23 ft though.like you I did a lot of research. Things I found out...avoid dealers, unless you need help with financing.Even if you believe the person when they tell there is nothing wrong with the boat, chances are they don't have a clue. The boat I bought had a 1 year old motor, previous owner said he did,nt know it had to be winterized, block was cracked, engine was replaced.For 60000$ he thought they replaced everything. Wrong!!! bellows where leaking, water in sterndrive. I talked him down from 18000$ to 14500 to cover the cost of repairs and to bring the price down.I would suggest buying in the great lakes reigon, no salt water, and the boats only see 5 or 6 months use a year. Good luck with your purchase!!!<br /><br /> Jim