decisions and advice...sea ray or stingray?

[dalman]

I am purchasing a "first" boat this fall for my family as an xmas gift and have made some decisions and will outline them here..feedback would be appreciated.
1. used
2. fixed a budget
3. bowrider
4. 3.0L Mercruiser (preferably)
5. 18 ish
6. freshwater lake where the wind does get up and we get chop (although with two young kids (2 and 5) we will be fair weather boaters for now....
7. generally 4 adults and 2-3 kids and tubes or the odd ski

so withing those guidelines I have sourced two boats that seem to fit the bill. Both 18.5ft "ish" bowriders, both 98's with the same powerplant and aprox same hours of use and condition and are within 2K of each other in price. One is a sea ray and the other is a stingray. I have read a ton about both boats and do have a couple questions. According to the web sites, both boats have a deadrise of 19 degrees. Some comments on the stingray are that they tend to ride rougher due to lighter weight and the rake of the dead rise...but with both boats having the same, would they not ride/cut chop similarly? OR is the hull design different enough combined with the weight to make the sea ray ride smoother? Or is the price difference enough to swing the choice towards the the stingray.
I like the aesthetics of both boats...any thoughts?

 

[thrasher]

Re: decisions and advice...sea ray or stingray?

I can't help answer the searay/stingray question, but the first thing to strike me was that 4 adults and 2-3 kids, with skiing capability seems to be asking a lot of a 3.0L engine.. I am sure you will get feedback on the 2 different boat manufacturers, but I think you will need a bigger engine.

Gary

 

[tommays]

Re: decisions and advice...sea ray or stingray?

Well 13 years into the 19' 3.0 powered thing i am happy BUT i can tell your right NOW you will NOT be happy with the performance with 4 adults AND 2 to 3 children

And that is gonna be one really Packed boat


After the 4 adult point the weight really starts to kill the performance

Now if i am willing to use a 17" PITCH PROP on those days it can carry the full load just fine BUT you will HIT WOT at about 32 MPH and really only be able to run about 25 MPH


This is compared to the normal 4 blade 20" prop that allows 40 MPH with a nice cruise speed of around 30 + MPH



Tommays

 

[dalman]

Re: decisions and advice...sea ray or stingray?

I understand the power comments and I guess the decision I have is do I get a power plant that can move more people around easily the odd time we have 4 big people and 3-4 kids..or a smaller one that fits the bill 80-90% of the time when it is just my family of 4 (2 and 5 yrs old). This summer we spent a bunch of time on a friends Blue Water w/ the 3.0 pulling kids on a tube w/ 3 and sometimes 4 adults in the boat... I am in no way an expert, but it seemed to do the job admirably.

Will that 3.0 plant pull an adult skier?
thanks all,
P

(reading the posts here really shows me how much knowledge people do have and how much I need to learn!)

 

[sickwilly]

Re: decisions and advice...sea ray or stingray?

I'll chime in:

The Stingray will run rougher because of hull design and weight. However, it will also run faster and more efficiently. That being said, it will not run as rough as many other 18-20 ft. boats on the lake. You can add a hydrofoil or tabs and smooth it out some. Their hull design is more build for speed.

Either boat will do just fine to get you into boating.

That said, I will advise you to do what I did. Look for a 19 ft Stingray with a 4.3. The 19 ft Stingray will weight close to what that 18.5 Sea Ray does, but will have a capacity of 8 people or (guessing here -- I'm not at home) 1350 lbs.

My 190 Stingray really is comfortable with 4 adults and 4 kids ages 5-10. I have the version with the rear bench seat and sun pad. It also has tons of storage. I think it would be worth the V6 and extra foot, as well as I think the boats you are looking at have an adult capacity of 7 people. Also, the V6's come with a 23 pitch prop and will decently pull out a 190 lbs slalom skier, with much more room to play around with pitch for the purposes of skiing and still have plenty of top end fro cruising.

A 3.0 will be fine to learn to ski on. If you have any heavier people, you will have to get a much lower pitch prop, and then will loose on top end. 4.3 better, but 3.0 will be fine.

If you still want a 3.0, then just look more at how each boat was cared for and condition, test ride them with your family in them, and pick whichever feels right.

Happy boating

 

[dalman]

Re: decisions and advice...sea ray or stingray?

Am I being overly concerned with the fuel consumption/operating costs vs performance of 3.0 and the 4.3? It seems every ad I look at for the 3.0 claims good fuel economy and maybe I am getting stuck on that vein of thought...
P

 

[sickwilly]

Re: decisions and advice...sea ray or stingray?

Good fuel economy versus what? A 3.0 towing the kids in innertubes all day with a lower pitch prop to help hole shot and getting on plane, versus a foot longer boat with a 4.3 and a higher pitch prop may be a wash. The same 3.0 pulling 150 lbs water skiiers will use more gas than the 3.4 with a medium pitch, as well as really strain while getting then up.

However, when sitting in a nice cove, floating, swimming and hanging out, either will do the same -- and the lack of a boat won't get you there. So either is preferable to neither.

I would not avoid a 4.3 because of gas mileage. I would avoid it because of tow/weight limitations.

You might want to read a couple of threads about prop pitch and towing skiers.

Lots of great info here.

Lastly, after getting back into boating this summer after no having a boat since the folks sold it to help pay for college, all I can say is I wish I did this five years ago. Its a great thing for families with young kids! Sure beats sitting around fighting them watching TV, etc, and great memories. Either boat will accomplish that.

 

[rentalguy1]

Re: decisions and advice...sea ray or stingray?

I've got an 18.5' boat and with 2 adults and 2 10 year old boys it gets really crowded. Just my $.02

 

[dalman]

Re: decisions and advice...sea ray or stingray?

we are in a good spot as far as the lake goes...we have waterfront lot with a trailer so we can zip back and forth, go out do what we want on the lake then head back in, so in that repect we don't have to worry too much about being out "for the day" on the lake and all that entails space wise...that being said, more room is better than not enough....and it sounds like more power the more options you have...the bigger the boat....the more you can...

damn, I've already got "two-foot itis" and I don't even have a boat yet!

 

[rentalguy1]

Re: decisions and advice...sea ray or stingray?

damn, I've already got "two-foot itis" and I don't even have a boat yet!

Now 'yer catchin' on! LOL. Maybe look into a 20-22 footer that's 3 years older. Or, when the time comes to ride that many peeps on the boat, just let them know that only the kiddos can go tubing at a very slow speed, unless somebody wants to wait at the ramp for their turn.

 

[cmcpherson]

Re: decisions and advice...sea ray or stingray?

I had a 3.0 18' Sea Ray for a number of years and I never had much of an issue with performance. We typically ran a four blade 20" prop and would pull me out just fine on 2 skis, 250 pounds. We would probably still have that boat if we only boated on our lake, but we like to move around and hit some areas with pretty big water and the 2100 pound boat got tossed around pretty good so we got a 24 that gives us big power and a great ride in most water conditions we encounter. I would not hesitate to go with the 3.0 Sea Ray and if you decide in a year that you need something bigger you are not going to lose much on resale.

 

[Milkmaster]

Re: decisions and advice...sea ray or stingray?

The boat length and type you seek is great for family fun as you say. I have been waiting around for several months just to find a similar boat to buy used. I also thought the 3.0 would be fine for me. However, not one person I asked told me that I would be happy with the 3.0 power plant. I don't want to be unhappy with it and be looking for another boat after buying the first. I will be hauling my family of five (me, wife, and 3 kids) at least. I just decided to look for the 4.3L engine and bypass any questions. I have found a 1993 BAJA 180 Islander outfitted with the 4.3 in really great garage kept shape and am in negotiations. Keep you head open to ideas. You may be suprised at what you find using patience.

 

[dalman]

Re: decisions and advice...sea ray or stingray?

I am pretty torn right now and trying to avoid getting caught up in a "buyers frenzy" and look at things more pragmatically...I really do like the two boats and think I woukld be happy with either of them, but as many of you have said perhaps my best bet is to keep looking into the fall and winter and get a boat that is "perfect"...that being said, it's kinda like fishing catch and release..always throwing them back 'cause the next one is gonna be bigger but quite often isn't!

The other down side is the farther into fall/winter I get, I will be looking at boats and not having an opportunity to "test ride" due to the weather...but a survey would generally ease those worries I am thinking.

Judging by the feedback I should be looking for something around 20 with the 4.3?

thanks all,
P

 

[KCook]

Re: decisions and advice...sea ray or stingray?

Here is the link to another thread that kicks around the different sizes -

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=112138

 

[wvit1001]

Re: decisions and advice...sea ray or stingray?

There is no substitute for cubic inches. I had an 18.5' boat with a 125 hp outboard for years. I traded it on the 1995 22' Stingray 656 with a 350 ci and have never regreted it. The 350 is about the same as far as gas goes, both use 5 or 6 gallons an hour just cruising around. The 350 isn't bad as long as you don't open up the 4 barrel. But the Stingray pulls anyone and anything without a problem. I've had 7 adults in the boat and pulled a skier before plus the extra room is worth the money.

The Stingray rides a little rougher than the Sea Ray but mine will pull 58 mph with 2 adults and the mercury high-5 prop on it.

 

[RWilson2526]

Re: decisions and advice...sea ray or stingray?

Judging by the feedback I should be looking for something around 20 with the 4.3?

P

Dont worry about all the feedback. Ruling out an 18' with 3.0 just increased your fixed budget that you mentioned in your original post. Now if your budget is truly fixed and you start looking 20' you are probably going to have to settle on an older boat to stay within your budget. Newer 18' or older 20' ....more maintenance issues possibly. Go with your first extinct. Nothing says you have to keep the boat forever. Go 20' next year or the year after that.

 

[dalman]

Re: decisions and advice...sea ray or stingray?

balancing what is the best fit for now and keeping an eye on the future...is what I am learning and my gut tells me that I will know the boat not just when I see it, but run it as I would/will be doing then I have to decide if fits the budget we have set aside to buy the thing. I have to remind myself my first car was a 1979 Chevy Citation...it did what is was meant to..transport me back and forth to school and hockey practice..it was not the mustang or z28 some of my friends had....and I have a feeling that my 21yrs on my first boat will be kinda the same. (although that car was pretty ugly!)
cheers,
P

 

[nlain]

Re: decisions and advice...sea ray or stingray?

I had a 3.0L in a 1987 17' SeaRay Seville bowrider, I now have a 2004 SeaRay 185Sport 4.3L with Smart Tabs, I still boat in the same waters, make the same runs from home to the sound, fuel consumption is not much different than the 3.0 was, power is a lot more, that was before the Smart Tabs, now it is very close to the same, it handles the 2 to 4 rough sound quite well with the Smart Tabs, it was a little rough without. I would go for the 4.3L for more power for whatever you are doing. That being said, if you like it and it fits your budget get it. If you are going used make sure a pro checks it out for you before you by. I am partial to SeaRay and no absolutely nothing about Stinray so I cannot even try to compare. If you are looking at both, run them, see which one fits better and will do what you want and go for it and enjoy.

 

[Milkmaster]

Re: decisions and advice...sea ray or stingray?

As mentioned before... Don't worry about the opinions on here including mine. They are just that "opinions" and exactly what you asked for. I mentioned a few posts up from here about my research regarding the 4.3L I found. Again, just be patient about your decision and never look back. There are lots of those 3.0 drives out there in smaller boats like 18 footers that perfrom reliably. They are adequate especially if there is just two or three in the boat and you don't care about running 50 MPH. I don't pull my kids at 40 mph even barefootin'. My teenager runs at about 30 skiing.

We live in TN where the lakes are fresh water and relatively calm most of the time. I don't have to worry about large problems that come with huge lakes or sea surfs etc. Therefore the 18 foot boat is not a problem where I use it.

That all being said...I prefer the 4.3 because I will have a minimum of 5 people in the boat. That's not written in stone...it is only an opinion. The 18 ft boat is quite sporty feeling with the 4.3L. The boat is rated at 8 people or 1100 pound load. The boat itself weighs 2400 lbs and has a deep hull.. I have seen some 18 footers that only weigh 2000 lbs. I would guess the difference in weight would certainly make a difference in performance from one to another when thinking about the 3.0 vs 4.3. I suggest you compare the weight a potential boat when considering engine needs. I chose not to go to a 20 footer so I can still get the boat in my garage with the door closed. The open bow allows for a lot less crowded feeling for the smaller boat.

Forums are good for bouncing ideas and feedback. In the end, do what your gut tells you to do!
Good Luck!

P.S. I agree with the post above....The Chevy Citation WAS an ugly car! haha Thanks for the memory jolt!

 

[amynbill]

Re: decisions and advice...sea ray or stingray?

We are ordering our boat today, and I know the single most important upgrade I want is the largest engine

Instead of the 220 hp, I am going to order the 260 hp bcause I know the first time the boat would have dragged with 4 adults and a water skier, I would have been unhappy.

By the way, after a good amount of research into new boats (though not what you are specifically looking for) decided on the sport 205 Sea Ray.