upgrading, and have questions

[beason]

I currently own a 1991 searay 170 bow rider. It has been a good boat for us this summer, but i happened on a 1999 searay 180 that i want to upgrade to.

I have a few questions that i cannot find on the searay spec sheets.

my manual says the 170 i have is 16.8 ft hull and 18.2ft with platform. all i see is 18ft even for the 180 with no specification as to if that means with or without platform. It the 180 roomy enough? i normally run 2 adults and 2 kids, but sometimes 4 adults and 2 kids.

does the 180 have fiberglass floors? I know my 170 is fiberglass over plywood.

does the 180 have the built in ice chest? im pretty sure this is a searay thing, but i like ours and i hope the new one has it.

is this a good upgrade? i know the owner, and he is basically selling it to me for what i can sell mine for, so i would assume yes.

thanks in advance.

 

[jkust]

Re: upgrading, and have questions

How old/big are the kids?
Is it an I/O or OB?
Never seen any BR of any brand for 25 years without an ice chest.
Would suspect carpet over wood
Sounds like a lateral move as that is the smallest SR produced that year.

 

[beason]

Re: upgrading, and have questions

one is 16, the other is 12. the 16 year old doesnt show much interest, but the 12 year old loves it.

its an I/O

thanks for the info!

 

[jmarty10]

Re: upgrading, and have questions

I have a Larson 180 they call an 18 footer. Family is 2 adults and 3 kids. We let 1 kid take a max of 1 friend. It will fit six no problem. 7 is definitely cramped. a 99 is probably going to have wood floors. Its unusual to have a built in cooler on most 18 foot bowriders.

 

[beason]

Re: upgrading, and have questions

Never seen any BR of any brand for 25 years without an ice chest.

well, mark it on the list. This 1999 180 bow rider does NOT have a built in Ice chest. At least its not where it is supposed to be, in the passengers side dash. Kind of a downer, but not a deal breaker.

 

[jkust]

Re: upgrading, and have questions

well, mark it on the list. This 1999 180 bow rider does NOT have a built in Ice chest. At least its not where it is supposed to be, in the passengers side dash. Kind of a downer, but not a deal breaker.

Thats a different story. An actual ice chest in the pass side dash is rare. My sig boat has it in addition to the glove box but it is not as common as you may think. When you say ice chest, I think any built in cooler whether it be in the bow, stern, or anywhere else. I have several built in coolers and don't use any of them. I find a soft side cooler much easier to deal with. I use the dash "ice chest" as a great spot for storing small items. If I had no coolers I wouldn't miss them.

 

[beason]

Re: upgrading, and have questions

the boat i have now is a 1991 170. it has a built in ice chest and is pretty big. I will miss it

I have a nice rolly cooler, but i think its to big to carry in the boat.