Posted: July 08 2007 at 17:37 | IP Logged

HI EVERYONE, I AM A NEW MEMBER WITH MY FIRST POST.  I AM VERY SAD RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I SOLD MY 1989 30' 11' BEAM SEA RAY. I BOUGHT THIS BOAT 7 YEARS AGO BECAUSE AT THE AGE OF 51 I HAD MY FIRST SON AND WE PREVIOUSLY OWNED A 25' TIARA WITH AN 8' BEAM , I/O FOR 17 YEARS BUT IT POUNDED TOO MUCH IN LONG ISLAND SOUND FOR MY WIFE TO BRING OUR SON ON BOARD SO SHE "FORCED ME TO UPGRADE".  NOW MY SON WANTS TO GO WATER SKIING AND TUBING AND I WANT SOMETHING I COULD STORE ON A TRAILER (I DO HAVE A SLIP) AND AVOID THE OUTRAGEOUS WINTER STORAGE CHARGES.  I WAS LOOKING IN THE 24 TO 27' RANGE (TRAILERABLE) WITH AN OUTBOARD AND WAS SHOCKED TO SEE ALL THE CC AND WA'S WHICH MY WIFE DOES NOT CARE FOR ( LACK OF COMFORT).  I NOW FIGURE I NEED TO BUY AN USED I/O IN THE 24-27' RANGE. I WAS HOPING TO SPEND IN THE HIGH TEENS TO 20'S BUT SEA RAY MAKES SO MANY DIFFERENT MODELS IN THE 24 TO 26' RANGE I NEED ADVICE TO WHAT WOULD BEST SUIT MY NEEDS. WOULD LIKE FOLLOWING:  NEW AS POSSIBLE, CABIN, PULL TUBE, SKIIS, PUMP OUT HEAD, MOST COMFORTABLE RIDE AND BE ABLE TO HAVE A WINDLASS WHICH I DON'T SEE ON ANY 24'. I AND MY FAMILY WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE ANY ADVICE ON WHAT MODEL TO PURCHASE.  MY EYES ARE READY TO POP OUT OF MY HEAD SEARCHING THE INTERNET.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ANY ADVICE.

ALAN

Posted: July 08 2007 at 19:59 | IP Logged

Alan, you are asking for two broad of a range of usage to be able to find a single boat to fit those needs.  I believe a good medium might be a 260 Sundancer in the 2002-4 range with a 5.7 or larger motor. That boat should pull a tube with out too much trouble. Skiing behind that boat might be a little much.  You can check out Club Sea Ray and ask a few owners over there.

As a side note: All caps is considered yelling on forums.

Posted: July 08 2007 at 21:48 | IP Logged

Stihlbolts.

Thanks for your reply. I agree with it is hard to find a single boat that meets all my needs, that is why I am ready for a neck brace to hold my head up in front of the monitor.  I appreciate your side note. I guess you can teach an old salt new tricks.

thanks

Alan

Posted: July 09 2007 at 07:01 | IP Logged

Hi Alan, welcome;

I only paid $8000 for my boat in excellent condition. I have a 1979 26' Sea Ray 260 EX. It has a GM 350 engine (a Merc 260 HP). It has a narrow beam (8'). Moving, it cuts thru the water like a torpedo. But, at anchor it can roll like a drunken sailor in a gale. I have gotten sea sick from sitting inside when even small waves come and start it to rolling. If your wife doesn't like rolling either, get as wide a boat as you can trailer. Wider for stability.

My boat will hit 34 mph by gps. I pull a three person, sit in water toy behind my boat. The toy's drag, with three 50lb kids in it, limits it to about 25 mph. The kids are constantly yelling "GO FASTER" but it wont go any faster. A haven't ever tried to pull a skier with it but I don't think the speed prop would get a skier out of the water very good. But, I've never pulled a skier at all. I know you need to snatch them up out of the water, and my boat doesn't "snatch" very good. I have a prop with less pitch, that came with the boat for skiing, but then the boat will only go @23mph tops. It's really slow with that prop on. 

Also, at WOT my engine is consuming over 60 GALLONS per hour by the flow meter. Holding at @20-22 mph I can get it down to about 30 GPH, but still, that's @$90 an hour for gas. I averaged my MPG on a tank. I averaged less than 1.9 MPG. Gas is expected to do nothing but get more expensive.

If you want to ski, why not buy a used run-about that will pull skiers at 4 MPG or better. A boat with a 90-125 HP outboard shoud do nicely. Then buy a party barge or cabin cruiser for laying back. You could buy BOTH boats used for under $15,000-$20,000 and then you could bave the best of both worlds.

I may have to sell my boat just because I can't afford the fuel to run it much anymore.

Just some things to think about.

Mark 

Posted: July 09 2007 at 17:57 | IP Logged

Alan...

Why not just go for a New S.R. 215 Weekender? Has a lot of what you want and you can probably snag one somewhere in the mid to low $30k range... then, at least you would have a warranty...

Just a thought...