BajaHotShot

Trying to decide between a '98 280ss and a '99 Searay 260 Sundancer. The 280ss has 400hrs, T-260, windlass, fwc, shorepower, basically loaded without docking lights. The searay has a single 260 but the pros are aft cabin and only 125 hrs. Both are the same price. What would you do? I really I like the 280ss but hesitate with 400hrs. Do you consider 400 too much. I probably put ~40hrs/yr. Thanks.

Perfectmix

BajaHotShot

Hands down the 280ss!! It will out-run, out-handle, and out-last the dancer. In 10 years the 280ss will be worth twice as much as the 260 Searay. 400 hrs is nothing on those motors if the boat has been properly cared for. Plus the 280ss actually looks pretty cool. That's just my opinion. Good Luck!!

Perfectmix

dockrocker

What he said. A boat this size is a dayboat, or at most an onvernighter. The Formula is hands-down the better boat.

bford1

I wouldn't worry about 400 hours on a FORMULA. My dad has 1492 hours on his 1983 F272 LS. It is 100% original (except some of the vinyl seat covers in the cockpit). It is extremely reliable and runs like a top. I have seen others go through Crown Lines, Bajas, Scarabs, etc., etc. that were much newer than my dad's 272. To the untrained eye my dad's 272 looks and performs like a newer boat than others that are 5-10 years newer than his.

Are these boats the same price? The FORMULA is much more boat for the money. Go with the FORMULA! Not even a contest on this one.

BajaHotShot

bford1,
yes the same $$ within a couple K. I was more concerned with 400 hours on the engine/drives (5.7 efi, b3) than on the boat itself. What is the avg. hrs that people have to repower this matchup?

ThirdBird

I wouldn't be to worried about the 400 hours, yeah, somebody used the boat quite a bit but, if taken care of no big deal.

As for the re-power, there is no need for repower or rebuild all the way up to 1000 hours or better. Again, that is with good and proper maintenance. Those are mild motors, they're not going to need to be rebuilt anytime soon. Drives will need work before the motors will.

The thing that gets me is you are comparing a strict daycruiser (280) with a cruiser type (albeit a tiny one) boat. The Dancer will accomodate overnites a bit better but it's gonna be a performance pig. It won't handle as well around the docks (twin vs single), it won't take the weather/waves as well as the 280, it'll top out at like 40 mph. You couldn't pull a tube or anything like that with the dancer, at least not very well.

Bottom line? If I were thinking cruiser type boat, I'd go bigger than the 260 Dancer. Thats a stacked-up, wind catching, slow, not too roomy compromise boat.

My recommendation, get the 280 and put a camper canvas on it. Best of both worlds. (Don't tell Cuda about the top though, he'll come and slice it up in the middle of the night)

cuda

Definetly the 280, if for nothing else but the twin engines. Trust me the 260 single will be a dog and handle like crap, been there, done that.

And by the way, bimini's are ok on cruisers!

ThirdBird

Plus, ya just gotta figure the "run-of-the-mill-factor" here. I mean really, do you want a 260 Dancer when there's like 420 billion of them out there????? OR, would you rather have a 28 foot Formula???????

You're not gonna get a lot of "cruiser" support on this board. We're into NICE boats here. SeaRay cruiser wanna-bees are not NICE boats.

Get the Formula, like others have said above: When you go to sell it you'll get almost what you paid for it now. Guess what your gonna get for that SeaRay cookie-cutter, wanna-bee cruiser,,,,,,,,, like 7,800 bucks.

Don't do it man!!! Don't be seduced by too-small aft-cabins and geeky elevated, half-assed, backrest fold down "bolster seats". Don't be seduced by salesmen that tell you "that 260 horse is torquey". Don't be seduced by the dinky little cook-top in the cabin (I mean really now, you gonna cook up a few greasy burgers down there and get all that monkey fur all kaka?) I didn't think so.

Tell the little lady "We're getting a real boat"!!!!!!!!!!!

SeaRays friggin suck. They build like 862 of 'em every 48 minutes. How good can they possibly be???????

Put some thru-hulls on that 280 Sun Sport, grab yer crotch, and feel the power dude!!!!!!

mcollinstn

Same money? 280ss with twins will make you happy. You will be disappointed in the single SeaRay.

As far as the Sea Ray bashing, I must open up that can of worms. Sea Ray has remained popular and well respected for good reason. While their content has been drained out of many models in their midsize lineup, they still offer a lot of boat for the money.

I will not attempt to claim that they offer a package that compares in structural and performance benchmarks with a similarly sized Formula. TBird will win that comparison EVERY time. They do, however, build a good boat.

There is also a considerable difference in the design and build parameters for their different lines. A 260 Dancer is considered to be a midsized boat for them. It is not designed to the standards of strength and flex resistance that their larger bigwater boats are. It does not have the same degree of galvanic bonding and salt-rated componentry. It does not have the heavily reinforced and velcro spray-flapped canvas of the larger boats.

Cookie cutter? Yep. Sea Ray sells a lot of 260's, and even more smaller boats. In years past, say 1985, Sea Ray was a tough act to follow. In recent years their 18'runabout has become very unremarkable and has fallen prey to the need to compete on price points instead of intangible value like what it will still "feel ike" in 10 years.

Sea Ray's "larger" models start at 34'

The 360 and larger boats are a completely different animal. Designed and built in distinct and unrelated plants. Top quality merchandise.

I am a Formula guy. I've got a larger diesel Sundancer, and chose it over the Formula for a lot of good reasons. I was prepared to pay whatever I needed to in order to get the boat I wanted. Ordered my boat the way I wanted it and saw it being built in Merritt Island.

A Sea Ray ain't junk. And it is a bit immature to jump on a brand name bandwagon (unless it is Bayliner).

But in this case, there is no comparison between a 280SS and a 260 Dancer with a single. if we were comparing a 290 twin Dancer with a 280SS twin, then we'd have something to discuss (like cabin layout, intended usage, etc). As is, your only fear is hours and a proper engine survey will give you the info you need (leakdown and compression test, plug readings, and oil sample analysis).

good luck, and whichever you end up with, I will be happy to provide you with "cruiser support".

ThirdBird

[QUOTE]Originally posted by mcollinstn
[B].

A Sea Ray ain't junk. And it is a bit immature to jump on a brand name bandwagon (unless it is Bayliner).

There's no need to get your panties in a bunch!!! You said yourself that the smaller Rays are "cookie-cutters" and not built to the same standards as the larger Rays.

Now, I can't speak to the large Searay cruisers, I don't have any experience with them. I do however have much experience with the smaller rays. I've seen so much shoddy workmanship in those boats that its almost laughable what they charge for them. Stringers with multiple holes drilled through - unsealed. Lag bolts and screws rather than through bolts. Gel coats that last like one year before they fade into chit. I could go on.

It's not "immature" to bash them, my bashing is based on experience. And remember, a Searay and a Bayliner come from the same place!!