Boating Discussion Thread, Sea Ray Flybridge........Opinions Please in Boats; I was curious if anybody on here has owned or owns a 24' Sea Ray Flybridge (dual helm). I'm looking ...
I was curious if anybody on here has owned or owns a 24' Sea Ray Flybridge (dual helm). I'm looking for a year with the motor below the back deck. I really don't want to deal with the engine hatch. I'd rather have more fishing room on the back deck. I believe the '77, '78, '81 & '82 all have the motor below the back deck. There seems to be more than enough room to work on the motor under the deck. Anybody have any issues with working on the motor under the deck?
I'm real curious if anybody knows of any issues these boats may have? Are the hulls strong enough to take offshore? Will the 350 motor be enough for this boat? Will the MPG's suck? Is the stock wiring bad? etc....
Please inform me with every good and bad feature with this boat that you know of.
Also, let's say I have the Furuno 600L (or really any GPS or FF). Do the electronic manufacturers sell a splitter type deal so I can run the cables up to the flybridge and the cabin helm? This way I can just move the actual unit to which ever station I am at. Or will I have to buy 2 FF's and 2 GPS's?
Thanks in advance - Mike
__________________ I choose to live and to grow, take and give and to move, learn and love and to cry, kill and die and to be paranoid and lie, hate and fear and to do what it takes to move through. Step into the shadow. Change is coming through my shadow. 46&2 just ahead of me. MJK
Mike, you have found the right guy, I know these boats inside outside over under and more I have owned mine since 1988.
All the sedan bridge models from 77 on have the motors below deck.
They are easy to work on with a small block motor.
The weekenders were mostly engine above deck but I think the 76 model had the engine above deck.
The boats are all hand layed bullet proof deeeeeep V hulls and are heavy. they handle five to six foot seas ok but they are rock and rollers due to the bridge height and narrow beam.
I repowered mine in 96 and put a 290 volvo with a duo prop which made all the differance in the world as far as steering and getting up on plane.
The boat does 28 knots top end down hill on a glassy day which for that type of boat with a small block is haulin ass.
Now for the downsides to the boat:
It gets really bad gas milage crusing at 22 knots at 3600 rpm it gets 1.5 mile per gallon. Crusing at 7 to 10 knots it gets about 2 mpg. This boat full of fuel and loaded down weighs 7,200 pounds the dry weight from the factory says 4,600 pounds but that is questionable since I have had it on the scales empty and it weighed 5.900 pounds.
The wiring on all these boats are old and should be rewired, how do I no this you ask I have been rewiring this boat for 20 years some of it twice and three times that is a never ending battle.
It is a great family boat its like a small sportfisher, it has a head with a flush toilet a small galley, upper and lower stations although I never drive below becase it is hard to see. It sleeps 3 comfortably but 4 works.
I have all my electronics on the bridge but I have radios at both stations but I'm sure you can hook seperates up.
All in all I have a lot of fun with this boat and and wouldn't get rid of it for the world.
First off.....thanks for your info Gary! Glad to hear you are happy with the hull. Yeah I figured that it would probably wouldn't be the fastest boat out there. Was there a lot of problems with planning and turning before your repower?
Quote:
Originally Posted by fishdoggary
All the sedan bridge models from 77 on have the motors below deck.
This is what I thought too. But my theory has been proven wrong with a couple of Sea Ray flybridges. Here is one I found in the boat trader.....a '79 with motor above deck.
Then I found a '77 that only had a helm on the bridge. The guy who is selling is the second owner and the original owner said he bought it like that. Have you ever heard of that before (the flybridge models only coming with 1 helm)?
Also what is the difference between a Weekender and the Sedan? I have found some Sea Ray's recently that have no back wall to the cabin. What kind are those? It's just wide open from the back deck to the cabin.
__________________ I choose to live and to grow, take and give and to move, learn and love and to cry, kill and die and to be paranoid and lie, hate and fear and to do what it takes to move through. Step into the shadow. Change is coming through my shadow. 46&2 just ahead of me. MJK
Here you Go!!
I have to agree this year hull is one of the best hulls around I have a Sport cruiser model for sale ,I bought it as a basket case only because I wanted to do a hull up restoration,You have picked (In my eyes) the best of the best blue water hulls,they will punch through 4ft seas like a hot knife tru butter,When you are planning a 100mile + run that Meen`s a whole lot .
The Raz-n-Kane Has a 300hp 454 that was built by me and designed for long range cruiseing,It came with a small block I ran for a year,It has a flow scan ,I burned 16 gph at 3600rpm@ 19kn,with the BB installed I burn 11 to 12GPH @ 21kn @ 3100 RPM ,I know it sounds crazy but its true!
She has a 240nm range 250 if you run slower 15kn, she tops out at 32kn(To fast) It will run from HH to the Buterfly and back no prob with three guys and gear & 5 scoops of bait, I could go on for days PM me If you want to talk here are some pic`s
Also what is the difference between a Weekender and the Sedan? I have found some Sea Ray's recently that have no back wall to the cabin. What kind are those? It's just wide open from the back deck to the cabin.
The difference is that of an express model vs. a true flybridge.
As to the boat, they're not perfect but they are a great value, IMO... Where can you find a flybridge boat that is trailerable, has dual helms, sleeps up to four, galley, head, cockpit fishes 3 or 4 or the generally low price?
on the topic of problems with this vintage of Sea Ray, I do have some valid experience. I have an 82 SXL 260. Mine came with a Merc 330 TRS. Meaning , it had a 454 with a Borg Warner C-72 transmission and a stout TRS outdrive.
Wiring? Lots of sources but you get what was in it to begin with. Very old skool and in need of updates. Mucho better terminals and connectors nowdays. And the relay to a relay? BS.
I redid all the engine wiring and connected it to the still working dash wiring. The dash wiring is a nightmare and will be another days project. But it all works and is good quality.
Mechanicals? Engine was NOT Closed Cooling and this option was pretty rare, so I'm told. Get it closed cooled if salt is in your future. Other than that, solid components. Pay attention to the sizing of the engine. These were heavy boats and an excess of power is not a bad thing. It will yank the barnacles off the hull when launching and can throttle waaaay back for economy. Prop to YOUR specs, not some one else's idea of what it needs. Get advice sure, but no one should change your goal.
Hull. This is an old boat and old fiberglass had it's problems. It could be de-laminating somewhere. Check the decks and floors and stringers for soft wood or rot. Hell, even termites!
Engine cover or not. I see no problem. My rear deck was non existent and I made one with an engine cover. This keeps the gunwale height very tall and secure. The idea of putting my weight on a cheapass SS blt together rail while I might be reefing on a lifetime keeper is not comforting. And the engine cover height gives a nice casting platform. With my new seats, a nice flat standing area. And still room to store stuff.
Pics are in the Check My boat area under "Sea Ray" project.
Get manuals and more manuals.
DG
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Good info on the hull & motor. I really like your boat. Haven't seen that type of boat for sale before. I've only seen the open and flybridge versions.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Outlawman
The difference is that of an express model vs. a true flybridge.
As to the boat, they're not perfect but they are a great value, IMO... Where can you find a flybridge boat that is trailerable, has dual helms, sleeps up to four, galley, head, cockpit fishes 3 or 4 or the generally low price?
I've called on the 1st boat you mentioned above. This is the boat that only has the 1 helm up on the fybridge. The boat has never had a helm in the cabin.
on the topic of problems with this vintage of Sea Ray, I do have some valid experience. I have an 82 SXL 260. Mine came with a Merc 330 TRS. Meaning , it had a 454 with a Borg Warner C-72 transmission and a stout TRS outdrive.
Wiring? Lots of sources but you get what was in it to begin with. Very old skool and in need of updates. Mucho better terminals and connectors nowdays. And the relay to a relay? BS.
I redid all the engine wiring and connected it to the still working dash wiring. The dash wiring is a nightmare and will be another days project. But it all works and is good quality.
Mechanicals? Engine was NOT Closed Cooling and this option was pretty rare, so I'm told. Get it closed cooled if salt is in your future. Other than that, solid components. Pay attention to the sizing of the engine. These were heavy boats and an excess of power is not a bad thing. It will yank the barnacles off the hull when launching and can throttle waaaay back for economy. Prop to YOUR specs, not some one else's idea of what it needs. Get advice sure, but no one should change your goal.
Hull. This is an old boat and old fiberglass had it's problems. It could be de-laminating somewhere. Check the decks and floors and stringers for soft wood or rot. Hell, even termites!
Engine cover or not. I see no problem. My rear deck was non existent and I made one with an engine cover. This keeps the gunwale height very tall and secure. The idea of putting my weight on a cheapass SS blt together rail while I might be reefing on a lifetime keeper is not comforting. And the engine cover height gives a nice casting platform. With my new seats, a nice flat standing area. And still room to store stuff.
Pics are in the Check My boat area under "Sea Ray" project.
Get manuals and more manuals.
DG
I've been following your posts on your "project". Looks great! Thanks for all the information you provided
So it sounds like I'm making a good choice with the Sea Ray hull.
__________________ I choose to live and to grow, take and give and to move, learn and love and to cry, kill and die and to be paranoid and lie, hate and fear and to do what it takes to move through. Step into the shadow. Change is coming through my shadow. 46&2 just ahead of me. MJK
I really enjoy my SeaRay 260. Its not exactly what you're looking for, but the hulls are similar. I lilke the spacious cabin, smooth ride, and flush deck. A tower or flybridge model would be even sweeter.
Fit and finish on the older Searays was top notch but upkeep on the teak is a pain. I had the shorter one (22 foot) and wanted the larger 24 as it was a much better layout. It's a heavy boat that is great offshore.
Sea Ray Flybridge........Opinions Please 
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