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any boat people here? think of buying a 1984 SEA RAY CUDDY CABIN

6K views 59 replies 22 participants last post by  MonteMan454 
#1 ·
#2 ·
Shame you're not closer as I've got a 24' Baja cuddy cabin (454/bravo) project that I'd be happy make someone a great deal on. I lost interest years ago and it's just been setting; now if I had a cottage on a lake then I sure I would have finished it :)

I like the idea of a boat but not living by water anymore it should have stayed just an idea :-(

Good luck in your search, sounds like you have a great boat situation on your hands.
 
#3 · (Edited)
the drivetrain in the second one with the cobra. Do not even entertain any boat with an OMC engine. I repeat. DO NOT!

Not sure what the flooring is in either but looks to be carpet glued to Plywood. Not a great combination if not stored properly. 10 years ago I owned a 86 sea ray. Nice boat but it had a fiberglass tub with snap in carpet and a mercruiser v8/alpha. Pretty simple to work on and pretty bulletproof. I've owned 2 sea Ray's and my current boat is a 86 Formula. You can get decent older boats but you need good bones and a drivetrain you can maintain and get parts for.

You either need a survey or at least someone very knowledgeable in boats to check the stringers and transom for rot. It doesn't matter how shiny the fiberglass is if the wood is rotted.

How did your boat sink? Let me guess, split bellows or not beingcovered in a rainstorm. I tend to like trailer queens. No bottom paint as they generally live a lot easier life. Also. Good pictures of the bilge says a LOT about a boat. Here is my Formula. All of my boats looked similar and sold quick when I sold them
 

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#5 ·
the drivetrain in the second one with the cobra. Do not even entertain any boat with an OMC engine. I repeat. DO NOT!

Not sure why you would say that ? OMC engines and Mercruiser engines are exactly the same. They are all basically Chevy engines that came from GM.


I cant speak for the outdrives but as far as the engines there is no difference. I have 2 OMC 5.7's and 2 Mercruiser 5.7's in the shop right now and they ar identical.



Same deal with the 4 cylinders. The only oddball was actually the big Mercruiser 4 cylinder engine that was basically half of a 460 Ford.
 
#4 ·
Thanks guys! Yes, too bad I am so far away from Colorado...it sounds like a great project. OK I will stay away from the OMC powered unit, I talked to the guy and he said it is SBC? He said it was rebuilt and bored over possibly a new cam..Did "OMC" buy SBCs and "convert" them to marine engines? The "Ciera OMC powered" also seems to have small leak and you cannot leave it in the water for week or so. He thinks it needs some more marine silocone around the end unit but who knows??

The Sea ray is a lot closer for us to look at. it is powered by a Mercruiser 140 3.0l. I phoned one boat repair place (for a pre sale inspection) and their schedule is packed. I will try another boat repair place, I don't know enough about boats to try it myself.
Yes, I guess the transom etc can be a weak point etc..

My Mom wants something for our cottage for her and grandkids/(my niece and nephew) to cruise on the river. I would like to take my son (when he is older) out on it as well.. It would be great if it sat 6 people and it has enough power to go tubing etc.. It would probably be my responsibility to take care of it as my Dad is getting too old. I would prefer something "turn key" as I have too many projects (trying to finish my tow rig for the drag car and actually racing)

Here are some pics of the last boat (at the cottage river) after the toronado of 2018 sank it,
 

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#6 ·
It's not the small block Chevy that is the problem it is everything that is bolted to it and the outdrive. Do what you want but don't say I didn't warn you. They went out of business 20 years ago. Unless you want to become a OMC mechanic good luck finding a tech that specialized in a company that was out of business before they finished school. I do all of my own work and never have any trouble finding merc parts. Yes the OMC is a SB.

As far as needing more marine sealant. If that was the sellers "suggested fix" I weld run not walk away.

Boats are not cars, you cant just park them for a year or two and throw the family in and drive across the country.

How about a pontoon with a outboard?
 
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#7 ·
Ah yes , so all the drive train after the OMC boat engines tend to fail..OK I will stay away! I guess a outboard engine generally be less maintenance than a "in board" ? For our old 70hp Johnson, I just changed the gear oil occasionally and when storing it put fogging oil down the cylinders...probably not enough but a inboard seems like more work

My sister suggested a pontoon boat as well, but they seem to be over $10,000 up here..maybe we should just try to get something similar to what we had before..

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-powerboat-motorboat/ottawa/classic-1979-thundercraft-155-ss/1509298466
 
#9 ·
I have had a couple of boats. My current one is a 1996 Sunbird Corsa with a Volvo Penta 4.3L. PO replaced it with a later model 4.3L truck engine. He made mistakes and I have fixed the engine and it runs strong.

The bolt ons can be a problem but I have had no issues finding parts. My outdrive has been fine, it has been engine stuff that has given me the most trouble. Since mine is a trailer queen I have used mostly auto parts store stuff.

Exhaust Manifolds, impellers, carburation, distributer, etc are all marine based. I always use marine alternators and starters due to sparking

My boat sat all winter and Covid with Non-ethanol fuel and started just fine. In a way they are like cars, they do like to be used.
 
#10 ·
It is the OMC stern drive units themselves. They cut a huge gaping hole in the transom so they can jack not the outdrive, but the entire engine and outdrive together. Mercruiser had a more rational approach and is still in business.
I love OMC outboards, everything that is except the FICHT outboards. They seemed like a great idea but leaned out and failed at part throttle. A combination of an industry downturn, the FICHT failures and warranty costs, all around the time of an acquisition frenzy sank the once unassailable OMC around 2001. Evinrudes by BRP now are radical and cool.

Sun Ray boats were made in Quebec. I actually worked with the daughter of the owner of Sun Ray. They were decent boats, though not award winners like say Jim Wynne for Crestliner.
Sea Rays are good boats, but whatever you get used is more about how well the boat was treated, maintained & stored. Watch for rot in the transom & stringers, jury-rigged electrical upgrades. Any propane appliances need to be checked before operating. Cables, outdrives. Remember that on the water cruising & top-end are like running on a dynomometer for an extended run. You need a capable engine that can take it.

Unless the boat was imported from Florida, Ontario is blessed with lots of fresh water which is good news for open cooling systems.
 
#12 ·
I have a 1989 Sanger DX21 with an OMC outdrive. It’s the later “Cobra” drive that did not have the huge transom cutout. It’s been great since I bought it brand new in 1989. But when I do service it (myself) parts are getting harder to find and more expensive. We have kept this on a Hydro Hoist in a covered berth in fresh water since new.
My other boat, 1990 Tiara 3600 Open, has twin Mercruiser inboards based 454 Chevy engines. Parts are much more readily available and while expensive because they are for “marine” use, they are cheaper than the OMC parts. We keep this one in a covered berth in fresh water too but it’s not on a hoist.
And when I refer to “OMC” and “ Mercruiser” parts, I’m not talking about engine parts. It’s all the add on items.
I too would avoid OMC if I were looking for a boat but the main thing I would checkout is the floors, transom and stringers. IMO, a failure of any one of these renders a boat scrap yard material.
 
#13 ·
Thanks guys, I will continue researching.. Yes that brochure is awesome for the "Ciera"! Interesting about the FICHT technology..
(a) Ficht (ex OMC & now Bombardier) is a german invention where the fuel is
subjected to an impact shock (like dropping a stone into a full bucket of
water, the resultant pressure/shock waves overflow the bucket), the pressure
waves then get directly injected through a nozzle into the combustion chamber.
 
#14 ·
With the age of boat you are looking for are you wanting a water ready boat or a project? All boats are projects, even new ones. If you want a project try to find one with solid floors, starts and runs. Try to get a lake test on it too. NOTE: Don't make the mistake I made and bought one with 2 bent valves and blown head gaskets. Fortunately my lower end was undamaged.

Also, the RV and boat market are hot right now, boats are at a premium. People realize that social distancing is easy on a lake.
 
#15 ·
Ah yes I was wondering why there aren't as many choices for boats on facebook marketplace etc..I am hoping for one ready to run, I think this one is running on the water already,,
https://www.kijiji.ca/v-powerboat-motorboat/ottawa/classic-1979-thundercraft-155-ss/1509298466

The example above only seems to seat 4 where the other boats seat 6 at least..

maybe this one as well, it has a aluminum hull so perhaps that means there is less chance of rotting

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-powerboat-m...70hp-vro-johnson-trailer/1510533816?undefined
 
#16 ·
As mentioned above, if all you are looking for is some cruisin for yourself, parents, and kids, pontoons are tough to beat. Other then a pontoon issue (leak/damage) everything is above water and easily fixable. We live on a lake and see everything from a 50 hp unit that putters around the lake to stuff with dual 150 hp or bigger Mercs on. Put 300 hp on a tin can and those things can motor. Whatever you decide, enjoy !
 
#17 ·
I agree about pontoon boats.
Our typical boating day is to leave the marina and find a quiet area in the California Delta where we can anchor and socialize. We typically motor back after dark. Because our boat is the biggest in our boating group we are the “mothership” and will typically have 4-6 boats tied along side.
So I want a HUGE pontoon boat. 40-45’ x 15’ so it will still fit our covered berth. Nothing on it but a helm, BBQ and ice chests. All furniture And umbrellas will be folding. Like a big island where the 3 generations of 3 families can spread out and enjoy the day.
My only other requirement is I want to be able to cruise at 25mph. Top speed doesn’t matter but I don’t want to be so slow that it takes too long to get anywhere.
 
#18 ·
Not a boat owner rignt now. Last one was an 18 Manatee center console with an Erude 115. Replaced the stringers one spring and it worked fine afterwards.

The OMC issue is their outdrives have been out of production for years and parts/service are much harder to find than Mercruiser stuff. The engines are mostly the same.

Would like another boat, but the new 17 Waverunner only has 36 hrs.

And we discovered a local guy who rents pontoon boats, so we put all 11 of us on a pontoon Sat and went to a local island beach to social distance.

Much easier than owning the boat.

Bombardier just announced they are stopping production of Evinrude, so its gone now for good.
 
#19 ·
I have owned 5 boats, and 4 waverunners. I threw a lot of money at boats in the past for sure.
2 were I/O's, Sea Ray and a Formula. Due to the throttle/shift cables being all stretched out on the Sea Ray, i almost went through a dock trying to put it in its slip. Very complicated Shift/throttle linkage adjustment deal on those.

I was always a fan of Mercury. I was always told the same thing about OMC, their outdrives being less desirable.

Someone telling you something needs more "marine caulk" or whatever to be water tight.....well......LOL.
 
#20 ·
#23 ·
There are always those things that come up. Last time at the lake I heard the power steering whining, a rubber hose had dry rotted. Fortunately I was docked off of the campsite so I got my tools out, saw what I needed, drove the car to the auto parts store and got her going again. The wife says to me that something always seems to break, I reminded her it is a boat.
 
#24 ·
There is two primary uses for boats, fishing and cocktail cruising. I did a little fishing and a lot of cocktails. I always bought boats with a full fiberglass liner meaning no carpet glued down to plywood in the cockpit. They all rot out. Do you want an overnighter for you or the family. Will you spend a weekend. Is it for salt water. Where will it be stored in the water. For example I kept my boats in the Charles river (fresh water) but went through the locks to get through the harbor in salt so I optioned 4 closed cooling. Any ocean boat should have a freshwater closed cooling system. Many long range trips to see the whales so twin engines was a must. We spent almost every weekend on the boat with a family of 4 so a forward and aft cabin was needed. Full head with a shower (shower can be outside) is a must with a storage tank and pumpout. Cooking and a refridgerator is also a must. Now if it is a cottage boat you can cancel all my recommendations and just get something to put around and enjoy water sports. I like Searay's but I liked my 3270 Cruiser Inc better but the Formula PC29 was the jewel. The hull is everything when buying used. Motors can be replaced. Inboards are more reliable then outdrives. Newer 4 stroke outboards are good too. Always buy a freshwater boat when possible. Pay attention to previous maintenance, trust me it wll be obvious. Then have fun!
 
#25 ·
In late 1972, I ordered a Taylor SS jet boat (made in Cushing, OK). I built and furnished the engine (327). Later replaced it with a 350, then later with a SB400 and have since rebuilt the 400 up to 420 cubes. It has been kept in the garage, maintained like I do my cars and it is a blast. NO cocktails, NO beer, just fun and skiing on the water. A few years ago, we replaced the carpet.
And 48yrs later, it still looks and runs like new.










 

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#29 ·
Man you guys have some cool boats! I really dig Tom's jet boat ,Dennis's "dinner by the ball park" would be terrific (I wonder if he got a HR ball from Barry Bonds?)! Dan that boat is a beauty as well!
To address Bill's question, it will be in fresh water and stay in the water all summer. We wouldn't be using it for overnight trips ets...It would be just something to go along the river and to go tubing, maybe a "3 hour tour" lol
 
#30 ·
Here is my baby. 1986 242 Formula. I absolutely love this boat. This thing is a wave crusher. I just put a fresh 355 Mag MPI in it this spring. :D

The picture with the coasties was our welcome to Tawas City last year. Try to get over there a few times a year across Saginaw Bay (Lake Huron) 25 miles. We got caught in some true 6’ers last fall coming back and I was so glad I didn’t have my 250 Sundancer. That thing would pound your teeth out in 1’ waves. Love that 24 deg. Hull.
 

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#35 ·
Jeeeeeeeeez, what's all that riggin' and plumbing on that engine?????????????? I hope you never have to work on it!
Too much stuff to suit me. The plumbing on my SB420 is plenty!
 

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