1992 Sea Ray 270 Weekender - OK first boat ?

[bustoff]

To begin, this will be my first boat purchase. I am considering a 1992 Sea Ray 270 Weekender. The boat is very clean inside and out. There are no electronics on the boat. It has 370 hours on it.

The owner said he had a previous issue with the boat bogging down after running for about 20 minutes. Mechanic could not id the problem. Owner said he got the boat back from the mechanic and ran a compression test, discovered one valve with low compression, sprayed something in it and it runs fine now. So owner deduces it was a sticky valve due to ethanol in gas. I have no clue if this is a minor problem or the start of a major engine overhaul.
The asking price is 15K. Does this sound reasonable ?

 

[airshot]

Re: 1992 Sea Ray 270 Weekender - OK first boat ?

My pat answer to everyone purchasing a boat is to find a qualified marine surveyor. Spend the few hundred bucks and get a thorough inspection and in many cases an estimate of repairs along with an appraised value of the boat. Otherwise your purchase is a crapshoot.
If you have that kind of money to gamble with, perhaps you might look at new. Most folks start out with something a bit smaller to see
if the boating world is their cup of tea. If you have no prior boating experience a 27' is alot of boat to get yourself into trouble with. As you will soon find out resale values have been quite low the past few years so if things do not pan out, consider the loss in trying to resell after dumping all that money into it, again the reason most start with something smaller and cheaper. Not trying to beat anyone up here or be harsh, just giving some advice on what I have seen over my many years of boating.

Airshot

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: 1992 Sea Ray 270 Weekender - OK first boat ?

Like Airshot stated, if this is your first boat, it may be a bit big initially. Also, if you do not intend to use the boat often, the 270 is a marina boat and not a trailer queen.

Price will be dependent on geographical region and condition of the boat. is it reasonable to have a stuck valve from ethanol, possibly. However a rusty valve stem and seat from water ingestion or a leaking gasket is also a possibility.

I would also recommend the survey

 

[Another retired guy]

Re: 1992 Sea Ray 270 Weekender - OK first boat ?

I'm agreeing with all the comments re the size - this is a lot of boat for the first one. Two years ago I was looking for a 24 to 26 ft boat and ended up with a 20' and I'm really glad I did. It's taken me a full season to become reasonably comfortable with operating it in confined spaces, but I still avoid them if I can

 

[bustoff]

Re: 1992 Sea Ray 270 Weekender - OK first boat ?

I was told a survey does not include the engine. Is that true ?

 

[Dam2009]

Re: 1992 Sea Ray 270 Weekender - OK first boat ?

Buying a boat with 370 hours is like getting a car with 200,000km on it - money pit. Low cylinder compression speaks for itself. I would stay away from it, but that's just my humble opinion.

 

[h2odick]

Re: 1992 Sea Ray 270 Weekender - OK first boat ?

Buying a boat with 370 hours is like getting a car with 200,000km on it - money pit. Low cylinder compression speaks for itself. I would stay away from it, but that's just my humble opinion.

How is buying a boat with 370 hours even remotely comparable to a car with 125,000+ miles on it? Money pit? Really? 370 hours? I'm sorry, but I disagree. Marine engines properly taken care of can go 1000's of hours reliably.. That engine is no where near its end of life if it has been taken care of.

Get a marine surveyor. The cost is negligible and they will let you know whats wrong with the boat (you can also find a surveyor who is capable of checking out the mechanics - engine and outdrive.)
Well worth the few hundred bucks you're going to spend.

 

[Dam2009]

Re: 1992 Sea Ray 270 Weekender - OK first boat ?

How is buying a boat with 370 hours even remotely comparable to a car with 125,000+ miles on it? Money pit? Really? 370 hours? I'm sorry, but I disagree. Marine engines properly taken care of can go 1000's of hours reliably.. That engine is no where near its end of life if it has been taken care of.

Who said that car with more than 125000 miles in near the end? no one. Given the low cylinder compression, can it be a money pit - of course it can. It's starts from there. Unless you owned that boat right from the beginning, you have no idea where it's been or how it's been driven / taken care of.

Although Sea Rays are reputable, personally I would not spent 15K on a boat with that kind of hours, that's all.

 

[agallant80]

Re: 1992 Sea Ray 270 Weekender - OK first boat ?

Buying a boat with 370 hours is like getting a car with 200,000km on it - money pit. Low cylinder compression speaks for itself. I would stay away from it, but that's just my humble opinion.

What? Some people do 100 a year. So by this logic after 4 years a boat would be a money pit. Go by condition not hours if the boat had 3,700 than yeah money pit but 370 not so much. Get a survey and if its good and it's what you want then start negoationg price.

 

[h2odick]

Re: 1992 Sea Ray 270 Weekender - OK first boat ?

As per your calculations - 370 boat hours = 125,000 automobile miles. A _properly_ maintained and decently used (obviously this is vast territory in regards to usage, we dont know how this particular engine was run.) should have no issues running say.. ~2000 hours.

In that case, 2000 boat hours = 675,000 automobile miles. A gas engine in a car is FAR beyond needing a rebuild at even half those miles. Maybe my math is off, I was never very good at it, and I'm very tired. :deadhorse:
Even with usage being a huge factor in regards to how much life is left in an IO engine with ~370 hours on it, this amount of hours is in no way a sign of a worn engine, or an engine having already used much of its useful life.

Now, low cylinder compression? Yeah, thats an issue. There may be other underlying issues, specially when the previous owner says "sprayed something in it and it runs fine now". I wouldn't personally spend $15k on this particular boat, but thats just my opinion based on my area, and wants from a boat (something newer.) If I were the OP, I would consider going with something slightly smaller and much newer, and still get the marine survey.

 

[Another retired guy]

Re: 1992 Sea Ray 270 Weekender - OK first boat ?

Buying a boat with 370 hours is like getting a car with 200,000km on it - money pit. Low cylinder compression speaks for itself. I would stay away from it, but that's just my humble opinion.

The low compression on one cylinder is a red flag on this particular engine as it shouldn't happen on an engine with only 370 hours. Maybe a poor maintenance issue
But, in general, if basic recommended maintenance has been performed, then 370 hours is nothing - just past run-in! IMHO of course.

 

[crabby captain john]

Re: 1992 Sea Ray 270 Weekender - OK first boat ?

For $15K you can find a newer but smaller boat to learn with. It will be easier to sell in a year or two if you decide boating is not for you or to buy a bigger one. A 21 year old boat that had little use (370 hrs ) with unknown maintenance would make me cautious. I think you would be more comfortable and use a 19 - 21 foot boat. No matter which way-- get the survey and take a course from the USCG Aux.

 

[rbh]

Re: 1992 Sea Ray 270 Weekender - OK first boat ?

Bustoff, DO NOT LISTEN TO "THOSE" GUYS!!!!!


Marine engines should be treated as generator hours, as if when the boat runs full load/ rpm or idle.

If the boat does not have a generator, the engine that feeds the house batteries will run more for charging, and if the hour meter is hooked up to that, thats why its showing the hours.
370 hours aint much, and there is no way to put HWY miles to GEN/driven miles, basically the origanal boater put on 17.62 hours per year.
Dont sweat it bud.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: 1992 Sea Ray 270 Weekender - OK first boat ?

I COULD be just as simple as an owner that just puts around and had carbon buildup... "spraying something" CAN remove carbon and that might be the only issue... instead of all this guessing just sea trial it and then do a compression test.

Whether or not this is too big for a first boat is HIGHLY subjective..... for some people 12' is too much to take out alone and others could, with a boater safety course and some basic instruction on the water, be fine in a 30'er or bigger within a few days.

 

[rbh]

Re: 1992 Sea Ray 270 Weekender - OK first boat ?

To add, $15k!!
Aint what I would pay, get your haggle on!!


This advise brought to you from a good CDN scots man BAHAHA!!

 

[Another retired guy]

Re: 1992 Sea Ray 270 Weekender - OK first boat ?

Bustoff, DO NOT LISTEN TO THESE GUYS!!!!!


Marine engines should be treated as generator hours, as if when the boat runs full load/ rpm or idle.

If the boat does not have a generator, the engine that feeds the house batteries will run more for charging, and if the hour meter is hooked up to that, thats why its showing the hours.
370 hours aint much, and there is no way to put HWY miles to GEN/driven miles, basically the origanal boater put on 17.62 hours per year.
Dont sweat it bud.

??which guys is he to ignore?? I think only one is saying that 370 hours is too many.
Going back to the original question, the hours are not the issue. The question is whether that low compression reading is a problem or not.

 

[h2odick]

Re: 1992 Sea Ray 270 Weekender - OK first boat ?

I agree with smoke on the size of the boat, it really all depends on what you're comfortable with.
And yes, the whole comparing boat hours to auto hours has been beaten to death (hence my dead horse beating in one of my previous posts). It was only to help show "Dam2009" that 370 hours is in fact NOT comparable, and is also not a lot of hours for a boat engine, again..given proper maintenance and care when operating. And sure, "spraying" something can help, but when the boat's current owner doesn't know WHAT was sprayed, and WHERE (hence the "sprayed something in it and it runs fine now") quoted directly from the OP's post. If an owner of a boat doesn't really know whats going on with his own rig, its not really confidence inspiring, yanno?

 

[bustoff]

Re: 1992 Sea Ray 270 Weekender - OK first boat ?

And sure, "spraying" something can help, but when the boat's current owner doesn't know WHAT was sprayed, and WHERE (hence the "sprayed something in it and it runs fine now") quoted directly from the OP's post. If an owner of a boat doesn't really know whats going on with his own rig, its not really confidence inspiring, yanno?

Just to clarify, I'm the one who couldn't remember what was sprayed into the engine.

So, I called the owner back and he related that after the mechanic couldn't id the problem he (the owner) did the compression test and then sprayed the engine with Sea Foam. The owner also said he has owned the boat for 12 years and used it only for joyrides. Never slept in the boat and it was always stored inside. The boat is on a hoist in a heated covered enclosure at his waterfront home.

I then called the mechanic who had the boat for a few weeks but couldn't id the problem. The mechanic said the boat would bog down after 20 minutes (loss of rpm). The mechanic said when they experimented by running the engine with from gas from an outside tank, the engine ran fine and did not bog down. When I asked about the owners subsequent use of Sea Foam, the mechanic opined it was possible the problem was a carbon build-up. When I asked the mechanic for a worst case scenario, he indicated that a major engine issue was unlikely as evidenced by the engines good performance when using an outside fuel source. When pressed for a worst case scenario, the mechanic said perhaps a gas pump.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: 1992 Sea Ray 270 Weekender - OK first boat ?

at only 370 and what sounds like bad fuel, you may have a hidden gem that just needs TLC.

however if the mechanic had the boat for a few weeks, and tried running it from an outside tank and it ran better and still could not find the problem. He lacks skill as a mechanic

 

[southkogs]

Re: 1992 Sea Ray 270 Weekender - OK first boat ?

Just a couple of additions to what's already been said: Check the price against comparable boats in your area. It might be a little high. IF the boat is in great shape and you've found a "gem" as Scott said, I would be willing to pay "a little high," but check some comps so you know what kind of deal you're making. If something feels fishy ... bail. There are more opportunities out there.

Consider the learning curve of owning a 27' boat as your first. It's not something that isn't done regularly, but there is a learning curve that will require some extra effort - especially if you're going to trailer this beast. You're going to need help (boating course, someone who's been there and done that, etc.), so don't be afraid to seek it.

Good luck on it.