Bought my first boat last year, a SeaRay 190 bowrider. We are now
looking to step up to a larger boat that will allow us to have
overnights.

We have spec'd out a SeaRay 260 and the Regal2665.
The SeaRay berth is small and the use of space seems a bit ineffective.
The Regal is beautiful inside and out and everything I see is saying go
for it. However, SeaRay is sitting back there whispering, "It is not a
SeaRay". Before we pull the trigger and commit a substantial sum of
money we are asking ourselves what is the best choice we can make.

We love SeaRay's service and dealer interaction, but we are asking
ourselves, "Yes the service is great, but is it worth the extra
$15,000?"

We can get ourselves in a Regal for much less than the SeaRay and of
course we understand that with SeaRay it is not just the boat, it's the
extras.

Has Regal corrected their hull problems they seemed to have in the
past?

What would you do.

We looked at alot of boats in the length we are looking for, and Regal
and SeaRay are the frontrunners. My wife likes both, as do I.

(I grew up on boats until I was in my late teens and just recently
re-discovered boating, late thirties)

This group has been very helpful, and I would welcome opinions.

AF

One of the components of your decision, I'm sure that you've calculated
the re-sale value of both boats. That information may suggest one over
the other.

"AttyFinch" wrote in
oups.com:

We love SeaRay's service and dealer interaction, but we are asking
ourselves, "Yes the service is great, but is it worth the extra
$15,000?"


Here. I'm a former Sea Ray owner and I'm not so impressed. Neither is one
of the most hated marine surveyors they'd rather you not look at:

Here's a Sea Ray that banged into a pier in a storm. ONE layer of roving
to fool the surveyors into thinking it's fiberglass, then some putty to
fill in the hull under the gelcoat. He just peeled the hull off with his
hand. If you've been told he's a liar or some other nonsense, the pictures
speak volumes for themselves, instead.

http://www.yachtsurvey.com/Fiberglass_Boats.htm

Sea Ray is just another Brunswick bubble boat made to produce a big profit
for Brunswick.....like Bayliners. Piece of crap....expensive crap.

Glad mine is gone....(c;

AttyFinch wrote:
Bought my first boat last year, a SeaRay 190 bowrider. We are now
looking to step up to a larger boat that will allow us to have
overnights.

We have spec'd out a SeaRay 260 and the Regal2665.
The SeaRay berth is small and the use of space seems a bit ineffective.
The Regal is beautiful inside and out and everything I see is saying go
for it. However, SeaRay is sitting back there whispering, "It is not a
SeaRay". Before we pull the trigger and commit a substantial sum of
money we are asking ourselves what is the best choice we can make.

We love SeaRay's service and dealer interaction, but we are asking
ourselves, "Yes the service is great, but is it worth the extra
$15,000?"

We can get ourselves in a Regal for much less than the SeaRay and of
course we understand that with SeaRay it is not just the boat, it's the
extras.

Has Regal corrected their hull problems they seemed to have in the
past?

What would you do.

We looked at alot of boats in the length we are looking for, and Regal
and SeaRay are the frontrunners. My wife likes both, as do I.

(I grew up on boats until I was in my late teens and just recently
re-discovered boating, late thirties)

This group has been very helpful, and I would welcome opinions.

AF

AF, do you REALLY welcome "opinions?" Here's mine: buy yourself a
sailboat!

"Dick B." wrote in message
...
AttyFinch wrote:
Bought my first boat last year, a SeaRay 190 bowrider. We
are now
looking to step up to a larger boat that will allow us to
have
overnights.

IMHO, by the way the SeaRay folks act on the rivers and
waterways, I have come to the conclusion that when making the
down payment on one, a lobotomy is required. I get so tired of
being rolled down off big wakes.

Leanne
s/v Fundy

AttyFinch wrote:
Bought my first boat last year, a SeaRay 190 bowrider. We are now
looking to step up to a larger boat that will allow us to have
overnights.

We have spec'd out a SeaRay 260 and the Regal2665.
The SeaRay berth is small and the use of space seems a bit
ineffective.
The Regal is beautiful inside and out and everything I see is saying
go
for it. However, SeaRay is sitting back there whispering, "It is not
a
SeaRay". Before we pull the trigger and commit a substantial sum of
money we are asking ourselves what is the best choice we can make.

We love SeaRay's service and dealer interaction, but we are asking
ourselves, "Yes the service is great, but is it worth the extra
$15,000?"

We can get ourselves in a Regal for much less than the SeaRay and of
course we understand that with SeaRay it is not just the boat, it's
the
extras.

Has Regal corrected their hull problems they seemed to have in the
past?

What would you do.

We looked at alot of boats in the length we are looking for, and
Regal
and SeaRay are the frontrunners. My wife likes both, as do I.

(I grew up on boats until I was in my late teens and just recently
re-discovered boating, late thirties)

This group has been very helpful, and I would welcome opinions.

AF

Go with the boat you like best. Resale isn't going to make those
overnight stays any better. I'm an offshore fisherman, so SeaRay's are
out of the question in my world. But if you want my opinion, their just
flash, no substance. I just don't see anything about their construction
that impresses me. They tend to go after new boaters, impress them with
all kinds of equipment you probably don't need, and keep them in the
family by offering good trade in prices so they can sell you a bigger
boat. Buy the boat you like and enjoy it. And if the boat comes with a
single engine definately go with the bigger engine, don't go with a 5.0
or 5.7, their too small for a single application in that size boat.
Spend the extra money on the engine, you won't regret it, and you
should get most of your money back when you sell it.

Would love too!...However tacking upriver makes it difficult. I should
have included we live in Cincinnati where big water for sailing is
limited. Powerboating offers more options here in the midwest....It
does break my heart not to be sailing, just not practical. At this time
being on the water, period, is more important than how we do it...

Sailing is in the old retirement plan!

Based on these limited responses, it seems SeaRay is taking a
beating...

Keep em coming.....I want to have fewer nightmares.

(if anyone who owns a boat has never had a nightmare, they don't own a
boat. My wife is new to boating and has already had the requisite one
with our purchase last year.)

AF

On 6 Mar 2005 16:15:04 -0800, "AttyFinch" wrote:

Bought my first boat last year, a SeaRay 190 bowrider. We are now
looking to step up to a larger boat that will allow us to have
overnights.

We have spec'd out a SeaRay 260 and the Regal2665.
The SeaRay berth is small and the use of space seems a bit ineffective.
The Regal is beautiful inside and out and everything I see is saying go
for it. However, SeaRay is sitting back there whispering, "It is not a
SeaRay". Before we pull the trigger and commit a substantial sum of
money we are asking ourselves what is the best choice we can make.

We love SeaRay's service and dealer interaction, but we are asking
ourselves, "Yes the service is great, but is it worth the extra
$15,000?"

We can get ourselves in a Regal for much less than the SeaRay and of
course we understand that with SeaRay it is not just the boat, it's the
extras.

Has Regal corrected their hull problems they seemed to have in the
past?

What would you do.

We looked at alot of boats in the length we are looking for, and Regal
and SeaRay are the frontrunners. My wife likes both, as do I.

(I grew up on boats until I was in my late teens and just recently
re-discovered boating, late thirties)

This group has been very helpful, and I would welcome opinions.

AF

My son-in-law went through a lot of what you're going through. After a lot of
comparing, he settled on a Chaparral. He loves it.

FWIW


John H

"All decisions are the result of binary thinking."

"Leanne" wrote in :

IMHO, by the way the SeaRay folks act on the rivers and
waterways, I have come to the conclusion that when making the
down payment on one, a lobotomy is required. I get so tired of
being rolled down off big wakes.

Leanne
s/v Fundy

They go by your marina dock and make a wake?....(c

When are you coming up here? I've been wanting to see that
motorsailor...(c;

Boy, what a sailing day TODAY in Charleston. Great winds, warm, dry....how
awful for a MONDAY!