We have decided that our small bowrider does not suit us well on Grand
Lake in Oklahoma, so we have decided that a 26-28' cruiser will work
fien for our lifestyle. I have narrowed it down to used units from
either Sea Ray or Rinker both boats we are looking at have the 7.4 w/
B3-the Sea Ray is a 1998 with 800 + hours and the Rinker is a 1999
with about 400 hours. Now I realize that care and maintenance are a
very big factor on top of the hours, so what I am looking for is some
thoughts on these 2 vessels and any experiences you may have had-good
or bad.

Thanks,

Dennis

On Mar 11, 5:01 pm, wrote:
We have decided that our small bowrider does not suit us well on Grand
Lake in Oklahoma, so we have decided that a 26-28' cruiser will work
fien for our lifestyle. I have narrowed it down to used units from
either Sea Ray or Rinker both boats we are looking at have the 7.4 w/
B3-the Sea Ray is a 1998 with 800 + hours and the Rinker is a 1999
with about 400 hours. Now I realize that care and maintenance are a
very big factor on top of the hours, so what I am looking for is some
thoughts on these 2 vessels and any experiences you may have had-good
or bad.

Thanks,

Dennis


Assuming both boats cost the same, some things to consider:

The Rinker is 1 year younger with 400 less hours on the engine. The
Sea Ray is 400 hours closer to a rebuilt.....ka-ching!

Make sure the owner has maintenance receipts (and perhaps a
maintenance and repair log) that confirms the hour meter reading.
If not I might tend to dismiss the hour meter reading...........it too
easy to disconnect it.

Sea Ray has better name recognition than Rinker thanks mainly to great
marketing. On the other hand the Rinker may actually have higher
quality hardware and workmanship. Compare the quality of things like
deck rails (welded or t-fittings, diameter) and cabin cabinetry and
hardware.

Do both boats offer similar helm electronics? How old is the
canvas?

Make an offer contingent on a structural and mechanical (including
engine compression) survey.

On Mar 11, 3:32�pm, wrote:


Sea Ray has better name recognition than Rinker thanks mainly to great
marketing. *On the other hand the Rinker may actually have higher
quality hardware and workmanship. *Compare the quality of things like
deck rails (welded or t-fittings, diameter) and cabin cabinetry and
hardware.


Do you have some basis for that statement, (opinion) or is it purely
rhetorical?

If I dig out the Powerboat Guide from 1998, (back when the Rinker was
new) the corporate "puff statement" (normally supplied by or
influenced and approved by the builder) empasizes that the company
"builds a series of affordably priced models".

The lead sentence on the 260/265 Fiesta Vee reads, "The Rinker 260/265
Fiesta Vee is an economy-priced mid-cabin family cruiser with an
attractive profile to go with her relatively narrow 8-foot, 6-inch
beam." The fact that economy pricing is used as a preface for the rest
of the description is seldom a good sign.

The third sentence on the 266 Fiesta Vee reads "Like all Rinker
models, the 266 is a fairly straightforward boat, affordaby priced and
conservatively built on a solid fiberglass deep-V hull"

The lead sentence on the 280 Fiesta Vee reads, "Like all Rinker
models, the 280 Fiesta Vee is a budget-priced, no-glitz package."

The lead sentence for the Rinker 300 Fiesta Vee reads, "The Rinker 300
Fiesta Vee is a sporty and affordably priced express cruiser......"

etc, etc etc,

That wouldn't give a lot of folks much reason to expect better harware
and workmanship than found on a Sea Ray.

The only other boat brand that comes to mind that makes such a point
of crowing about affordable pricing starts with a letter very near the
beginning of the alphabet.

It may well be that Rinker boats are different now than they were in
1998 and that the company is trying to market from a quality, rather
than a price standpoint. However, as the original poster is looking at
a 1998 model it's more useful to see how the company viewed its place
in the market back then, as opposed to what they may be trying to do
in 2007. "We build cheaper boats" isn't the world's most encouraging
mission statement.

Not to say that an individual, nine year old 1998 Rinker couldn't be a
better boat than an individual, nine year old 1998 Sea Ray, of
course... but I'd be surprised to learn that they were generally
better boats when new.

"Chuck Gould" wrote in message
ups.com...
On Mar 11, 3:32?pm, wrote:


Sea Ray has better name recognition than Rinker thanks mainly to great
marketing. On the other hand the Rinker *may* actually have higher
quality hardware and workmanship. Compare the quality of things like
deck rails (welded or t-fittings, diameter) and cabin cabinetry and
hardware.


Do you have some basis for that statement, (opinion) or is it purely
rhetorical?


====================

Note the key word *may* Chuck. I am also asking him to *compare* the
quality.

IMO Sea Ray is overpriced and it's reputation as being a 1st class boat is
overstated.

Got it now? Good. ;-)

On Mar 12, 4:15�am, "JimH" wrote:
"Chuck Gould" wrote in message

ups.com...
On Mar 11, 3:32?pm, wrote:



Sea Ray has better name recognition than Rinker thanks mainly to great
marketing. On the other hand the Rinker *may* actually have higher
quality hardware and workmanship. Compare the quality of things like
deck rails (welded or t-fittings, diameter) and cabin cabinetry and
hardware.

Do you have some basis for that statement, (opinion) or is it purely
rhetorical?

====================

Note the key word *may* Chuck. *I am also asking him to *compare* the
quality.

IMO Sea Ray is overpriced and it's reputation as being a 1st class boat is
overstated.

Got it now? *Good. *;-)

Of course.

One should *compare* KIA and Mercedes Benz. Who knows? The KIA *may*
be a better car. :-)

"Chuck Gould" wrote in message
ps.com...
On Mar 12, 4:15?am, "JimH" wrote:
"Chuck Gould" wrote in message

ups.com...
On Mar 11, 3:32?pm, wrote:



Sea Ray has better name recognition than Rinker thanks mainly to great
marketing. On the other hand the Rinker *may* actually have higher
quality hardware and workmanship. Compare the quality of things like
deck rails (welded or t-fittings, diameter) and cabin cabinetry and
hardware.

Do you have some basis for that statement, (opinion) or is it purely
rhetorical?

====================

Note the key word *may* Chuck. I am also asking him to *compare* the
quality.

IMO Sea Ray is overpriced and it's reputation as being a 1st class boat is
overstated.

Got it now? Good. ;-)

Of course.

One should *compare* KIA and Mercedes Benz. Who knows? The KIA *may*
be a better car. :-)

=================

Having another bad day Chuck?

JimH wrote:

Got it now? Good. ;-)

Awww, Jim.

That type of response reminds me of something the king of the dojo
would say.

?; * )

On 11 Mar 2007 23:45:51 -0700, "Chuck Gould"
wrote:

Not to say that an individual, nine year old 1998 Rinker couldn't be a
better boat than an individual, nine year old 1998 Sea Ray, of
course... but I'd be surprised to learn that they were generally
better boats when new.

I have two neighbors with late model Rinker 34 express cruisers, one
bough used, one bought new. They are both happy with the boats and
they seem to be decent quality. However the neighbor with the new
boat has had a lot of dealer service issues which might be a local
problem.

My perception is that they do not ride as well in a chop as a
comparable Searay, probably because of less deadrise in the hull but I
don't know the exact numbers.

Dennis, you might be able to find some type of infoto compare the two,
he

http://www.boattest.com/index.aspx




wrote:
We have decided that our small bowrider does not suit us well on Grand
Lake in Oklahoma, so we have decided that a 26-28' cruiser will work
fien for our lifestyle. I have narrowed it down to used units from
either Sea Ray or Rinker both boats we are looking at have the 7.4 w/
B3-the Sea Ray is a 1998 with 800 + hours and the Rinker is a 1999
with about 400 hours. Now I realize that care and maintenance are a
very big factor on top of the hours, so what I am looking for is some
thoughts on these 2 vessels and any experiences you may have had-good
or bad.

Thanks,

Dennis