Thank you for all the responses to my "first boat length"
post especially Paul Schilter for his suggestion to create
a dock with milk jugs to practice. I will also take some
additional advice I recieved here from DSK and hire a
captian to teach the first several times out.

Based on advice from the many people here I am
eliminating everything over 30' as too big for a first boat.
I think your right that Id be more comfortable with
a 26 to 28 foot boat.

However ......

Today I looked at a 30' Sea Ray Sundancer 1989.
which I really liked, not that thats what I will end up with
but Id like to consider it.

Is there anyone here familiar with the Sundancers of that
age?

Id love to know if there were any problems with those boats
or anything in particular to look for.

I will of course have a survey done prior to purchase.

A little more about me .. The boat will be used on the
Chesapeake Bay in the Annapolis MD area.
Ive taken the power squadren powerboating course
and have a little experience with a 19' runabout and
a 24' Cruise Along which is now in
the Calvert Marine Museum .

Thanks

Paul

"pmiller" wrote in message
...
Thank you for all the responses to my "first boat length"
post especially Paul Schilter for his suggestion to create
a dock with milk jugs to practice. I will also take some
additional advice I recieved here from DSK and hire a
captian to teach the first several times out.

Based on advice from the many people here I am
eliminating everything over 30' as too big for a first boat.
I think your right that Id be more comfortable with
a 26 to 28 foot boat.

However ......

Today I looked at a 30' Sea Ray Sundancer 1989.
which I really liked, not that thats what I will end up with
but Id like to consider it.

Is there anyone here familiar with the Sundancers of that
age?

Id love to know if there were any problems with those boats
or anything in particular to look for.

I will of course have a survey done prior to purchase.

A little more about me .. The boat will be used on the
Chesapeake Bay in the Annapolis MD area.
Ive taken the power squadren powerboating course
and have a little experience with a 19' runabout and
a 24' Cruise Along which is now in
the Calvert Marine Museum .

Thanks

Paul



1989 Searay Sundancer. Solid glass hull. Twin I'O's (not counter rotating).
Solid boat, althought the '86-'88 vintage was a bit better.

This was the last year of the true Searay boat. Brunswick bought the
company in the late 1980's and their first impact was seen in 1990.

If you did not need the aft cabin you may want to look at the 86-88 Searay
Weekender. No aft cabin but twin inboards. IO's can be a pain to
maintain, even in freshwater.

Both the '85-89 Sundancer and Weekender (all lengths) had a problem with
window leakage in the cabin.

On Sat, 6 Mar 2004 18:33:01 -0500, "pmiller"
wrote:

Thank you for all the responses to my "first boat length"
post especially Paul Schilter for his suggestion to create
a dock with milk jugs to practice. I will also take some
additional advice I recieved here from DSK and hire a
captian to teach the first several times out.

Based on advice from the many people here I am
eliminating everything over 30' as too big for a first boat.
I think your right that Id be more comfortable with
a 26 to 28 foot boat.

However ......

Today I looked at a 30' Sea Ray Sundancer 1989.
which I really liked, not that thats what I will end up with
but Id like to consider it.

Is there anyone here familiar with the Sundancers of that
age?

Id love to know if there were any problems with those boats
or anything in particular to look for.

I will of course have a survey done prior to purchase.

A little more about me .. The boat will be used on the
Chesapeake Bay in the Annapolis MD area.
Ive taken the power squadren powerboating course
and have a little experience with a 19' runabout and
a 24' Cruise Along which is now in
the Calvert Marine Museum .

Thanks

Paul

Hi Paul,
Do you know what marina you'll be keeping the boat in? I keep mine in
Deale, quite a ways south of Annapolis, but the further you go, the
cheaper. If you've settled on a marina, check out their slips for
size. Then imagine getting that size boat in the slip. I moved up from
a 15' to a 21'. My first time in the 21' was like being on an aircraft
carrier, I thought.

Someone suggested paying for some instruction on your boat. That's a
real good idea.

John H

On the 'Poco Loco' out of Deale, MD
on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!