Quote:
Originally Posted by townsde
I am looking for a smaller boat (19 ft or so). Everyone on here has good insight into makes and models so I am interested in your views on a Searay vs Stingray in the 18 to 20 ft class. Also, is a 3.0 liter going to be enough get up and go??
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If this is going to be your first boat, there is a saying about "buying your second boat first".
To answer your question, the SeaRay has a deeper V hull than the Stingray and will take the chop better. There's a reason the Stingray's are less expensive as the hardware and fit & finish are not nice as the SeaRay.
I'm not sure SeaRay even has the option to go with a 3.0L on a twenty footer and for good reason. The motor would be a dog for that amount of weight. The 3.0L engine on anything 19ft or longer is too small IMO.
If you are looking at the Stingray as a cost saving measure and you intend to boat on Winni, I recommend you look at a used boat to get the bigger engine and boat. About March 1st and people decide they don't want to pay for another season of boating you will see many boats come on the market. It is without question a buyers market right now.
You can even get under NADA for clean, low hour boats where two years ago would have been unheard of. I strongly recommend being flexible with looking outside of the area on Craigslist. If you are willing to drive with 300 miles you can save a HUGE amount of money on boats. One issue with this area is the inventory is lower so prices tend to be artificially higher (in a good market).
If I was in the market for a new boat, there are even some brand new short sales due to dealers closing shop and/or going bankrupt that have happened in the last few months.