David Pascoe surveyed boats for decades and published reviews of the models he saw most, Sea Rays among them. Read together, his reviews and the core article below point at the same weak spots: water getting into cored structure, and hull to deck joints that move.
Balsa cored bottoms on the larger boats
Pascoe writes that Powerboat Reports ran a five page piece on complaints about balsa core in the bottoms of Sea Rays from 40 to 55 feet built from 1995 to 2002. Sea Ray's answer, as he quotes it, was that "if the source of water ingress is located and repaired in a timely manner, the balsa core will dry out and be fine", and that cutting out wet core would likely do more harm than good. Pascoe disagrees: most surveyors, he says, recommend removing and replacing wet or rotted core, and he has never endorsed core in boat bottoms.
Where to look. Out of the water, meter and sound the whole bottom, paying most attention around through-hulls, transducers, strut bolts and anything else drilled through the core. Note moisture on a grid so the reading can be checked again after drying.
Hull to deck joints
In his 500 Sundancer review, Pascoe writes that Sea Rays "have been notorious" for hull to deck joins that break open and leak, along with loose rub rails. On that boat he found the engine room vents cut too close to the joint, with minor impacts leaving permanent dents at the joint and buckled vent grills. On the 370 Aft Cabin he found a screwed deck join, thin upper hull sides and deck edge, and washboarding where the fasteners pulled the hull out of fair. On the 250 Sundancer the deck is screwed to the hull, with a wooden backing at the fasteners and some caulking.
Where to look. Outside, the rub rail for looseness and the hull side below it for dents and waviness. Inside, behind any panel you can open, for gaps and water stains along the join.
Stringers, decks and fuel tanks
- Stringers. The 250 Sundancer uses box beam stringers, which Pascoe says have generally worked, except on some larger boats where holes drilled through the top let the compartments fill with water.
- Decks. The 500's foredeck was sound, unlike the weak cored decks Pascoe often found on smaller models such as the 320 Sundancer.
- Fuel tanks. On the 250 Sundancer the aluminium fuel tank sat directly on the hull bottom, and through a hole in a frame he could see its bottom corroding.
Exhausts and engine rooms
On the 370 Aft Cabin, the fibreglass exhaust crossover was so porous that seawater leaked through it onto the engine. On the 250 Sundancer the MerCruiser exhaust risers had already been replaced once and were leaking at the gaskets again. Pascoe also notes steel parts such as trim motors and water heaters mounted on flat bilge sections that collect water and rust.
Recalls
The USCG recall list holds 18 Sea Ray records, from bow riders and sport boats to the SLX 400, SXO 400 and SDX 250. The public detail pages show the model, year and number of boats without the defect. Give the hull number to a Sea Ray dealer to find out whether a campaign applies and was completed.
What to check on a Sea Ray
| Area | What to look for | Source of the concern |
|---|---|---|
| Bottom on 40 to 55 foot boats built 1995 to 2002 | Wet balsa core, especially around penetrations | Pascoe, citing Powerboat Reports |
| Hull to deck joint and rub rail | Gaps, leaks, dents, loose rub rail | Pascoe, 500 and 370 reviews |
| Stringers | Water in box stringers | Pascoe, 250 review |
| Fuel tank | Tank seated on the bottom, corrosion underneath | Pascoe, 250 Sundancer review |
| Exhausts | Leaking risers and porous fibreglass pipes | Pascoe, 250 and 370 reviews |
| Recalls | Open campaigns for the hull number | USCG recall list |
Writing it up
"Hull bottom, around the port strut and transducer: moisture meter readings well above the dry reference, dull sound on tapping over about 0.5 m². Core suspected wet. Recommend test holes or core samples to confirm the extent before purchase, and repair by removing and replacing wet core." Put the readings and the reference in the finding so the next survey can compare.