Used Sea Ray Sundancer buying guide: what to check on a 240 to 370

The Sea Ray Sundancer is the classic American express cruiser: a cockpit for the day, a cabin for a night or two, and enough speed to get somewhere. Sea Ray launched the Sundancer in the 1970s and says it went on to define the cabin cruiser for the industry.¹ Because so many were built, you can afford to be picky on the used market.

On a used Sundancer, the boat is rarely the problem. The drives, the exhaust and the engines usually are. Buy the one with the folder of receipts.

Sundancer at a glance

Is a Sundancer right for you?

A good fit if you want an affordable weekend cruiser with a huge choice of boats and parts, you'll keep her in fresh water or maintain her carefully in salt, and you can maintain a sterndrive or will pay someone who can.

Think twice if you want low fuel bills, you need a boat for rough offshore water, or the boat you like lived in salt water with a raw-water-cooled engine and no records.

What to check on a smaller Sundancer (240 to 290)

• The sterndrive. Bellows, gimbal bearing, U-joints, shift cable, gear oil, and corrosion on the drive and transom assembly. A failed bellows can let water into the boat. See our sterndrive buying guide.
• Exhaust manifolds and risers on the gas engine, especially on saltwater boats. They corrode from the inside and can let water into the engine.
• Raw-water or closed cooling? In salt water, a closed (freshwater) cooling system protects the engine much better.
• Transom and stringers on older boats: push and pull on the drive with it trimmed down, look for cracks around the drive opening and soft floors.
• Cabin leaks and mildew around the windshield, hatches and deck fittings.
• Hours and the hour meter. Sterndrives are commonly figured at about 1,000 to 1,500 hours of life with good care.² Records matter more than the number.

What to check on a bigger Sundancer (300 to 370)

The bigger Sundancers give you a full cabin, a mid-cabin, a galley and a head with a shower, with twin engines for speed and redundancy. Sea Ray's parent company, Brunswick, stopped building Sea Ray's larger sport yachts and yachts in 2018 and refocused the brand on boats from 24 to 40 feet,³ so these sizes remain the heart of the brand and are well supported.

• Twin engines, twin problems. Compression tests (gas) or oil samples (diesel) on both engines, and run each engine alone on the sea trial.
• The outboard sides of both engines. They're often nearly impossible to reach, so they're often neglected. Look with a mirror and a flashlight.
• Exhaust risers and manifolds on gas engines; aftercoolers and heat exchangers on diesels.
• V-drives or sterndrives, depending on the model: service history and condition.
• Generator and air conditioning, run under load.
• Hardtop, windshield and deck leaks into the cabin and headliner.
• Soft decks around cleats, rails and the windlass. See fiberglass boat problems.

On a twin-engine boat like this, an engine survey by a specialist is worth having alongside the hull survey. See boat survey cost.

Questions to ask the seller

• When were the bellows, gimbal bearing and U-joints last replaced? Do you have the receipt?
• When were the exhaust manifolds and risers last replaced?
• Is the engine raw-water or closed cooled? Fresh or salt water?
• How many hours on each engine, and has the hour meter ever been changed?
• Where has the cabin leaked, and what was done?
• Can I pull the drive's gear oil and run a compression test?

On the sea trial

Each engine should reach its maker's rated wide-open rpm range, briefly, with a normal load aboard. Watch the temperatures as you climb through the range, check that the drive shifts smoothly in both directions, and open the engine hatch right after the run to look for leaks and smell for fuel or exhaust. The full list is in our sea trial checklist.

These are fun, comfortable boats, and they burn fuel. Budget for it: see the true cost of owning a boat.

Common questions

Are Sea Ray Sundancers good boats?

They're popular, well-supported weekend cruisers with a huge parts and owner network. As with any express cruiser, the condition of the drives, exhaust and engines matters far more than the badge.

What is the most common problem on a used Sundancer?

Deferred sterndrive and exhaust maintenance: old bellows, worn gimbal bearings, water in the gear oil, and corroded manifolds and risers, especially on saltwater boats.

Gas or diesel Sundancer?

Gas is cheaper to buy and usually cheaper to repair. Diesel is more economical and longer-lived if properly used and serviced, but costs more up front. Either way, get the engines checked by a specialist on bigger models.