Need help Sea ray 40 motor yacht purchase.

Any engine will have problems when over propped.
17 year old 8.3s on the coast with only 355 hours concerns me more.

Cats and Yanmars had real valve problems.
Any Cummins valve problem was from overheating or lack of use.

The 16 year old 5.7s with 700 hours is a lil more believable. Lots of boats go nowhere in the TVA.

I would normally lean to the 8.3s over the 5.7s.
Horsepower is horsepower, same fuel consumption per horsepower.
IMO; Displacement and torque helps the boat run better and the properly propped engine last longer.

20 hours a year? That’s a big concern… even by north east standards that s a lot of sitting which means corrosion.

425 hp out of the smaller engine isn’t ideal but that boat isn’t that big and fairly light. And it’s fresh water.

price difference ?

Witch way?

The very low hours scare me…. Salty humid air coming in thru the exhaust for weeks can do a lot of harm.

that said, get a quote on shipping from TN as it may not be cheap especially if the hardtop and arch have to removed.

or you get it home on its own bottom up to thru Great Lakes.

I think were it me I might keep shopping, but...

The 8.3s at least might be rebuildable in place, should that ever become necessary, assuming enough overhead clearance.

The QSBs I think would have to be pulled out for rebuild on the bench... and I'd guess getting the things out from and back into a MY configuration might not be all that simple. You might investigate that, if you decide to pursue the TN boat. Assuming it can clear the bridge in Chicago, it could make a nifty vacation to bring it home yourself on its own bottom... even if you have to do that in a few separate stages.

-Chris

Remotely familiar with this boat, almost bought one over a decade ago.

I don't see how it could be moved without some amount of removal. Not a standard flybridge like on Sea Ray Sedan Bridges, so not clear how the top would come off.

All that said, I think you budget for moving it on its own bottom. If not something you wish to take on yourself, then find some captains who are familiar with the route to help you put together an estimate.

I have a friend who routinely makes the trip from Fort Meyers to Chattanooga. Would have to ask him for a more accurate number, but I think 9 to 11 days if every thing clicks to get from TN to Fort Meyers.

A lot of people here can jump in on the Fort Meyers to NY - we have done 8-10 days from Clearwater to Chesapeake if everything clicks. The Great Great Bridge or Great Bridge Bridge (always get that backwards) and lock has been on limited schedule lately, not sure about its current schedule.

The one on Champlain will probably have low hours if it lived on the Lake. Their season is very short and most just go to their favorite anchor spot for weekends. Plus it freshwater.

The engine surveyor that did the survey on the boat we just bought said that BTA's and QSB's were not ideal for this exact reason. CTA's and QSC's can be overhauled in-frame. Our new boat has QSC-500's.

Also, the way I understand it is that the 480CE was a effort to add computer controls to a CTA. The QSC is a redesign, so to speak, with full electronic integration. The only data point not available through the ECM is EGT, but everything else including fuel burn is.