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Hello to all, I'm new to the forum because I'm a potential 205 Sundowner owner. We want a cuddy on our lake for some overnighting, a bit of tubing, a bit of fishing, but mostly just mid-speed cruising out for dinner, sunning, etc. I have a vintage 16 foot Boston Whaler for trailering and had an old 23 SeaRay. I'm also limited in our slip for length, so I need to keep the boat within limits, and want a fuel efficient motor (not a 5.7L). It seems a 205 might be the ticket, and I've found a '98 for about $14K. Are these self-bailing, and if so, do the scuppers leak, and are there other things I should look for/beware of? A former Mercruiser owner, I also would like info on the reliability and durability of Volvo/Penta.

Thanks for any information.

I had a '99 225. It was self baliing, with a scupper either side at the stern, mounted in the floor with outlets in the transom ( via a hose). I imagine the 205 of the same era would be the same. I had no leakage issues. The holes can quite easily get blocked; I countersunk the holes in mine to make flow easier. The engine compartment panels are also screwed to the floor, so any excess water could find it's way into the bilge. Those removeable panels make maintenance easy.

Reliability of VP units is not an issue, provided the engine/ drive has been maintained as it should have been. The engine is a GM unit ( or Ford, if an earlier one). The same as Mercruiser. On the VP, the impellor is engine mounted, the SX ( and DPS) has a cone clutch, which is supposed to be smoother than the MC Alpha. I recommend a survey!

FW Sundowners of that era had a VDO automotive style instrument cluster. Some owners had problems wityh them , I had none in the 4 years I had the boat.

Graham