www.iFourWinns.com

Hey folks-

I’ve been shopping (used) express cruisers for the last few months. We will primarily use the boat as a weekend camp where we will cruise up river to a remote location, drop anchor and hang out for the weekend with the (old) Malibu tied off the back. During the day we will have guests on the boat coming and going as we ski all day; it will be the general picnic area and the occasional refuge for everyone when the passing afternoon thunderstorm goes by. For over nights it will just be my wife and I sleeping aboard.

My short list is the v288, Chaparral s290 primarily and the Chaparral s330 and Doral 330 if I can steal one. The reason I’ve honed in on the v288/s290/s330 is I like the flexibility of a forward dinette vs. a fixed berth. Now that the v288s are fix berth and Chaparral has also done the same on the 280 I’m wondering if I’m missing something?

The Sea Ray 280 DA does not have a fixed berth either. That would be my choice if I were shopping for a 28 footer.

http://www.searay.com/2008_sea_ray_spor ... dancer.asp

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One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

Hi--We have a 04 288. That has the convertible dinette at front. To tell you the truth, it is only in the dinette position the first and last day of the season. Otherwise it is made into a berth. Holds three nicely watching a movie.
Most of the time we spent up above and the layout on the 288 works nicely for us. Sea Ray no doubt is a respectable boat builder, but I think they are getting a little behind in some of their designs. On their 280, looks like they have lots of carpet fixed all over the place--difficult to keep clean with a couple of kids eating and everything else. You can probably get a good deal this time of year if you shop around. Not sure where you boat from the Boat Warehouse in Kingston Ontario had an 05 or 06 288 (used) around 200 hours for $86,500 which I think is an absolute steal. They may have sold it already.
Good luck in your hunt--main thing find something you like and get out and use it. You can drive yourself nuts sometimes
shopping and shopping in the mean time another season slips by.
Best Regards,
Mike