TOPIC: Help with old Sea Ray 800?

Hi all, I'm new to the runabout world and just purchased an older Sea Ray. I have been around and worked on boats and ship all my life, but this is my first small boat. I beleive it is a 1963 or 64 Sea Ray 800 but I am having a hard time verifying it. While it is very similar to pictures in the Sea Ray brochures from those years, there are some differences. Dimensionally it matches the 1963 Sea Ray 800. I was wondering if anyone could confirm this with the information below. I'm also curious if this might in fact be the original motor.

Tag on transom:
S/N: 84015
Beam: 80"
Gunwale length: 17'5"
Depth: 40"

Max Outboard HP: 90

Tag on Outboard:
Evinrude Motors
75 hp @ 4500 rpm
Model No: 75493D
S/N: E01084

Thanks for looking!

Phillip

Here is another picture showing the stern and motor.

Hi Phillip and welcome aboard,

Unfortunately, I don't know a thing about the model that you have. The serial number on my 1963 808 is similar to yours (88954). It's nice to see a boat that is almost the same year as mine and in such nice shape. I have the same bow light and horns on mine. Would like to see the dash. Is it in running shape? Mine came with twin 40 horse Johnsons on it and was built in Oxford, Mi.
Bob

The motor is a 1964 according to the serial number and the odds are the good looking boat is the same year. The D in the S/N indicates- remote electric- As noted on another post the brochures were used a marketing tool and whatever they put in there was not always fact.The dimensions were sketchy at best depending on who was holding the tape and who was reading it that year.There is usually some gray area in exactly when they were built in relation to the model listed on the brochures.I have a 1954 MFG and 54 trailer according to the Reg. They did not start producing MFG's untill 1955 and my top sides from the bow deck back do not look like anything in the brochures,you tell me?

Just an FYI for people trying to identify boats by using measurements. You have to treat any measurements in brochures and advertising with a grain of salt.

Prior to the 1970's there were no laws about boat measurements. There were no legal definition of length, beam, depth, etc. Many builders used the length along the gunwale ( a curve) as the length to make their boats sound bigger. Others used the centerline length but added anything that stuck out such as bow pulpits, tail fins, swim platforms etc. Today they have to use centerline length and can't add anything that isn't actually part of the hull such as bolt on swim platforms. (if the swim platform is molded into the hull then they can use it)

I believe that is a electric shift model. When you change the gear oil you must use dealer specific lube for that model.The universal lube will not work with the electric shift models.

Thanks for the interest and information. Yes it is an electric shift model, which brings me to another question.

How reliable are the electric shifts? Do people often convert them to mechanical or is it even possible?

This boat was in the water last year according to the previous owner. There is some work I'd like to do before taking it out. A friend of mine rebuilds outboard motors so he is going to go through it with me and rebuild anything if needed.

As for the boat, its really solid, no evidence of wood rot and the floor feels as solid as new. My main area of focus is going to be all new wiring and carpet. The seats need rebuilt too. All the vinyl is in good shape, but some rotted wood in the seat bases.

I paid $400 for the whole thing, boat, motor and trailer. I feel like I did ok, but my lack of experience with such boats keeps me from knowing if it was a deal or not. I don't feel ripped off though, it seems like a pretty solid boat.

Here is a pic of the dash Bob was asking for.

As far as the Electric Shift goes you may want to post in the JEGO forum.From what I have read they either work good or not at all. To my knowledge they cannot be retrofitted to mechanical.The wiring harness seems to be there weak point again this is from what I read as I have never owned one.