Sea Ray 280 Sundancer
The Sea Ray 280 Sundancer is a 28-foot boat, with model years from 1989 to 2014 in the listings we track. Across 46 listings we have observed (model years 1989–2014), the median asking price is $30,000, with most boats asking $26,000 to $49,000.
BoatVerdict market snapshot
These are asking prices. No free or public source publishes US used-boat transaction prices, so nobody — us included — can honestly show you what these boats sold for. What we can show you is what 46 sellers are asking, which is the number you are actually negotiating against.
22 priced listings across 18 states. Enough for a range, not enough to be precise about any single year.
Method: Asking prices from active listings, de-duplicated so a re-posted boat counts once (99 raw listings collapsed to 46 distinct boats). Quartiles, not averages, so one outlier cannot move the band. Rounded to $500.
Coverage: Model years 1989–2014, 18 states, 35 metro areas. New-boat listings excluded.
Sources: BoatVerdict market observations (craigslist + rightboat) · US state vessel registries (20,075 registered Sea Ray hulls)
Looking at a Sea Ray 280 Sundancer for sale?
Paste the listing and we will score that specific boat against everything on this page: asking price versus our observed range, engine and hours risk, the known issues for its model year, and a negotiation position. The verdict is free.
Get the free verdict →No account needed. The paid Deal Report is optional and comes after.
The BoatVerdict take
- BoatVerdict listing data
Supply is national: we saw listings in 18 states. You can shop this model without flying somewhere, and you will not be the only boat on the market when you sell.
- Recall (USCG/CPSC)
34 federal recall campaigns on file touch this builder. Check the specific hull against the recall list below before you put money down; remedies are free but only if the work was actually done.
Each point is tagged with the evidence behind it. Nothing here is a claim we cannot trace back to a counted listing, a federal record, or a named analyst judgement.
Sea Ray 280 Sundancer prices by model year
| Model year | Listings | Typical asking range | Median asking | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 4 | 2 priced — too few to publish a range | — | |
| 2013 | 2 | 1 priced — too few to publish a range | — | |
| 2012 | 2 | 1 priced — too few to publish a range | — | |
| 2011 | 2 | 1 priced — too few to publish a range | — | |
| 2005 | 4 | 1 priced — too few to publish a range | — | |
| 2004 | 7 | 2 priced — too few to publish a range | — | |
| 2003 | 3 | 1 priced — too few to publish a range | — | |
| 2002 | 4 | 2 priced — too few to publish a range | — | |
| 2001 | 8 | $26,000 – $29,000 | $27,000 | |
| 1990 | 4 | $7,500 – $10,500 | $9,000 | |
| 1989 | 2 | 2 priced — too few to publish a range | — |
Asking prices from active listings we observed, not sold prices. No public source publishes US used-boat transaction prices; anyone showing you "sold" data for this market is estimating it. Years with fewer than 3 priced listings show the count only.
Method: Median and quartiles per model year, computed only where at least 3 priced listings exist for that year.
Sources: BoatVerdict market observations
Recalls affecting Sea Ray
34 federal recall campaigns on file. Recalls are issued against hull-identification ranges, so a campaign listed here may or may not cover the specific boat you are looking at — check the HIN. Remedies are free from the builder, but only if the work was actually performed, and there is no central database that proves it was.
- ⚠ Recall
150018S9/9/2015VENTILATION
- ⚠ Recall
940233T9/2/1994NON IGN PROTECTED DEVICE
- ⚠ Recall
940234T9/2/1994NON IGN PROTECTED DEVICE
- ⚠ Recall
920416T8/27/1992FUEL LEAKAGE
- ⚠ Recall
970080T7/7/1997FUEL LINE ABRASION - LEAK
- ⚠ Recall
010089S7/30/2001OVERCURRENT PROTECTION; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- ⚠ Recall
180012S7/27/2018FUEL SYSTEM
- ⚠ Recall
190039T6/28/2019STEERING
- ⚠ Recall
190038T6/26/2019ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- ⚠ Recall
040070S6/17/2004labEL; BLOWER WARNING
- ⚠ Recall
020095T6/13/2002FUEL SYSTEM HOSE ROUTING
- ⚠ Recall
010092S5/22/2001FUEL SYSTEM - HOSE LEAK
Method: Matched to the builder by normalized company name and MIC. A campaign is shown when it touches this builder; the model and year columns say how narrowly it applies.
Sources: US Coast Guard recall database · CPSC recalls
Sea Ray 280 Sundancer specifications
| Length (median listed) | 28.0 ft | Our listing data |
|---|---|---|
| Model years traded | 1989–2014 | Our listing data |
| Sea Ray hulls in US registries | 20,075 | TX + NY open data |
Rows marked "our listing data" are measured from listings, not published by the builder, and will differ from a brochure. Rows without a source we can name are not shown at all.
What to inspect on a used Sea Ray 280 Sundancer
- Assume saltwater service unless the seller can prove otherwise: pull the engine cowling and look at the powerhead, check trim-cylinder rams for pitting, and open the battery and fuse boxes for green corrosion. 81% of the listings we observed for this model are in coastal states.
- On the older hulls, core moisture is the deal-breaker: sound the transom and the deck with a plastic mallet, and treat any soft or dull-sounding area as a survey-stopper rather than a bargaining chip. We observe listings back to 1989, so boats over 37 years old are actively traded in this model.
This list is specific to this model: analyst items for the hull, plus items driven by the engines and the regions we actually observe on 280 Sundancer listings. It is not a generic pre-purchase checklist, and it does not replace a surveyor.
What a 280 Sundancer costs to own
$4,750 – $14k per year
- 28 ft hull, the median observed length for this model
- Saltwater berth, based on where most listings we see are located (NY)
- Includes insurance, storage, routine service, fuel at moderate seasonal use, and a reserve for wear items
- Excludes loan payments, major engine replacement, and refit work
This is a modelled band, not observed spend. Real cost swings hard on where you keep the boat and how much you use it.
Method: The same ownership-cost model BoatVerdict's paid Deal Report uses: boat class and length set the base band, then saltwater berth and size adjust it.
Sources: BoatVerdict ownership-cost model
Where 280 Sundancers are for sale
- NY 7
- FL 7
- CA 6
- MI 5
- MA 4
- TX 2
- WA 2
- MN 1
- RI 1
- VT 1
Counts of distinct boats we observed per state, from 46 listings in 35 metro areas. We publish the distribution, not the listings themselves.
What else buyers cross-shop
- Sea Ray 270 Sundancer
- Sea Ray 290 Sundancer
- Sea Ray 290 Amberjack
- Sea Ray 260 Sundancer
- Sea Ray 300 Sundancer
- Sea Ray SLX 250
Chosen by measured similarity — same builder first, then comparable length — and limited to models whose own page meets our evidence bar. No paid placements, no filler links.
Sea Ray 280 Sundancer FAQ
How much does a used Sea Ray 280 Sundancer cost?
Are there recalls on the Sea Ray 280 Sundancer?
What does it cost to own a Sea Ray 280 Sundancer per year?
Looking at a Sea Ray 280 Sundancer for sale?
Paste the listing and we will score that specific boat against everything on this page: asking price versus our observed range, engine and hours risk, the known issues for its model year, and a negotiation position. The verdict is free.
Get the free verdict →No account needed. The paid Deal Report is optional and comes after.