Sea Ray 290 Sundancer
The Sea Ray 290 Sundancer is a 29-foot boat, with model years from 1990 to 2020 in the listings we track. Across 37 listings we have observed (model years 1990–2020), the median asking price is $22,000, with most boats asking $18,000 to $49,000. The engine we see most often on this model is MerCruiser sterndrive (gas, 4.5L–6.2L) and Mercury Verado / V8 FourStroke (250–400).
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 37 sellers are asking, which is the number you are actually negotiating against.
20 priced listings across 14 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 (90 raw listings collapsed to 37 distinct boats). Quartiles, not averages, so one outlier cannot move the band. Rounded to $500.
Coverage: Model years 1990–2020, 14 states, 26 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 290 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
Asking prices vary widely: the middle half of listings runs $18,000 to $49,000, a 2.7x spread. On this model the year and the condition matter far more than the badge, so a headline price tells you very little until you place the specific boat on the year table below.
- 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 290 Sundancer prices by model year
| Model year | Listings | Typical asking range | Median asking | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 2 | 0 priced — too few to publish a range | — | |
| 2007 | 2 | 0 priced — too few to publish a range | — | |
| 2006 | 2 | 1 priced — too few to publish a range | — | |
| 2001 | 3 | 2 priced — too few to publish a range | — | |
| 2000 | 6 | $49,000 – $50,000 | $49,500 | |
| 1999 | 2 | 1 priced — too few to publish a range | — | |
| 1998 | 4 | $18,000 – $22,000 | $20,000 | |
| 1996 | 4 | $19,500 – $23,000 | $22,000 | |
| 1994 | 4 | 2 priced — too few to publish a range | — | |
| 1993 | 2 | 2 priced — too few to publish a range | — | |
| 1992 | 2 | 1 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
Engines we actually see on the 290 Sundancer
- MerCruiser sterndrive (gas, 4.5L–6.2L)
The most common inboard/outboard in US bowriders and cruisers. The engine itself (GM-based) is reliable; the maintenance burden is the drive and exhaust. Bellows, gimbal bearing, U-joints, and — in any saltwater service — exhaust manifolds and risers are the recurring costs.
Service reality: Bellows/gimbal every ~5 years; manifolds/risers every ~6–8 years (or 3–4 in salt) at $2.5–4K. Pull the drive on inspection — deferred drive service is the classic hidden cost.
Full MerCruiser sterndrive (gas, 4.5L–6.2L) reliability profile →
- Mercury Verado / V8 FourStroke (250–400)
Modern Mercury V8/V10 FourStroke and supercharged Verado are strong, smooth, and well-supported, a clear step up from the OptiMax era. Slightly behind Yamaha on resale trust but closing fast, and often better integrated (joystick, digital throttle).
Service reality: 100-hour service; supercharged Verado adds the supercharger oil interval. Check for corroded battery cables and the SmartCraft harness on saltwater boats.
Full Mercury Verado / V8 FourStroke (250–400) reliability profile →
Method: Engine family matched from the listing's engine fields and title text against BoatVerdict's engine-family profiles. Prevalence is share of our sample, not factory fitment rates.
Sources: BoatVerdict market observations · BoatVerdict engine-family profiles
Sea Ray 290 Sundancer specifications
| Length (median listed) | 29.0 ft | Our listing data |
|---|---|---|
| Model years traded | 1990–2020 | 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 290 Sundancer
- MerCruiser sterndrive (gas, 4.5L–6.2L): Bellows/gimbal every ~5 years; manifolds/risers every ~6–8 years (or 3–4 in salt) at $2.5–4K. Pull the drive on inspection — deferred drive service is the classic hidden cost. Seen on 4 of the 37 290 Sundancer listings we track.
- Get the hour meter reading and divide by the boat's age. Above 100 hours a year is heavy use for a MerCruiser sterndrive (gas, 4.5L–6.2L). Threshold from BoatVerdict's engine-family profile for MerCruiser sterndrive (gas, 4.5L–6.2L).
- Mercury Verado / V8 FourStroke (250–400): 100-hour service; supercharged Verado adds the supercharger oil interval. Check for corroded battery cables and the SmartCraft harness on saltwater boats. Seen on 1 of the 37 290 Sundancer listings we track.
- Get the hour meter reading and divide by the boat's age. Above 150 hours a year is heavy use for a Mercury Verado / V8 FourStroke (250–400). Threshold from BoatVerdict's engine-family profile for Mercury Verado / V8 FourStroke (250–400).
- 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. 72% 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 1992, so boats over 34 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 290 Sundancer listings. It is not a generic pre-purchase checklist, and it does not replace a surveyor.
What a 290 Sundancer costs to own
$4,750 – $14k per year
- 29 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 290 Sundancers are for sale
- NY 6
- CA 5
- FL 5
- MI 3
- IL 3
- SC 2
- OH 2
- TX 1
- NC 1
- GA 1
Counts of distinct boats we observed per state, from 37 listings in 26 metro areas. We publish the distribution, not the listings themselves.
What else buyers cross-shop
- Sea Ray 290 Amberjack
- Sea Ray 280 Sundancer
- Sea Ray 300 Sundancer
- Sea Ray 270 Sundancer
- Sea Ray 310 Sundancer
- Sea Ray Sundancer 320
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 290 Sundancer FAQ
How much does a used Sea Ray 290 Sundancer cost?
Are there recalls on the Sea Ray 290 Sundancer?
What engine does the Sea Ray 290 Sundancer come with?
What does it cost to own a Sea Ray 290 Sundancer per year?
Looking at a Sea Ray 290 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.