About to buy a 2014 260 EC. Volvo 270 DP.. is it enough, or Merc. 350MAG with Bravo3 (or even more)?

blaubatu

http://www.murter-kornati.com/en/kornati-islands

blaubatu

https://maps.google.de/maps?q=Murter&hl=de&ll=43.748281,15.843658&spn=0.837285,2.113495&sll=51.514298,7.470016&sspn=0.360652,1.056747&t=h&hnear=Murter&z=10

blaubatu

Yes, and we can meet in Croatia next year in July.

Mike_G

Well.. I had an awesome time on the boat last weekend!!!  Near 80 degrees, took a few days off of work.  Stayed on the boat over-night for one night!  So much fun!!  Some pics below.

Bad news though... the boat is going back to the factory.  I don't really want to get into specifics right now.  Several really small issues, a couple medium issues, a one larger issue that only the factory can fix the right way.

I have been talking with Randy Rinker and Hideaway.  They are being really good about this whole thing so far (although I was quite upset of course).  The factory is going to fix everything though, and then re-quality check the entire boat.  Depending on how all of this goes, we will see how much detail I provide. ;-)  If they restore my confidence and make this right, I will sing the praise of the Rinker boat company (and move into a 310 in years to come).  I love my boat, and I don't want a different one (unless they upgrade me to a larger one of course.  ;-)'

Enough said.  Onto the pics!

Michael T

Way to go, Mike - she's beautiful! :-) MT

MarkB

Nice boat.

Mike_G

RinkerYan said:

Was that Florida?

lol!  Felt like it.

Lake St. Clair.

And Thanks everyone!  I thought it was nice in the showroom..  WOW! out in the sun!

-=Mike G.

Michael T

Mike, I believe everything will work-out well for you. I have been buying Rinkers for 25 years and trust Randy and trust Rinker. Nothing anymore is perfect but I do believe Rinker is honest and will make things right for you. I am sure that you priced other boats and were shocked at how little you got for the price in other brands. Where my boat is docked now there are 350 Cruisers, 380 Sea Rays, Chaparrals, Dorals and Regals all around. There are also a ton of Rinker 342s 340s and 350s as well as a few 260s and 290s along with my 360. None of us would trade our Rinkers for the same size in another brand - ALL of which cost a ton more money.....but you already know this. Rinker will make this right. Please let us know when all is said and done! Keep the faith! MT

Mike_G

I think so too.  Everyone has been really responsive, not avoiding me.  I am a bit OCD, and still a little nervous.  I've probably exceeded my allotment of emails and phone calls.. lol, but I get a response every time still!

Waiting is the hardest part.  I have to go to the boat on Saturday and empty everything out of it (life jackets, flares, lines, etc.) so it's ready to ship.  Then they are going to winterize it (required before shipping) and put a "shipping cover" on it.  I'm wondering if that cover will be enough, or if I should still get it shrink-wrapped when I get it back.  It might be the middle of winter before I do though... they will ship it back with that shipping cover only I'm sure.

I might drive to Indiana to check out the boat before they ship it back (if they will let me, just to be sure).  It would be really cool to see the factory too! (and smell all of that "new boat smell" lol)

Hey.. just curious.. how is the fuel burn on that 360?  What does it cruise at, and at what mph. Which motors?  Have you ever had a 310?

-=Mike G.

Michael T

Mike, love your excitement! I have had 5 new Rinkers shipped with shipping covers. They came all the way From Indiana to Ontario, Canada. Rinker does a great job of sealing them up. I'm sure you could arrange a factory tour I know two people who have done so. Yes, I know the Rinker EC 310 very well. We purchased a new Rinker EC 310 in 2013. Our first cruiser. As it turned-out we both really liked cruising. I liked everything about the 310. It had 350 magnums and axius as well as almost every option. Unfortunately, I was the problem. I'm 6'6" and I did not have enough head room to spend a week at a time on the boat. We ordered a new 2014 Rinker Ec 360 and traded-in our 310 on it. I can dig-up mpg/mph/rpm numbers for you bnut they are really good for both the EC 310 and the Ec 360. I have posted some of them on this forum in the past but I think I still have them on file. One thing for sure - the Rinker family started-out by building small racing boats. Their hulls are VERY efficient and I say with confidence the fastest at every boat length in their class. When I go boating with friends who have Cruisers, Sea Rays and Regals with the same length and engines as my Ec 360, I am always going the same speed with less rpm and less fuel burn. We have compared on our VHFs and the other guys think I'm BSing until I show them my GPS and VV 7 data - then they hand-over the beers they owe me. LOL  I'll dig some data up. I'm ocd too., so I get it. In the meantime, if you trust Hideaway (and I've heard a lot of good things about them) to ship your 260 to Rinker properly covered - and I'm sure they will - then you do not have to worry about Rinker sending it back (even in the winter - mine arrived on December 12 and it was friggin cold).  You can relax. It is too bad that you have this stress, but at least you are dealing with an ethical dealer (as far as I am aware) and an ethical builder - Rinker - and of that I am sure. Keep us posted. MT

Mike_G

Will do. 

I really appreciate your taking the time to post everything you do.  It goes a long way to ease the nerves, and it makes me excited to boat with Rinker (and other Rinker owners) for years to come!

You don't have to spend your time digging up info.  I'll search the forums for it.  You've spent a lot of your time (which I'm sure is valuable to you as well) already.

Thanks to everyone else that has provided invaluable info as well.  This really is one of the best forums, with the best members, that I have been a part of!

OK.. Time to sleep. ;-)

-=Mike G.

raybo3

Best of luck getting your issues resolved. I am sure Rinker will take care of it. Great looking boat. Keep us posted. 

MarkB

Mike, it will be fine. I am OCD off the chart. Most of us on here are except for Tiki (coolest guy in Florida) and maybe RY (anyone who uses diesels can't be OCD). Lol, just kidding. 

With any new boat comes teething problems. I had a few on my boat bought brand new in 2012. Everything was fixed. Get this, I had to have my engine replaced due to leaking cylinders AFTER THE FIRST YEAR. It all got done, no charge to me, no major sweat lost. If you have a good dealer and the commitment of Rinker behind your boat, it will be fine.  

TikiHut2

"coolest guy in Fl"

$5 paypal sent to your acct. `

MarkB

So Mike, is everything fixed up now?  Why did it go back to the factory?