Sea Ray 170 Bow Rider LTD Specs and Review [Video]
Sea Ray marketed the tiny 170 Bow Rider LTD from 1991 through 1994. Unlike its smaller 16-foot sibling, the 170 was exclusively available with MerCruiser sterndrive engines.
Let’s drill into the details and talk about everything this vintage Sea Ray runabout had to offer!
Sea Ray 170 Bow Rider LTD Review
Hull and Top Deck
Sea Ray revealed its Bow Rider runabout series in 1989 with the introduction of the entry-level 160 BR, her bigger siblings, including the 190 BR, 200 BR, 210 BR, and the most popular 180 BR.
Released in 1991, this breed was expanded with the more stylish and spacious 170 Bow Rider LTD (170 BR LTD).
As its name implies, she was built on a 17-foot fiberglass hull paired with a traditional bowrider-style top deck.
To be more precise, the hull length of the boat was 16 foot 8 inches which increased by 1 foot 4 inches with the standard integrated swim platform.
The latter came standard with a foldable swim ladder while the aft was equipped with a stainless-steel grab handle, tow hook, and mooring cleats.
Protected from the elements by a curved walk-thru windshield, the cozy cockpit was available with two different floor plans.
The standard layout featured two swivel bucket seats, which unfortunately lacked flip-up bolsters. They were completed with a full-beam rear bench seat and a large sun pad.
Under this nicely cushioned surface, you could find the engine bay and ski storage.
Designed with more versatile seatings and more free deck space, the optional floorplan lacked this large sunning surface and the rear bench seat.
Instead, it utilized two back-to-back seatings and two aft jump seats with the fiberglass engine box between them.
The two layouts shared the same forward lounge and standard features, including cushioned seats, grab rails, navigation lights, cleats, lockable glovebox, ice chest, and beverage holders.
The comfortable helm was designed with a standard steering wheel, shift/throttle lever, and an easy-to-read dashboard with analog gauges.
Instrumentation included a speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge, trim gauge, oil pressure, water temp, and voltage.
Compared to larger boats, the 170 BR LTD fitted perfectly in a garage and could be towed by a small vehicle.
This is no surprise since her advertised dry weight was 2,200 pounds, which converted to an estimated curb weight of 2,500 pounds (including the liquids and some basic gear).
Sitting on a matching single-axle trailer, the weight of the complete rig averaged around 3,000 pounds.
In terms of capacities, this 170 was rated at a maximum weight capacity of 1,090 pounds. Even though it could legally carry 6 people, its deck offered a comfortable ride for only 4.
Engines and Performance
The Sea Ray 170 Bow Rider LTD was exclusively available with MerCruiser gasoline sterndrive engines.
The standard power source was the MerCruiser 3.0L with Alpha I sterndrive rated at 125hp.
This 3-liter, Inline-4 marine engine pushed the boat up to a top speed of 35-36 mph under ideal conditions.
With the optional MerCruiser 4.3L Alpha I (175hp), the 170 BR LTD topped out at 52-53 mph.
Thanks to its small deep-V hull, this little runabout was lively and fun to operate.
In return, due to its small freeboard, she was primarily recommended for inland waters.
Problems
There’s no question that the biggest problem of the 170 BR was its wood frame components.
Often referred to as bilge stringers, these beams were intended to improve the strength of the hull.
Many early sport boats were manufactured with these types of wood stringers, and the 170 BR was no exception.
The deck and a transom were also designed with wooden elements.
Since these parts were covered by a fiberglass coating, many owners thought that the hull and the deck were completely made of fiberglass. But unfortunately, they were wrong.
Over the years, the wood was prone to rotting due to very common water penetration.
This failure often led to serious structural problems, which converted to safety issues.
As you might expect, replacing these wood cored transom and stringers was usually not worth the trouble.
Specs Chart
The main specifications of the 1991-1994 Sea Ray 170 Bow Rider LTD were as follows:
Hull Length |
16’ 8” (5.1 m) |
Overall Length w/ Swim Platform |
18’ 2” (5.5 m) |
Maximum Beam |
7’ 0” (2.1 m) |
Height – Keel to Top of Windshield |
4’ 6” (1.04 m) |
Height – Waterline to Top of Windshield |
3’ 4” (1.01 m) |
Draft (stern drive down) |
31” (78.7 cm) |
Draft (stern drive up) |
14” (35.6 cm) |
Dry Weight |
2,200 lb. (997.9 kg) |
Est. Trailering Weight* |
3,000 lb. (1361 kg) |
Fuel Capacity |
22 gal. (83.3 L) |
Usable Fuel |
21 gal. (79.1 L) |
Water Capacity |
N/A |
People Capacity |
6 persons or 900 lb. |
Total Weight Capacity |
1090 lb. |
*(w/ std. engine, liquids, basic gear, and trailer)
Disclaimer: Specifications in this chart are for informational purposes only. For further information, please refer to the operator’s manual.
Takeaways
Powered by MerCruiser sterndrive engines, Sea Ray marketed its popular 170 Bow Rider LTD (170 BR LTD) from 1991 through 1994.
(Labeled as the 170 BR/CB LTD, this model was also available in a closed-bow version.)
Its 17-foot fiberglass hull was designed with wooden stringers, which tended to rot when exposed to water.
Because of this, the 170 is much less popular on the used market than its modern successors with full-fiberglass hulls.