1993-1996 Sea Rayder F14 Specs and Review [Video]

The Sea Rayder F14 was the first Sea Ray mini jet boat manufactured from 1993 through 1996. It was designed with a very small, 13.5-footer hull and a 90 or 120hp Mercury SportJet engine. The larger brother of the F14 was the 16-footer Sea Rayder F16, which could be opted with either a 120hp I4 or 175hp V6 Mercury power mill.

In this post, we’ll review the widely popular Sea Rayder F14 and its key specs.

Sea Rayder F14 Review

In the late ‘80s and the early ‘90s, the popularity of mini jet boats skyrocketed. More and more marine manufacturers entered this lucrative segment, and Sea Ray was no exception.

The first model in this breed was the lively Sea Rayder F14 released in 1993.

Its moderate-V fiberglass hull was completed with a completely open, sporty top deck.

Even though it was rated for 4 people, its highly bolstered bench seat only offered a comfortable ride for three.

You could also find a smaller padded bench in the bow featuring an under-seat storage.

The tiny F14 was easily trailerable, since it measured 13 feet 6 inches in length, 6 feet 8 inches in width, while its draft was 11 inches.

Its claimed dry weight was only 875 pounds, so you could expect its wet weight with a trailer to be anywhere from 1300-1400 pounds.

In return, it lacked a rear sun pad since the engine was covered by a fiberglass hatch.

It was also designed with a very small swim platform, which functioned more like a reboarding step.

For the 1995 season, the top deck of the F14 was revamped. The redesigned side console returned with more bells and whistles like a mirror, cup holders, and an optional audio system.

Engines

Sea Ray marketed the Rayder F14 with two single engine packages, including the Mercury SportJet 90 and 120. These 2-stroke, carbureted, in-line power mills utilized modified Force outboard powerheads and were rated at 90 and 120hp, respectively.

To be more precise, the key features of these units were as follows:

Mercury SportJet 90:

• Number of engines: 1
• Powerhead: Force outboard
• Architecture: In-line, 3-cylinder
• PowHP at impeller shaft: 90hp
• Displacement: 1231cc (75.1 cu.in.)
• Bore x Stroke: 75.7 x 71.1 mm
• Intake: Reed valve
• Induction: 3 float-type side-draft carbs

Mercury Sport Jet 120:

• Number of engines: 1
• Powerhead: Force outboard
• Architecture: In-line, 4-cylinder
• PowHP at impeller shaft: 120hp
• Displacement: 1678cc (102.9 cu.in.)
• Bore x Stroke: 85.7 x 73.05 mm
• Intake: Reed valve
• Induction: 4 float-type side-draft carbs

Each of these engines came with a mixed-flow, gear-driven Mercury SportJet pump utilizing a manual reverse system.

Even with the smaller powerhead, this propulsion system delivered 650 lbs. of static thrust at 5800 RPM.

Features

The list of the Sea Rayder F14’s key features included:

• Ski hook
• Lifting eye
• Bow and stern eyes
• Navigation lights
• Rub rail
• Reboarding step
• Deck drain
• Drain plug
• Tie-down hooks
• Cup holders
• Grab handles
• Deck carpets
• Bilge blower
• Bilge pump
• Built-in fuel tank
• Custom-matched Sea Ray trailer

The minimalist helm station was also designed with simple, yet high-quality features, including:

• Speedometer
• Fuel gauge
• Hour meter
• Steering wheel
• Engine control (forward and reverse)
• Switches (lights, bile pump, blower)
• Safety lanyard
• Emergency cut-off switch
• Grab handle
• Cup holder (’95-)
• Single mirror (‘95-)
• Autio system (‘95-)
• Sea Ray logo

Riding Experience

Thanks to its small hull and responsive jet propulsion system, this mini Sea Ray jet boat was a lot of fun to ride.

It was very sporty, agile, and could turn on a dime.

Besides its great hole-shot acceleration, the F14 topped out at 40 mph with its optional 120hp engine.

What’s more, in an experienced hand, it was capable of various tricks like donuts and the legendary “submarine.”

To perform this trick, you had to switch the control lever from forward to backward, which caused the bow to submerge into the water.

Unlike on a sterndrive or outboard boat, it was completely safe on this jet boat.

Therefore, the F14 offered thrilling rides but it could also be used for various activities like fishing and watersports.

Even though it wasn’t the best towing vessel on the lake, it was able to pull a single tube or one wakeboarder/skier with ease.

In return, it offered a very poor rough water performance.

Its lightweight moderate-V hull made the F14 very rough to ride on anything other than a very light chop.

Problems

There’s no question that the biggest problem of the Sea Rayder F14 was its unreliable engines.

Even though Sea Ray built its reputation on building high-quality boats, these 90 and 120hp Mercury SportJet engines did not turn out to be a good choice.

This was no surprise since the powerheads of these engines were borrowed from Force outboads, which were known for having terrible reliability.

They suffered from various electrical issues, which often ended in a burned engine control module (ECM). The gaskets were also prone to leaking or even being sucked into the cylinders.

Besides its serious engine malfunctions and poor rough water performance, another common complaint against this Sea Ray jet boat was its minimal design.

It lacked many convenience features like a real swim platform, fill-in bow cushions, or an under-floor ski locker.

Sea Rayder F14 Specs Charts

For your convenience, we’ve listed the main factory specs of the Sea Rayder F14:

Dimensions and Capacities

Overall Length	13’ 6”
Beam	6’ 8”
Draft	11”
Dry weight (w/std. engine)	875 lb.
Maximum people on board	4
Total weight capacity	650 lb.

Engine Specs

Engine Opt.	Mercury Sport Jet 90 (std. ’93-’95)	Mercury Sport Jet 120 (opt. only in ’95)
Number of Engines	1	1
Type	2-stroke, In-line 3	2-stroke, In-line 4
Number of Cylinders	3	4
Displacement	1231 cm³ (69 cu. in.)	1687cc (102.9 cu.in.)
Bore and Stroke	85.7 × 71.1 mm (3.375 x 2.80 in.)	85.7 x 73.05 mm (3.375 x 2.876 in.)
Cylinder Material	Cast Iron	Cast Iron
Piston Material	Aluminum	Aluminum
Performance	90hp (67.1 kW)	120hp (89.5 Kw)
Supercharged	No	No
Induction System	Float-type side-draft carbs	Float-type side-draft carbs
Number of Carburetors	3	4
Intake System	Reed valve	Reed valve
Ignition System	CD Breakerless Magneto	CD Breakerless Magneto
Staring System	12V Electric	12V Electric
Cooling System	Thermostatic and pressure-controlled	Thermostatic and pressure-controlled

Drive Unit

Propulsion System	Jet pump
Jet Pump Type	Axial flow, mixed stage
Transmission (90hp jet)	1.14:1 constant mesh w/reverse bucket
Transmission (120hp jet)	1:1 constant mesh w/reverse bucket
Nozzle	Ski type (low angle discharge)
Reverse	Twin-aperture flow diverter
Thrust Forward (90hp jet)	650 lb.
Thrust Reverse (90hp jet)	110 lb.

Fuel and Oil

Fuel system	Gasoline
Recommended Gasoline	Unleaded 87 octane minimum
Recommended Oil	Quicksilver TC-W 3 or TC-WII 2-cycle outboard oil
Fuel tank capacity	10 US gal.

These specifications are for informational purposes only. For further information, please refer to the operator’s manual.

Looking for a Sea Rayder F14 For Sale?

Even though its production stopped decades ago, you can still find many Sea Rayder F14s for sale on classified boat sites and enthusiast forums.

The asking prices of these aged jet boats average between $1,000 and $8,000 depending on their condition, age, and engine package.

But if you are considering buying a Sea Rayder, you should avoid the F14.

This model was only marketed with 90 and 120hp Mercury SportJet engines, which were designed with unreliable Force powerheads.

Because of this, if you insist on a Sea Rayder, you should take a close look at the F16 XR with the 175hp V6 engine option. This model is not only far more reliable, but it also has greater engine power and capacities.

Your other option could be one of competitor Yamaha or Sea-Doo mini jet boats.

As a last word, keep in mind that maintaining a 2-stroke jet boat requires continuous care and attention. Because of this, if you’re not familiar with working on engines, you should buy a less maintenance-intensive 4-stroke boat.