ESCAPE
HIGH SEAS
RETURN of the Sundancer
Sea Ray brings back its iconic FAMILY CRUISER in the bold shape of the new 370 Outboard By Howard Walker Ever wondered how Sea Ray got its name? Maybe it’s a play on stingray or manta ray. Or, perhaps, a reference to a ray of sunshine on the sea. Good guesses—but wrong. It all goes back to Cornelius Nathaniel “Connie” Ray III. In 1959, the native Detroiter founded Ray Industries, cranking out zippy runabouts. By putting a spin on the “C” for Cornelius and looking to his last name, it was an easy evolution to Sea Ray. By 1986, when Connie had sold his company to the Brunswick Corporation powerhouse, Sea Ray had taken its place among the world’s biggest boatbuilders. One of Connie’s many strokes of genius was seeing a gap in the market for a family-focused
express cruiser. Forty-five years ago, he built the first Sea Ray Sundancer and the rest, as they say, is history. Despite a rocky few years over the past decade, during which time Brunswick even pondered selling off the Sea Ray brand, the Sundancer is now back—with a vengeance. The 370 Outboard not only marks the introduction of a next-gen Sundancer family, but also heralds the reinvention of Sea Ray itself. New from the keel up, the 370 Outboard is a masterpiece from any angle. While the hull profile has styling cues from Sundancers past, it’s that towering, glass-filled hardtop and huge windshield that are guaranteed to spin heads. Before its global unveiling earlier this year, I got to spend a fun-filled morning putting the 370 through its paces across Sarasota Bay. I came away thoroughly impressed at what it manages to pack into 37 feet. While we all remember Sundancers of old, with gas-guzzling V-8s powering through sterndrives, the 370’s designers wisely opted for outboards. They’re quieter, smoother, easier to maintain, and way more space-efficient.
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