HIGH SEAS

from Aventura Magazine April 2021

by Palm Beach Media Group

HIGH ROAD

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.

The first boats to come out of Sea POWER FILERay’s Merritt Island facility will feature

PRICE: FROM $650,000 LENGTH:

triple 300-hp Mercury Verados, with 37 FEET BEAM: 12 FEET DRY the option down the road of 250 Mercs. WEIGHT: 18,100 POUNDS POWER: With three 300s, top speed is close to 3 X 300-HP MERCURY VERADOS 50 mph, with easy-peasy cruising in TOP SPEED: 50 MPH WHY WE LOVE the mid-30s. IT: BECAUSE IT ROLLS AN EXPRESS

Step onto the wide swim platform CRUISER, BOWRIDER, AND GLASSY and into the cockpit, and the feeling of HARDTOP COUPE ALL INTO ONE. space is terrific, with seating for eight on the U-shaped sofas. Rather than having the galley down below, there’s an electric grill, sink, fridge, and freezer right there. Cross through the port-side windshield door and into the bow. The beauty here is the height of the walkway sides, which give a great sense of safety and security.

The mile-high hardtop is a true feat of design ingenuity. The sheer amount of glass is astonishing, giving superb all-around visibility from the helm. Nice touches include the power-sliding sunroof, air conditioning, and a rear sunshade that glides out of the hardtop.

Up at the helm there are twin seats on either side, while the control panel could easily have come out of a fancy Mercedes. Twin 16-inch Simrad displays integrate pretty much all of the boat’s major functions.

Down below, the cabin is flooded with light courtesy of huge hull windows. Up in the bow there’s an L-shaped sofa that, at the touch of a button, creates a queen bed. Midship, beneath the cockpit, there’s another “L” that becomes a double. And the quality of materials is exceptional, with white onyx Corian countertops, lovely wood, and upscale fabrics.

Out on Sarasota Bay, this new Sundancer leapt onto the plane and punched to 45-plus mph with ease. While there wasn’t much in the way of wave action that day, the Sea Ray still sliced through other boats’ wake, with any rock and roll quelled by the optional Seakeeper3 gyro stabilizer. Joystick control made docking a breeze, even in a breeze.

You’ll pay around $650,000 for a 370 with triple Mercury 250s, though with the triple 300s and plenty of must-have options, reckon on closer to $900K. But with this new 370 Outboard, Sea Ray definitely builds on the Sundancer legacy with a boat that’s sleek, sexy, and a «lot of fun. Connie Ray would have been proud.