All the latest Sea Ray and Boston Whaler releases

The Wall Street Journal once considered it among the top 10 places for second homes or holiday houses. Yet the Southwest Florida resort town of Captiva Island, population of about 400 permanents but many more tourists, is also host to the annual Sea Ray Yacht Expo with a Boston Whaler sideshow. The local Yucatan shrimp on this Gulf Coast town aren’t half bad, either.

Following the 2016 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (FLIBS) in November, Sea Ray and Boston Whaler — owned by world’s biggest boat-builder Brunswick Corporation — staged their joint customer sea trials at this annual Yacht Expo. This was followed by our global press launch and the very reason we winged it over.

The good news is that both these mainstream American brands are on a growth trajectory. As such, Sea Ray and Whaler can be considered barmoeters and trendsetters in the production-boat world. That they have achieved this through innovation and fresh design augured well for our impending rides.

QUALITY IS KEY
On the final Yacht Expo sales night, when we arrived for the media event, there were more than 30 rings of the ship’s bell, each signifying a new boat sale.

Americans are back buying luxury production cruisers and centre consoles, not at pre-GFC volumes and they probably never will be, but for an enhanced on-water boating experience.

To this end, Sea Rays are getting bigger, physically and in sticker size, with more complete inventories and equipment lists. Quality and usability are selling over price.

Outboard engines are go in the coastal saltwater markets, which aren’t dissimilar to ours, while day-boating and fishing are supplanting overnighting and long-distance cruising.

As the tow-sports market continues to grow, Sea Ray is poised to dip a toe and return to that pool (remember the Ski Ray?).

All together there were 16 Sea Rays on show, five of which were brand-new models, and about a half dozen Whalers in the line-up raring to go.

10 NEW SEA RAY AND WHALER TRENDS
>> Bigger bowriders and a greater emphasis on day-boating
>> Wider use of outboard power in multi-engine installations
>> Joysticks in everything for complete docking ease
>> Digital switching with customised Sea Ray interface
>> Dedicated foredeck seating areas with tables and shade tops
>> Enlarged flying bridges and gyros for up top entertaining
>> Maximised interior volume and accommodation plans
>> Personalised factory-direct support in the high end L-Class
>> Improved seating for fishing and leisure on the Whalers
>> Quality over quantity

GROWING MARKET SHARE
In the US, Sea Ray has the leading market share in 40-65ft cruisers. All the models in its Sport Yachts and L Class ranges in that segment are less than four years old.

In the smaller market segments, Sea Ray is said to have 20 per cent share but is clawing back ground lost in the post-GFC new-product slump.

As for Boston Whaler, it’s number one in the 33-50ft saltwater fish category and now number two in the 23-32ft saltwater fish market (behind Sea Hunt Boats).

Looking to 2017, there are some wild Sea Rays coming with unseen modernism, which we’ve now glanced as renderings but are unable to share with you till January.

The idea is to obsolete the old and re-imagine the new, to continue pushing ahead with more day-boating platforms, with outboard power variants, and to head onwards and upwards with bigger boats.

The high-volume/low-margin production model no longer exists. Instead, it’s all about quality, value adding, improving the boating experience through the adaption of new technology — like Joystick docking, gyro stabilisers, and digital switching with intuitive user interfaces — and it's about those outboard engines, too.

WHAT'S MAKING WAVES
Among the 30-strong Sea Ray and Whaler fleet were oodles of white Mercury outboards, key company staff, fireworks, helicopters, cameramen, cocktails, and plenty of white sand, blue skies and saltwater. There was a buzz in the air.

The new Sea Rays ranged from a top-secret wakeboat that reinstates the brand’s play in this market, to bigger outboard bowriders, a new Coupe and Flybridge motor yacht, and an entry-level L Class cruiser in that special personalised luxury class. Boston Whaler had a hot spread of mainly centre consoles with improved seating.

As we've said already, the boats were powered increasingly by outboards — Brunswick owns Mercury after all — but also Cummins inboards with vee drives, Zeus pod drives, and the latest Caterpillar diesels.

Besides the growth in outboard-powered boats, the common thread was Joystick docking solutions for everything from the top-secret wakeboat to the multi-outboard rigs, and every single cruiser and motor yacht on show.

Digital switching with a special Sea Ray user interface was another helm highlight.

True to form, Sea Ray has plenty of fresh thinking, usually customer driven, in its new 2017 line-up...

It’s ditched clears and canvass on many models for Coupes and resin-infused hardtops, and is shifting away from sportscruisers with big overnight accommodation (at least in its new product development) to open-bow platforms with more of a day-boating role. Entertaining with an aft galley-up layout is popular on the bigger boats.

Sea Ray is improving bow-to-stern usability, with terrific foredeck seating and entertaining areas, optional transom barbecues and, the big one, enlarged flying bridges that can serve the primary role of lunch venue. Together, there are now more outdoor ‘stations’ and play zones on your boat.

While the cockpits of some Sport Yachts certainly aren't the biggest in their class, Americans are fitting gyros and using those extended flybridges as the go-to outdoor entertaining hub. The party has shifted upstairs and the Caesar salad bowl ain’t movin’.

OUR DRIVES AND RIDES
We drove the prototype Sea Ray wake boat; an SLX 350 bowrider with triple outboards; a Sundancer 350 Coupe with sterndrives; the new 460 Fly with Cummins diesel engines and vee drives; the latest L550 Fly with twin 850hp Caterpillar C12.9s; and the pick of the Boston Whalers, the 330 Outrage with twin 350hp white Verados, which was in its element powering through the choppy waters off Sanibel in the Gulf of Mexico. Next stop Key West.

We intend to create spotlight reviews on the new Sea Ray and Boston
Whaler boats, so watch this space and our websites as we roll those out. Meantime, here’s a run down of what’s hot from Sea Ray and Boston
Whaler...

THE SPX DUO
- The best-selling trailerboat range
The SPX 190 and 210 remain the best sellers in the Sea Ray line-up. Running 19-degree deadrise hulls, these classic bowriders come in sterndrive and outboard configurations, with optional packages for fishing —a live well, trolling motor and casting chairs — or tow sports via a tower with wakeboard racks.

There are some refinements to the 2017 SPX, but they ain’t broke and Sea Ray ain’t changing much with the entry-point duo in its top-selling bowrider range.

THE SLX RANGE
- The signature performance bowriders grow in size and stature
The Select or SLX range spans five models — the 230, 250, 280, 310 and 350. The luxury performance bowriders have deep-vee 21-degree hulls. The two smaller models are trailerable with 2.59m beams, but from the 280 upwards the boats step-out with big footprints.

The big news this year is the SLX 310 and SLX 350 in outboard variants. Both boats had an outstanding debuts at 2016 FLIBS. The 310 is a twin rig with 300-350hp Mercury Verados, with or without Joystick Piloting, and with white (everyone wants that) or black cowls.

The new Sea Ray SLX 350 OB with triple 300hp Mercury Verados pushes the envelope. Having written the news we were keen for a test ride.

The triple outboard power, instead of twin 300hp 6.2L up to 380hp 8.2L MerCruisers with sterndrives, which have sold Down Under already, creates a new category of day-boating bowrider.

Either way, the SLX 350 OB is a huge day-play stage with 18-person capacity, hardtop, upgraded bathroom, step down single berth with television, hot water, inverter, grill and air-con options, plus Active Trim (automatic system) on our demo and more.

The outboard boat comes standard with Joystick Piloting, which makes docking with the triple rig a snap, and does more than 60mph, 100kmh or 53 knots. Given this boat’s success, one might speculate that a bigger Sea Ray bowrider is on the cards. Did we say that?

THE SDX FAMILY
- The Sundeck family cranks up the volume with new outboard power options
Combining a bowrider and deckboat, the SDX range cranks up the volume with more boat for your buck. The SDX range includes a 220, 240, 270 and 290, all of which come with inboard or outboard power.

There were no big changes to this proven range which has been well received Down Under. We’ve performed tests of the SDX 270 and 290 in both inboard and outboard power.

The latest SDX 290 OB was a real winner during our Gold Coast test. The quietness and enhanced cruising comfort of the outboard variant also showed up in our previous SDX 270 comparo.

SPORT CRUISERS
- There’s a shakeup in store and Coupes to boot
From booming in the pre-GFC years, the sportscruiser segment has slowed a lot. When you look at a traditional Sea Ray Sundancer, which range from the 260 to the 280, 310, 330, 350 and 370, you find a lot of boat given over to accommodation in a galley-down layout.

All the Sea Ray research shows boaters use their sportscruisers differently these days. Open bow boats are all the rage and something reimagined is in build. We can't say any more yet. But a new genre of Sundancer looks to be on the way.

Meantime, the new release in this segment is the Sundancer 350 Coupe, which does away with canvass and clears — another bugbear according to user research — to extend the hardtop into a full-blown helm enclosure with sunroof and some great hatch venting.

The new 350 Coupe was among the stand-out models we drove with excellent performance from a 20-degree hull using 350hp 6.2L MerCruisers with Bravo 3 legs and Axius joystick docking. You can also get vee drives in petrol or diesel, the latter being the ultimate with a diesel genset.

Expect a price premium for this high quality Coupe compared to the high-volume European yards, but this US boat’s ride and comfort levels are impressive, with sleeping for up to six, a big swim platform, and bow seating. Review to come.

SPORT YACHTS AND FLYBRIDGE
- Flybridge or express layout using the same platform
The Sport Yachts are available in express and flybridge configurations. They include the new Sundancer 400 and the latest 460 released at 2016 FLIBS. We drove that latter boat in the Flybridge iteration with Cummins 550hp QSB 6.7s with vee drives, although half the sales are with the Zeus pod drive option.

A motoryacht-style cruiser, the 460 Fly offers serious volume with a maxed-out interior and accommodation. With a flybridge that can be open or air-conditioned/heated, it’s very much the all-states United States live-aboard family cruiser.

There’s not a lot of cockpit on the 460, but big bow and bridge areas help compensate. The two-cabin/two bathroom layout includes a massive full-beam stateroom with en suite akin to a 52 footer.

This is a boat for Hawkesbury holidays, Melbourne weather, Gippsland and so on. Think floating condo with rooftop terrace. Review to come.

THE L-CLASS
- It’s all about luxury, personalisation and factory-direct backing
When it comes to quality, the L Class is Sea Ray’s top-shelf offering. Its inception dates back to 2014 with the L650 through the 590 — both of which come in Fly or Express variants — to the latest entry-level L550 Fly.

Released at 2016 FLIBS, this is a big luxury boat with twin 850hp Caterpillar C12.9s and straight shafts for a top speed of 28-29 knots. The resin-infused hull, monocoque structure, soft engines mounts and sound insulation create a rattle-free, smooth and, well, luxurious ride in keeping with the L Class suggestion.

The styling is more European, clean and uncluttered, with loads of light. Timbers are grain matched, designer tapware is part of the high level spec, and the new L550 has a full-beam stateroom among its three cabins. Our test boat has a gyro that reinforced the appeal of the huge flybridge, while the foredeck had amazing sunken seating.

Backed by a 24-hour concierge service, the L Class has performance integrity for serious offshore coastal boating. We look forward to sharing our L550 experience in greater detail.

NEW BOSTON WHALERS
- The unsinkable legend expands its horizons
Whaler is expanding the reach of its centre consoles by boosting seating. Seats sell boats, it says, and the bow area has gained smarter seating that both improves your fishing angles and walkaround access, while offering more room to sit, stretch and relax.

Replacing the 320 after some 10 years of service, the new 330 Outrage with twin 350hp Mercury Verados was a highlight of our Florida trip. With 23 degrees of deep vee coupled with a long lithe hull with great bow flare, and a hot helm set-up, we powered this ‘bad boy’ through the Gulf chop at almost 43 knots.

The 330 Outrage is the biggest twin rig in the Whaler fleet and it’s a great boat. A little bird also tells us that 2017 will reveal something outside the Whaler box. Hmmm. That’s all we could extract over a beer at the bar.

Together, Sea Ray and Boston Whaler have some impressive new models in the market and some exciting 2017 releases in build.

These brands are always worth following, even if you have to fly halfway around the world to Southwest Florida for their launch. They tell you a lot about how people are going boating and how we might be doing it soon.

More on Sea Ray in Queensland and Boston Whaler nationally from importer Queensland Marine Centre.

More on Sea Ray in Sydney from Chapman Marine Group.