Sea Ray 370 Venture – First Australian Test

In an industry playing ‘steady as she goes’, an outboard-powered sportscruiser is a revolution. Negotiate skinny water, anchor just a waist-high wade to shore, enjoy the maintenance benefits that come with keeping your drives tilted clear of the water. Then there is the enlarged deck spaces with dedicated outdoor galley, oh, and a full-beam owner’s stateroom. Little wonder the American press has been cock-a-hoop over the 370 Venture. But in many ways, this new-age sportscruiser makes even more sense to Australians. Given our temperate climate, love of the great outdoors and our often skinny estuaries, the 370 Venture holds sway, especially as you save $30K compared with Sea Ray’s sterndrive 370 Sundancer equivalent.

It appears that the design team at the flagship Brunswick brand Sea Ray was handed a carte blanche and told to reignite the market. For the new 370 Venture is a game-changing, groundbreaking boat that breaks the accepted sportscruiser mould and redefines the genre from this point on.

Released in America last year, the 370 Venture soon collected a mantel full of American boating press awards and accolades. Last December, the first of the new sportscruisers landed at Queensland Marine Centre (QMC), the national Sea Ray importer. Inspired by the aforesaid fanfare, your BoatPoint and boatsales team packed its collective bags and winged it north for this first test of the first 370 Venture to arrive in Australia.

The key design deviation on the 370 Venture is the use of twin outboard engines, namely Mercury 300hp Verado four-strokes, that live under fibreglass cowls in each transom corner. The outboard propulsion replaces the usual sterndrives (or what the Americans call inboard/outboards) powering a boat like this. And the outboards offer some distinct advantages…

Since you can tilt the outboard legs clear of the water, the 370 Venture has minimal draft and lower maintenance (freshwater flush system included) than permanently submerged drives and legs. Due to the small external powerheads rather than internal engine mounts you get space gains in the accommodation and storage departments.

At the same time, this is a wonderfully smooth and quiet sportscruiser, agreeable for the whole family travelling on the rear cockpit lounges. When up and running, the exhausts are through-hub as per most outboards engines, but the idle-relief exhaust ports have been vented out the hull sides more like an inboard arrangement, and there’s a trick snorkel arrangement to ensure the outboards breath adequately underway.

Economy is a highlight from the supercharged four-stroke 2.6-litre six-cylinder Verados, something that can’t be said about the big-block 8.2-litre V8 petrol-powered MerCruiser inboard/outboards packed standard on the 370 Sundancer sportscruiser sistership (also available in vee-drive configuration).

Then there is the weight issue: the 370 Venture tips the scales at 7000kg dry, the 370 Sundancer with its big iron weighs 8194kg. With 840 litres of fuel feeding this outboard-driven sportscruiser versus 851 litres for the twin V8s, you’re going to get better range and less fuel burn on your carefree weekends of sports cruising.

Specifically, the $511,962 package included a Kohler 4kW (5kW upgrade available) generator for at-anchor autonomy, hot water, optional cockpit-grill, plus at-call air-conditioning that will be appreciated during Queensland summers. The battery bank was upgraded to include four low-maintenance models, while a small inverter was added to power the flat-screen TVs in the cockpit and accommodation.

At the dash, we noted an optional bow thruster to assist docking. Further inquiry reveals you can get an optional Joystick that controls the outboards as well. A must-have windlass was fitted for at-helm anchoring, while a VesselView engine-monitoring screen supervised the Verados’ operation. 

The optional extended cockpit canopy did its job of keeping the midday sun at bay -- shadows were a challenge during the on-deck photo shoot -- rod holders let you catch a dinner when not kicking back, while upgraded opening hull windows were fitted for natural ventilation once it’s “lights out.” The gleaming stainless-steel capping on the windscreen was a nice touch, as were the choice of chestnut interior and walnut blinds.

Priced from $448,000 at the time of testing, the nicely equipped 370 Venture represents good buying and likely future maintenance savings compared with the usual sterndrive set-up on the 370 Sundancer. Then there are the initial savings of $30K for outboards over sterndrives.

Naturally, the requisite swim ladder and deck shower are provided. With the outboard legs up and the boat backed into a beach -- or Broadwater sand ‘cay’ as we did -- you can step off and wade into shore. Brilliant! Underfloor cockpit storage hatches exist for wet gear and, potentially, a party-load of drinks on ice.

As the outboards are concealed neatly below integrated moulded cowlings, and their legs tilt up under the swim platform, you don’t even know they’re there. Atop the cowlings, which hinge back on gas struts for decent outboard-engine access, are upholstered seat bases.

The backrests for the aft seats swing open to create sunpads either side of a central cockpit walk-through. The central thoroughfare bisects the boat’s cockpit seating. To port is a U-shaped lounge and folding timber dinette big enough to seat six that converts to a sunpad and, with full covers, a potential summer day-and-night bed. The portside L-shaped lounge opposite can seat three and abuts the boat’s integrated amenities centre. It’s a big deal.

Sea Ray classifies the cockpit amenities centre as the boat’s main galley. You get a deep sink with hot/cold water, a 240V Kenyon single-ceramic induction cooktop for frying the eggs and bacon breaky, and we had an optional 240V Kenyon griddle with splashback for cooking the burgers at lunch.

In addition, there’s a decent Isotherm fridge with freezer tray, under-sink storage (including a dedicated spot for the barbecue hood that lets you cook a joint), and a 240V GPO outlet for the TV that mounts above on a bracket and/or the wok for cooking your signature chilli crab dish. A portable cooler caters for your picnic within wading distance ashore.

The inbuilt L-shaped passenger lounge forward includes an aft-facing 'Cleopatra' chaise lounge, while the double helm seat with flip-up bolsters lets couples cruise together. Between all these lounges and seats, which are now finished in a new, premium non-stick and textured matt vinyl, you can comfortably cater for a couple of families.

As touched on, the extended canopy is a godsend, while rubber-backed carpet adds to the comfort underfoot. Elsewhere, the Sea Ray quality is reflected in the solid through-bolted deck gear, the stainless-steel drink holders, thoughtful positioning of grab rails, the LED lighting, and moulded walk-through dash (offset to enhance cabin access) leading to the bow.

A set of moulded steps, a handrail and moulded hardtop rail let you waltz up and back to the foredeck, where moulded toe rails and a concealed windlass add to the safety factor. You can kick back on a towel and take a load off during sundowners. There was no saltwater flush for the anchor, so a bucket with lanyard might be in order when you weigh it.

After all that fresh air you will be inclined to head down below, where it could be argued the 370 Venture doesn’t break with convention. That is, until you look back aft and see it -- a massive full-beam mid-cabin stateroom which, with offset obtuse queen-size bed, makes the most of the outboard-engine-derived space gains.

A mirrored bedhead adds to the sense of space, while opening portlights (throughout with insect screens) and large hull windows direct natural light and ventilation inside. Headroom at the aft-cabin entrance and a nearby lounge assist dressing, there’s a small hanging locker for storage, and a TV. The 240V GPOs will be appreciated for charging devices.

The air-conditioned, light and well-ventilated, open-plan cabin has privacy curtains fore and aft. It also has the common dinette in the bow that converts into the boat’s second berth and cabin. Obviously its a substantially bigger dinette and double bed than you find on the 26-32ft sportscruiser with this common, generic layout.

While anchored off Wave Break Island we didn’t notice too much noise from chine slap, before looking up at the TV that adds to the bow-seating amenity, and noting storage for board games in surrounding lockers. The lighting, cabinetry and joinery, and the soft furnishings, create a warm ambience, while the timber saloon flooring is functional.

The lower ‘galleyette’ (think kitchenette) certainly plays second fiddle to the main al fresco galley up top. There’s a microwave oven for reheats, a small sink and fridge, with solid counter, and GPO for an appliance (read toaster/kettle). Thus, the 370 Venture dares to be different.

Ironically, Americans spending lots of time in the marina mightn’t like the small lower galley. But Aussie boaters are outdoor folk and we reckon the enlarged above-deck fresh-air amenities centre sure beats cooking in your cabin. Thumbs up for the extra sleeping and lounging space instead.

Thankfully, Sea Ray hasn’t skimped on the bathroom. There’s a smart vanity with ‘floating’ sink and solid counter, full-length mirror, freshwater Vacuflush head, above which you shower using a handheld rose that can be hung on a wall bracket.

The shower stall has a curtain and there’s fresh air for ventilation to help dry the moulded space. But in keeping with this boat’s outdoor theme and our boating experience, the best shower is that at the transom. The 370 Venture is that kind of outdoor boat.

Meanwhile, a rear cockpit hatch leads into the quasi engineroom with generator, alloy fuel tank, hot-water service and easy bilge access. Admittedly, the mouldings for the outboard-engine bays take up a fair whack of space, and the four batteries aren’t all that easy to change in the port corner, but we can’t really fault Sea Ray’s production-boat setup.

Twin 70A alternators on the Verados compared favourably with the 80A models on V8 inboard/outboards, while the generator and twin shorepower leads let you run the AC lot including air-con on anchor or the marina. Back at the marina, a cockpit hatch lifts to grant access to the freshwater-flush connector. Hook-up the hose and you are virtually done for the day.

Fair mouldings and a good gelcoat finish are features of the hull, which has a more moderate 18 degrees of deadrise compared with the 21-degree vee on the 370 Sundancer. There’s also 23cm less beam and 1194kg less weight, making the 370 Venture a lighter and flatter boat to assist performance from its modest outboard horsepower.

Outboard engines have come a long way and the 300hp supercharged Verado four-stokes are a case in point. They are smooth running, fume-free and frugal in certain rev ranges. With the latest digital throttle and shift, and power-assisted steering, the operation of this boat is quite refined.

A Lenco trim tab system assists with hole shot and, while not one of the snappiest boats off the mark, and laggard in the low-to-mid-rev ranges, the outboard powers kicks in at higher revs. In its likely home waters of the Broadwater, we found the Verados on the 370 Venture preferred to be run above 4500rpm to maintain a decent level cruise speed without overuse of the tabs.

At 5000rpm the boat sits in the cruising groove producing around 26-27 knots for a range in excess of 150 nautical miles. Fast cruise at 5500rpm yields 31 knots for a range reduced by only 10nm. Top speed was around 36.5 knots at 6300-6400rpm WOT.

Those ideal cruise revs of 5000rpm are higher than the 370 Sundancer with its typical heavy-iron V8, and most other outboard-powered boats which produce the greatest economy at 4000-4500rpm. But for its intended purpose, that is a dayboat and weekender, the $30,000 initial-cost saving of the 370 Venture over the 370 Sundancer, not to mention future running and maintenance costs, are an achievement.

This is an especially desirable cruiser in skinny waterways like those that abound on the Gold Coast, in places like Lake Macquarie and the upper Hawkesbury, the Gippsland and SA Gulfs, not to mention countless smaller estuaries, rivers and bays. The boat will stack in a rack, sit on a pontoon in shallow water, and happily swing on a mooring.

Under typical weekend use, you can cruise to your favourite destinations using less fuel. Anchor just a wade to shore, where other sportscruisers don’t dare venture, and stage a picnic. Enjoy the considered deck layout, the outdoor galley and the expanded accommodation. Predictable handling adds to the boat’s relaxed and sunny disposition.

Back at the marina, having called on the joystick for easy docking, you can connect the hose to the outboards, flush the salt away, and tilt the legs and props clear of the water, knowing that they will burst into life the first press of the stop/start button the very next weekend. Or the one after that, even a month later in winter.

If you’ve owned boats with sterndrive legs left in the water for extended periods you’ll welcome the increased reliability and reduced maintenance on the 370 Venture. The smart boat is a revelation and revolution that extends the outboard engine’s throw and increasing dominance of the powerboat world.