Sea Ray L550 Fly: Review

American boating giant Sea Ray has been quietly reinventing its new line-up of ever-more-pleasurable pleasure boats. Catering for today’s fragmented boating market, Sea Ray now offers everything from a purpose-built inboard wakeboat though re-imagined maxi dayboats and bowriders, to aventurous triple outboard-powered 40 footers, various coastal cruisers and weekenders, right up to the luxurious L-Class motor yachts. While in Florida for the diverse 2017 Sea Ray range launch, we grabbed a test drive of the new baby L-Class, the L550 Fly, and found a whole new level of sophistication in a Sea Ray.

OVERVIEW
- The luxurious L-Class Yachts take Sea Ray to the next level
When you think of Sea Ray you think of all the bowriders and sportscruisers that have been such a big part of our waterways for so long. The Sea Ray brand is the most enduring and well known of all American production boats Down Under. But what you probably don’t think about is the new L-Class because, well, these stunning motor yachts haven’t arrived here quite yet.

Having now experienced the luxurious L-Class first hand we think that ought to change. Since it was released to the market in 2014, the L-Class now offers Fly and Express (single level) variants in 650, 590 and 550 sizes. At this stage, the split between flybridge and single-level boaters is reasonably even, wer'e told. With the new 550, in both guises, more high-end boaters are poised to join the exclusive Sea Ray L-Class club.

Sea Ray is onto something here. Its L650 now holds the position of number one best-selling 65-footer in America, where the badge holds the leading market share in the 40-65ft luxury yacht segment. Promoted alongside Aston Martin cars, New Zealand wines and Cuban cigars, the L-Class appeal to, well, the upper class. Owners enjoy personalised service, a concierge buying experience with a brand expert, and score direct lines to the Sea Ray factory.

We were given a taste of the red-carpet treatment with the media launch of this new baby L550 Fly off Florida before its official unveiling at the 2017 Miami boat show in February. The exciting launch event was accompanied by catchphrases and keywords like serenity, location, peace, state of mind, colour, and unique feeling. Fireworks, top food, live music, patriotism, and razzle-dazzle, which our American friends and coalition partners do so well, added to the excitement at Captiva Island.

Cutting through the marketing ribbon, rather than adding to the sales pitch, we unloaded our bag of down-to-earth Aussie big-boat know-how and put our owner-driver skills and liveaboard cruising checklist to the test.

Features on the L550 such as the hydraulic swim platform, walkaround decks, aft galley, full-beam stateroom, shaft drives and docking thrusters will resonate with Aussie luxury motor-yacht buyers. But we also found some Sea Ray innovation and fresh design that got us genuinely excited.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
- A premium product and experience that commands a premium price
As you climb the Sea-Ray fleet and ladder, the sticker price moves up accordingly. Although it’s the introductory model and latest L-Class generation with a sleeker look, the 550 Fly is priced in accord with other mid-50 footers in our market. It's a $2.5m loaded boat.

The L550 comes with plenty of standard kit including air-con throughout, televisions and bedding, stone bathroom counters, on-trend grain-matched walnut joinery, even a separate washing machine and dryer. Outdoors, there’s a grill in the flybridge, electric cockpit awning, bow cushions and covers, and a hydraulic swim platform with 450kg lift capacity for carrying a tender and/or jet ski.

At the upper and lower helm stations, there are 24V Vetus bow and stern thrusters, a new Sea Ray digital switching system, a Caterpillar 7in engine screen, twin Raymarine 12in screens (upgraded to 16in on our test boat) with autopilot, and so on. The boat comes with a Bose AV system, electric saloon windows, a Dyson vac, even a coffee machine.

You can enclose the flying bridge and add heat and air-con if you want; there is an option for an extended hardtop, too; plus there’s room in the lazarette to fit optional crew quarters for the European market.

The Joystick Docking for Inboard on the test boat is worth pursuing. Our showboat had some other big options, none more so than a Seakeeper 9 gyro stabiliser and upgraded generator that’s going to cost you more than $100k. But that Seakeeper is the key on this boat.

Local Sea Ray importer Chapman Marine quoted $2.575m for an L550 Fly with 850hp Caterpillar C12.9s, Seakeeper 9 gyro stabiliser, Inboard Joystick with bow and stern thrusters, and more, driveaway from his Sydney dock. That stacks up in this market for what is a very complete boat.

LAYOUT AND ACCOMMODATION
- A big L-Class that’s easy to operate and live aboard
The L550 has sharp lines, especially this new 550. It’s a big boat for its length, however, Sea Ray has invested in creating a user-friendly interface and operating system with digital switching to reduce hassles. No more than two button pushes will access any and all of the boat’s systems and functions. Preset boat modes like cruising, day anchor, night and so on let you dial-in all the right equipment on via the digital switch panel to suit the role.

More wow factor exists in the innovative deck design that uses the full length of the boat like we’ve not seen before. The walkaround decks are backed by grab rails, moulded toe rails and there’s an opening starboard helm door for communication with crew and access to the decks when docking.

But the highlight is the trick sunken bow seating area with a table, optional shade canopy and separate sound system controls and speakers. In the Florida heat, this shaded open-air bow seating area was a treat. Down Under, it would be a great go-to area for kids, doing sundowners, staging whale-watching cruises, you name it. This is the biggest bow seating zone we've seen on a 50-footer.

The cockpit, albeit not the biggest in its class, is extended by the standard jumbo hydraulic swim platform (teak optional). Heading forward, opening doors lead into the aft galley and wet bar to bring the outdoors back indoors. There are also side doors in the cockpit for improved marina access and provisioning, too. An electric awning now comes standard in the cockpit and it’s designed to shade the inbuilt L-shaped transom lounge and teak lunch table.

Moulded stairs lead up top to a seriously big flybridge with abundant seating and a long lunch table that, with the Seakeeper 9 gyro option, becomes a rock-steady entertaining area. There’s a fridge, grill and a hardtop for shade with a concertina electric canvass sunroof.

Between all these super functional deck areas — you can seat four on the bow, eight in the flybridge, six in the cockpit, say — this L550 will be a great entertainer. This is the boat’s real strength. As we said, we haven’t come across a 50-footer with so many comfy outdoor ‘zones’.

Storage is another highlight with a deep boot in the transom that works as a utility space and lazarette (or optional crew quarters). Our test boat had fenders, lines, lifebuoy and more stashed down here. Additional storage exists under the moulded flying bridge staircase and on the bow, bridge and nearby interior cabinetry.

The opening Opacmare saloon doors present the boat’s aft galley and wetbar area with genuine wooden flooring. You get four drawer fridges/freezers and our boat had an optional wine cooler, plus a cockpit icemaker.

The stone galley counters have a short return with bar stools perfect for casual meals. Opposite, the wet bar and entertainment centre include a 50in TV that had the locals glued to a game of American football with their beloved Miami Dolphins on the field.

For me, perhaps slightly jet-lagged, the forward lounge area was a saloon highlight.

The plush white lounges (long enough to double as a daybed), deep glazing and surrounding views, and the nearby twin high-backed helm seats, mean you can cruise indoors on passages in comfort. There was no internal dinette, with al fresco the way to go on the L550. Couples will use the bar stools or just go casual dining on their lap.

Styling was snappy, with two-pack galley cupboards, the grain-matched walnut joinery, supplied cutlery and drawers, and deft Italian touches including tapware and a stitched-leather dash. While there are moulded fibreglass surfaces in the saloon, where some prestige European brands going to great lengths to upholster the lot, owners have a broad palette of finishes to work with and their L550 will look smart.

Of course, Sea Ray’s accommodation rates, with a three cabin and two-bathroom layout that includes a full-beam owner’s stateroom. The third cabin has single beds that manually push together to form a double; the VIP in the bow has the traditional island bed; while the queen bed in the full-beam owners’ stateroom is offset 45 degrees to maximise floor space.

Cabin highlights include indirect mood lighting, inner-spring mattresses, cedar-lined hanging lockers, separate TVs, USB ports, tiled en suites, American-sized shower stalls (rain-shower for owners) and high headroom throughout.

There’s good light penetration and ventilation below decks and an ambience of luxury in keeping with the L-Class tag. I spent some hours aboard and it's a very comfortable ‘yacht'.

HULL AND ENGINEERING
- Composite construction with proven Cat power
With the new Sea Ray digital switching, bow and stern thrusters, upgraded joystick docking, Raymarine electronics, Bose, and the latest Caterpillar engines, the L550 is a showcase of today’s boating smarts.

The resin-infused hull — with symmetrical half prop-tunnels, no keel, and Veem props, plus Interceptor trim tabs — works beautifully. What I really noticed was how tight the boat felt, with no rattles, shakes or shudders, and low running noise, especially for Cats.

It’s a monocoque one-piece boat and it feels solid and super seaworthy, not light and flighty like some production boats. The 17 degrees of transom deadrise is quite sharp for a 50 footer, too.

In the nicely insulated engine room, the sea strainers are at the entrance, the twin Racor fuel filters for the wing fuel tanks are easily accessed forward, and there is plenty of room over the top of the straight-six Cats with paired oil dipsticks on the centreline.

The Seakeeper and 21.5kW Onan takes up a bit of space, but this is a decent engine room with logical production layout.

With 580lt of water, you’ll likely add a desal, but the generous 257lt holding tank will let you do long weekends with a crowd before needing an empty.

Sea Ray has increased the fuel supply to 2195lt for long-range boating and we were told you could cruise for 300nm on the L550 Fly. Australian boatbuilders tend to fit 3500lt+ on their 52-54 footers for that kind of range at faster speeds.

All L-Class ‘yachts’ are backed by a three-year warranty and that extended to the Caterpillar 850 C12.9L engines on the L550.

ON THE WATER
- Great performance, a tight build and ride
Spending time on the water with Scott Ward, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Sea Ray Sport Yachts and Yachts, and Ron Berman, VP from the Product Portfolio at Sea Ray, added to the enjoyment of testing this L550.

Once the Sea Ray heavies could see this Aussie could drive a twin-engine 50 footer and knew his col regs, we all kicked back for a day of luxury Captiva cruising and some great social boating on the Mexican Gulf off Florida.

The performance really added to the pleasure as we chatted from the flybridge and back at the lower helm. I noted 28 knots at 2350rpm top speed for the day. At 75-78 per cent load, we had 21-22 knots for 226lt/hr. That will give you a range of about 200nm according to my calculations.

Low-speed cruise was clocked at 1810rpm and 17-18 knots for 187lt/hr and a range of around 200nm, while high-speed cruising and 2220rpm saw 26 knots and a very sporty drive and ride. Your range is around 190nm, which will probably suit most potential L-Class boat owners cruising city waterways and nearby ports.

On the water, the highlights were the quietness and smoothness, the air of sophistication and the dignified ride through the water. There are just a few turns on the wheel and the sporty handling doesn't induce undue heeling before the L550 sits back up on its beamy hull.

With big seating areas and twin helm stations, this is an all-weather pleasure luxury cruiser that rates highly in the performance and comfort stakes. It’s also an easy boat to command and control at speed and around the dock.

VERDICT
- A luxury prestige Sea Ray that sets the bar
In short, the L550 is like no Sea Ray we have been aboard before. It feels tight and agile, is really easy to command and drive, and the sight lines and seating, ergonomics and general flow add to your comfort.

We like the styling and the finishes, too. Yet the L550 is more than just a show pony. The twin 850hp Caterpillar C12.9 engines are well insulated and the resin-infused L550 hull tamed the choppy waters on the Mexican Gulf in keeping with Sea Ray’s reputation for building serious saltwater boats.

However, the masterstroke are those decks. The sunken seating on the foredeck
and big bridge become wonderful entertaining stations with the
Seakeeper gyro whirring away and barely a roll at anchor.

With
that, the L550 would be perfectly suited to luxury cruising on busy
Australian waterways where comfort and cachet are required, as much as a
stable platform that doesn’t spill the champagne. A 'Ray of sunshine, indeed.

HIGHS
>> The most luxurious Sea Ray in the fleet
>> Innovative seating on foredeck, gyro-stabilised flybridge
>> Full-beam stateroom with American sizing
>> Impressive twin 850hp Caterpillar performance
>> Real feeling of solidity and seaworthiness from infused hull
>> User-friendly digital switching and boating smarts
>> Personal buying experience with concierge-type after-sales service

LOWS
>> No portlights in third cabin
>> No internal dinette for winter dinner parties
>> Windlass on deck not recessed
>> Sea Ray hardtops and lids could be prettier

Specifications: Sea Ray L550 Fly
Price: $2.575m for an L550 Fly with 850hp Caterpillar C12.9s, gyro stabiliser, Inboard Joystick with bow and stern thrusters, and more, driveaway.
LOA: 17.14m
Beam: 4.75m
Draft: 1.37m
Dry Weight: 26,989kg
Deadrise: 17 degrees
Fuel: 2195lt
Water: 580lt
Holding Tank: 257lt
Sleeping: 6
Engines: Twin Caterpillar 850 C12.9L
Generator: 21.5kW Onan