Sea Ray SDX 250 Outboard Review

OVERVIEW
With an asymmetrical deck layout, offset helm, deep cabin and head, and smart sliding transom seating, the Sea Ray SDX 250 Outboard is one of the best new outboard-powered bowriders that's crossed our path to date.

Of course, Sea Ray's is no stranger to building bowriders. Its sterndrive-powered models are beautifully integrated boats. But with a market shift to outboard power, the design challenge has centred on creating the same level of integration with an engine bolted on the back.

There are some big challenges to overcome when it comes to powering sterndrive boats with outboard engines. The bolt-and-be-done-with-it approach now rates as a compromise. Buyers want greater assimilation, practicality and purpose. The design has to go deeper, as indeed does the Sea Ray SDX 250 OB.

This new Sea Ray SDX 250 OB from the Sundeck series provides some clever solutions to existing challenges and some real innovation at the transom, where the seating slides forward to create a big flat aft deck area. I love it!

Add good looks, plenty of volume and seating as expected from the Sundeck range of boats, and the SDX 250 OB tops our list to date for outboard-powered bowrider boats.

We were lucky to test the 2018 Sea Ray SDX 250 OB at the Sea Ray Yacht Expo in Florida in late-2017, where we reported on 10 innovations of the new Sea Ray model line-up,
but the good news is the boat's available here now.

Its sister ship, the Sea Ray SDX 250 with 300hp 6.2L sterndrive, is set to debut at the 2018 Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show (SCIBS). Having experiences both Sea Ray SDX 250 variants, we consider some of the pros and cons of both engine set-ups in this article.

Sea Ray doesn't pull any punches with its market positioning and pricing these days. This is the premium product in the Brunswick Marine line-up (though the brand is now up for sale) and great effort has been made to make the fit and finish commensurate with expectations. There's also a lot of pride behind the scenes when you get talking to the designers and builders.

The Sea Ray SDX 250 with 300hp 6.2L sterndrive has a $134k base price in Australia. The big options on the showboat at SCIBS include an engine upgrade from a basic 250hp 4.5L to the 300hp V8, a folding sports tower, manual swim step, digital dash with 9in Simrad screen, and lots more. This loaded sterndrive Sea Ray SDX 250 will sell for about $165-170k at the show.

The base price on the Sea Ray SDX 250 Outboard is $135k with the 300hp Verado. With a similar spread of options, as we tested the boat in Florida, things like the sports tower, Simrad 9in screen, SeaDek flooring and side swim step, the package price is actually on par with the sterndrive. The boat as you see it here, landed in Australia, will sell for about $165-170k.

So price isn't the deciding factor when it comes to the Sea Ray SDX 250 in sterndrive or outboard. It's more about boat usage, storage, perhaps prejudice from years of running sterndrives and, if you get a drive of both boats, perhaps a preference for the agreeably smooth cruise of the 300hp Verado over the sporty punch of the V8.

LAYOUT AND CABIN
The asymmetrical deck layout — something that's more common on European-designed bowriders to date — does wonders on the Sea Ray SDX 250 OB. It opens up the starboard side of the boat, allowing a bigger cabin, wider helm and easier access from the bow-to-stern seating.

The portside walkthrough to the bow lets you move freely along the length of this big 25 footer. All told, the Sea Ray SDX 250 OB boasts room for 14 on plush upholstered seats, backed by grab rails and drink holders, with storage under seat swabs that hinge open for easy access.

The wide flared bow has room for four adults around an optional moulded table, which otherwise stows in a dedicated recess. You can also convert the bow into a sun lounge. Meanwhile, a forward swim ladder (optional bow shower) and windlass make beach access and anchoring a breeze. There's even a portable esky tucked under the forward seat so you can jump ashore with your bevvies and bites.

The offset companionway also allows for a spacious cabin compartment ahead of the helm, which can be transformed into a lounging area via the optional cushion upgrade. Our test boat had that and the head fitted. Inside, I found room to sit, stretch and stow gear. It's as big as a cabin on a trailer able fishing boat. Very useful.

As Sea Ray intended, the lockable private cabin is a cosy spot to steal a nap or take a break from the sun, making the Sea Ray SDX 250 OB a doubly great family boat with small kids. The cabin also provides dry storage for a pile of gear. You could camp with this boat.

Mid-cockpit, the port and starboard two-person helm and co-pilot seats convert to face forward or aft. This way, a family of four you can ride the boat in the prime position, facing forward with full protection from the rakish windscreen, then enjoy lunch around the drop-in table back at rest with the seats flipped across.

The innovative transom is something else again. In situ, in its forward-facing aft position, the rear lounge overlooks the cockpit and adds seats for a total of 6/8 for lunch around the moulded cockpit table, shaded under the bimini top, running off the sports tower. It's a really decent cockpit in this 25-footer with lots of surround seating.

But the aft transom lounge also converts to a generous aft-facing seat over the swim platform. The trick here is to slide the moulded seat base and box back inboard. With the transom backrest flipped across to face aft, this move reveals a huge amount of flat, uncluttered rear deck space. Topped in SeaDek foam matting, the rear deck is akin to a giant swim platform on a 30ft sportscruiser.

HULL AND ENGINEERING
You don't hear of too many issues with Sea Rays on the water today. The upmarket build quality is reflected by a lifetime warranty on the hull and deck and the five-year warranty on just about everything else from bilge pumps to battery switches.

The Mercury Verado 300 outboard now comes with a Mercury 3+3=6 year warranty in Australia. 

The simplified helm and stitched dash on the Sea Ray SDX 250 OB are also new and well-executed, with the big integrated touch-screen Simrad 9in MFD (a must-have upgrade) and Active Trim (another upgrade) controller leaving the need for just a few toggle switches and drink holders.

The clean dash look really modernises the Sea Ray SDX 250 OB, while the black powder-coated rakish windscreen and tow arch add sportiness and a cool retro line to the boat. The Horizon sky-blue hull colour also looks a treat.

The 238lt fuel supply will see you through a long summer's day of cruising with the 300hp V6 Verado, taking your range well beyond what the V8 sterndrive could do, while the 38lt of water serves the deck showers. The portaloo is linked to a pump out to make life a little more dignified. Empty at the marina after guests leave.

With the ever-popular 21 degrees of deadrise, the Sea Ray SDX 250 OB has a deceptively deep vee when you look at the flared deck above the waterline. This ensures plenty of wave-cutting action and a dry ride. We didn't experience banging or undue porpoising, although the boat was a tad light in the bow and would have benefitted from some gear and people aboard in general.

ON THE WATER
I ran this boat off Captiva in Florida on a sunny summer's day that could have been just about any coastal waterway in the world. The surface was calm, there were sandy beaches beckoning, and clear water that begged diving in. The ergonomics at the helm added to the driving pleasure, as did the quiet but deceptively powerful single 300hp V6 Mercury Verado outboard.

Spinning a 17in stainless steel Revolution 4 prop, our cool-looking Sea Ray SDX 250 OB hit a top speed of 42 knots (48mph) on the day. As touched on, we had a light load, but I think 50mph is possible on the right stretch of water with the engine freed up.

The beautiful cruise speeds are more the point and purpose of this boat. At 4000rpm and 24.6 knots, it's quiet, smooth and relaxing in a grand-tourismo touring-boat kind of way. Fast cruise at 5000rpm returned 33.2 knots, where it's still nice and quiet compared to a roaring V8 sterndrive.

There's perhaps a wider transition band from displacement to planning speeds than the sterndrive, with 3500rpm giving a low-speed plane of 16 knots for 38.4lt/hr. But at 4000rpm, you are running freer and using just 43.9lt/hr for 24.6 knots smooth cruise.

Hole shot was good and there's plenty of pull for kids on tubs and boards. In tight turns, the 17in Rev4 was loathe to let go and performance is still sporty, although the light bow skipped about somewhat, and the V8 will roar past.

At the end of the day, the Sea Ray SDX 250 OB really is more of a social cruising bowrider than a big V8 sports machine. But with lifted comfort levels, it's hard not to be swayed by the outboard when you are cruising.

On the Sea Ray SDX 250 OB, the amount of space gained via the new sliding transom lounge is tremendous, the resulting wet play area is akin to a swim platform on a 30 footer, and there's room to lay towels, sunbake and even partake in activities like fishing and diving much more effectively than on the sterndrive boat with a fixed engine box.

So the Sea Ray SDX 250 OB is probably a better boat for active families who like to play at the beach, as draft is greatly reduced with the outboard and you can anchor in close, and those who don't mind a bit of fishing and having fun jumping off the back.

As 52-year-old dad, with a wifey who likes to drive, and two kids aged 7 and 11 in tow, I'd take the outboard for this reason and economy. It's a more versatile boat for our way of boating, hitting up the beaches, doing bombs off the back, doing stuff like diving and setting crab traps, and cruising places.

The 300hp V8 is a superior tow-sports machine, with V8 grunt and the Bravo III duoprop drive with grip and rip. Sports boaters should go the V8. Thankfully, Sea Ray covers both bases and the choice is entirely yours.

PERFORMANCE
RPM, KNOTS, LPH
1000, 4.0, 4.1
2000, 7.1, 12.1
3000, 10.4, 33.8
3500, 16.0, 38.4 (low-speed plane)
4000, 24.6, 43.9 (cruise. 120nm range)
5000, 33.2, 76.7
5950, 42.0, 112 (WOT)

Specifications: Sea Ray SDX 290 Sundeck Outboard
Price as Tested: Our test boat would be priced around $165-170k as a loaded boat with 300hp Mercury Verado outboard, upgraded luxury pump-out head, black aluminium tow arch with matching canvass, hull colour, blue LED lighting and docking lights, bow table, cockpit fridge, premium stereo upgrade, SeaDek foam-topped swim platform, and more

Priced From: The base price on the Sea Ray SDX 250 Outboard with is $135k with the 300hp Verado.

Length Overall with Engines: 8.38m
Overall Hull Length: 7.67m
Beam: 2.59m
Dry Weight: 3188kg
Fuel: 238lt
Water: 38lt
Deadrise: 21 degrees
Maximum Persons: 14/1134kg with gear
Draft Minimum: 0.53m (outboard up)
Engines: 300hp Mercury Verado six-cylinder supercharged outboard spinning 17in Rev4

Supplied by:
Queensland Marine Centre
Unit 10, 71 Shipper Drive, Coomera, QLD, 4209
PO Box 104, Oxenford QLD 4210
Call (07) 5591 7032
Email sales@qmc.com.au
See Queensland Marine Centre
See Sea Ray