Sea Ray V-Drive (SLX-W230)

[Dandy]

Anyone see this? I received my Summer edition of the MarineMax Lifestyles magazine and noticed that Sea Ray is producing a V-Drive boat. They are powering it with a MerCruiser 6.2L. It looks like the exhaust exits the bottom of the hull instead of the transom. They also offer a joystick piloting system for tight quarter maneuvering.

Here is the link to the Sea Ray page for the boat.
http://www.searay.com/page.aspx/page...SLX-W-230.aspx

Here is one that is at our local MM dealer
http://www.boattrader.com/listing/20...230-103086191/

I have not looked at it, but if Sea Ray can get the wake/wave right, it could be killer. The Deep V of a runabout with a V drive...interesting. For those concerned with cutting through chop, this would be a much smoother ride. There stern thrusters look to me more incorporated in the design than the ones being offered for 2018 by Nautique. It looks like Sea Ray may have taken a few design ques from the folks at Nautique.

Just found it interesting and thought I would share.

[Thegerman618]

That Exhaust setup is awesome! I would have never considered having the exhaust dump directly under the boat seems like a cool design. Though would be curious to see how that holds up over time.

I have to laugh at the bow and stern thrusters though. Seems like over kill on a 25' boat.

[BlackoutATX]

IMO its not the most visually appealing boat from the outside. But that interior looks great.

[Wakeman22]

There are sure a lot of cool stuff that has been incorporated into that boat. Well thought out ideas. But then it is a Sea Ray.

But the real question is... Does it surf? How is the wake for boarders and can it produce a flat ski wake?

[bsreid]

There's actually quite a bit of info over on the Malibu crews. I know I know.... From what I've seen so far is that it really doesn't surf the greatest.

[whiteflash watersports]

I saw this boat at the Orlando boat show back in the spring. I was not impressed - especially since Sea Ray is always a premium product. We have had 3 sea rays and loved everyone of them. The interior seemed like an afterthought, the fit and finish was poor. The exhaust system was very interesting though. Boat show price was $154,000. It was fully loaded.

[Dandy]

I saw this boat at the Orlando boat show back in the spring. I was not impressed - especially since Sea Ray is always a premium product. We have had 3 sea rays and loved everyone of them. The interior seemed like an afterthought, the fit and finish was poor. The exhaust system was very interesting though. Boat show price was $154,000. It was fully loaded.

WOW, that is TOP OF THE LINE towboat money all day long there. Pick out your RZX, G Series, Whatever marginal crap Malibu has put together, Supra SA/SE - optioned out, Any Moomba or Supreme or Centurion of your choice...and the list could go on. That is CRAZY money for a new entry into this market. Yes, Sea Ray does make fantastic boats but they need to prove their ability to perform. Granted I hear the stern thrusters alone on the G Series are a $10K option. Hell, you could get 2 nice mid range tow boats for this money and have one as a spare

[sandm]

a lot of people that already own sea rays and have a good rep with the dealer will be that target audience as they go back to their dealer for upgrades. the salesmen will pitch that it's easier to drive than a towboat and if you have not ever driven a real towboat and are coming from a current stern drive, 20 minutes of an A/B comparison on the water from a good salesman will convince several sales.

sea ray produces a very good product that should compete very nicely at the local sandbar with the towboats and realistically that wave, even if it's marginal, will suffice for the tricks or riding 75% of the surf/boarding population really "needs".

[bsreid]

That's exactly it. Sea ray is probably more targeting this boat towards its current customers in the IO world. In a sense this could almost be good for the tow boat market, people will get the sea ray and want more out of surf boat and end up going to a vdrive.
Maybe Malibu is onto something buying cobalt and licensing surfgate to chap.

[sandm]

bsreid, the sea ray is a true vdrive. 'bu is licensing and putting their stamp on the volvo forward drive boats which are a glorified i/o that could prompt vdrive upgrades.

[tigeidaho]

interesting looking boat but there is noooo way that is a 23' boat with an interior that tiny. My guess is they sized it like their other boats and it's actually 23' including the platform. Some cool features though.

Edit: just looked at the specs for the boat and sure enough the swim platform is included in 23'10" length.
http://www.searay.com/page.aspx/page...SLX-W-230.aspx

[bsreid]

I don't know what I was talking about there.... I knew that. I should have said they'll like the searay and then want more, pulling them into the "real" surf boats aka tige, Malibu etc...

It's 23 feet including there massive platform stuff...

[TigeFamily]

I saw a new Cobalt on the lake this morning with the reverse drive..riding so bow high it looked dangerous, 2/3rds out of the water. The driver was literally leaning out the side of the boat to see. Hope this boat does not surf like that.

[lancehon]

Kind of odd the literature says it's equipped with JL Audio, yet the pics look like Fosgate

[BCRider]

Funny, just got back from my holiday's and one day while I was on the boat I was thinking someone should make a swim platform that folds down like a step. My wife is pregnant so getting on the back is a little harder for her right now....and well, there it is on the back of a new Sea Ray.lol.

That is one deep boat. Wow!