Admittedly: The weather doesn't do the Sea Ray Sundancer 320 any justice during our test on the Main. It's grey, cold and foggy. This boat is undoubtedly built for warm climes, as the name Sundancer suggests. But when we pull the tarpaulin off the boat and look into the cockpit, which is completely lined with real teak, then take a seat on the white leatherette-covered benches, the sun at least rises in our minds. Suddenly it's easy to forget about the weather and imagine the hot Miami sun over the electric fabric roof.
In warm climates, life takes place entirely on deck, and the cabin is only used for sleeping. This is why the cockpit of the Sundancer 320 is impressively spacious. During day trips, up to ten people can be accommodated on the L-shaped sofa, the two benches at the front and the three loungers in the bow. The latter are not only extremely comfortable, but are even located in the wind protection of the bow, so that your hairstyle remains (reasonably) intact when sunbathing while travelling. At 1.36 x 0.66 metres, the sunbathing area in the stern initially seems a little small, but when at anchor or in the harbour, the backrest of the bench seat can be quickly folded aside and the sunbathing area extended to a comfortable size. If that's not enough, the entire table can be lowered and the cockpit converted into a large sunbathing area.
The boat
- Shipyard: Sea Ray/USA
- Type: Sundancer 320
- CE category: C/10 persons
- Hull and deck: plastic
- Overall length: 10.31 m
- Width: 3.25 m
- Displacement (without engine): 6,200 kg
- Draught: approx. 1.09 m
- Clearance height: 3.00 m
- Fuel tank: 833 litres
- Water tank: 121 litres
- Holding tank: 106 litres
- Cabins: 2
- Berths: 4
- Berth dimensions: forward 1.80 m x 2.10 m; aft 2.05 m x 1.90 m
- Standing height/seat height: saloon 1.91 m/0.86 -1.10 m; WC compartment 1.86 m; under convertible 1.92 m
- Cockpit size: 4.00 m x 2.59 m
- Sunbed: aft 0.66 m x 1.36 m; foredeck: 1.60 m x 1.61 m
- Freeboard: 1.44 m
- Interior cockpit side height: 0.77 m
- Turning circles (boat lengths): forwards starboard 1 1/2, port 1 1/2; astern starboard 1, port 1
- Reverse: from starboard to port 6 s; from port to starboard 6 s
- Test weight: approx. 7450 kg
- Max. motorisation: 3x outboard engines 184 kW (250 hp)
- Test engine: Mercury Verado 250 XL shaft 184 kW (250 hp)
- Price (with test m.): € 399,000
- Distribution (test boat): Boote Pfister GmbH, Wahlweg 6, 97525 Schwebheim/Schweinfurt, www.bootepfister.de
The helm station is dominated by two 12-inch plotters (Simrad), which provide a complete overview of all engine, ship and navigation data. Important consumers such as the bilge pump, position lights and the engine start can be operated analogue via pushbuttons.
The Sea Ray Sundancer 320 is available with both inboard and outboard engines. In the version with two inboards, you can choose between Mercruiser petrol engines with 250, 300 or 350 hp and 4.5 or 6.2 litre displacement or diesel engines with 265 hp and 3.0 litre displacement. In line with the current trend, the Sea Ray is now also available with outboard engines: either with two Mercury Verado V8s with 350 hp or three Verado V8s with 250 hp. The surcharge compared to the inboard engines is not small: the boat with two 350 hp Verado engines costs around 67,000 euros more. If, as with our test boat, even three engines are to be fitted at the stern - which is still quite a rare sight in European waters - then a further 14,000 euros are due.
However, those who order the boat with outboards get something for their money: the boat is then equipped as standard with the ingenious Mercury joystick steering system, which is mounted directly below the throttle and is enormously helpful when manoeuvring in the harbour. With a little practice, it even makes the bow thruster (which is still present here) superfluous. If you push the joystick to port, for example, the engines are folded apart under electronic control. Two motors push the stern to port, while one motor acts in the opposite direction to stabilise it, so that the stern does not turn but the entire boat moves sideways. The system is also equipped with the Mercury Skyhook, a GPS-controlled, digital anchor that holds the boat exactly in place at the touch of a button while the crew clears lines, hauls in fenders - or, in our case, fills out the test protocol.
During our test ride, the Main lies smooth and windless in front of us. Laboratory conditions. We slowly push the electronic throttle lever, which controls all three engines simultaneously, forwards. Fast displacement sailing is achieved at 1,500 rpm and 7.7 knots, whereby the boat proves to be very stable. Between 3,600 and 3,800 rpm, the Sea Ray switches to planing speed, raising the nose only slightly - without impairing visibility. The boat reaches optimum planing speed at 4,000 rpm and a speed of just over 30 knots. The SeaRay has its most economical speed range at 4,500 rpm, 37 knots and a fuel consumption of 3.77 litres per nautical mile. Thanks to its large tank capacity (833 litres), the boat then has a range of 188 nautical miles (plus 15 percent reserve). If you push the throttle further forward, the top speed of 48 knots is soon reached at 5,800 rpm, almost 90 km/h. Of course, the engines then become somewhat thirstier (5.52 l/sm), and the range shrinks to 128 nautical miles.
The acceleration of the six-tonne boat is impressive with the largest possible engine, and the driver and passengers are virtually pressed into the leather seats. Despite its size, the Sea Ray Sundancer 320 is very lively and agile, and with turning circles of 1.5 boat lengths forwards and only one boat length astern, it can be manoeuvred very well in narrow harbours even without a joystick. The boat is also completely unimpressed by tight and fast bends on the Main.
As the boat is equipped with outboards, there is a huge amount of storage space under the cockpit seating area, which the shipyard has nevertheless managed to fill, as the boat is fully equipped with air conditioning, heating and many other extras, which are installed with remarkable cleanliness. The shipyard has also spared no expense when it comes to extras, and there are such details as a permanent water supply to the jetty.
The cabin offers little storage space, but plenty of living space, which is elegant but simple, with a V-shaped sofa and table, a spacious toilet room, fridge, microwave and two single beds under the cockpit that can be converted into a double berth. At 79 cm, the seat height here is a little tight, but sufficient. Because the benches on deck in the bow are arranged very low, the feeling of space in the bow cabin is somewhat oppressive. The indirect LED lighting can compensate for this feeling a little.
The centre of life on the Sea Ray Sundancer 320 is clearly in the cockpit. This is also where the wet bar with washbasin and an electric grill (extra charge) is located. If the sun is too strong, a canvas awning can even be electrically extended above the seating area. Then, with shade and a fresh breeze, there is hardly anything left to be desired.
Conclusion
With its large cockpit and attractive cabin, the Sea Ray Sundancer 320 is both a day cruiser for ten people and a weekender for a family of four. As a fair-weather boat, the living space shrinks noticeably on rainy days, and the surcharge of 81,000 euros for three outboards (compared to the standard inboards) certainly needs to be covered three times over - but the acceleration, handling characteristics and lifestyle are impressive. What's more, with three engines you will be an eye-catcher in many harbours.
Need more information? You can find the test of the Sea Ray Sundancer 320 with more pictures, measurement results and a full review in BOOTE issue 07/2022 - available from newsagents from 15 June 2022 or online directly in the Delius Klasing Shop.
