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"I was thinking
of bumping up to a larger boat," my dockside friend mentioned. He
went on to explain that he and his son did a little fishing now and then
on the Great South Bay, but now that his other child was old enough, he
and his wife wanted to broaden the family’s boating horizons with
the option of some long weekend getaways. And yes, price was a consideration.
With that in mind I
invited him aboard to have a look at my test boat. It didn’t take
long for him to see what Sea Ray had in mind when it launched the 360:
cruising and family fun. She has a swim platform big enough (9'10" long
and 2'11" wide) to tote a dinghy while providing swimmers, snorkelers,
or even scuba divers with plenty of room for their activities. There’s
a large stowage area built into the transom for holding all their gear
plus fenders and lines, which is accessed from the platform, as well as
the requisite compartment for the handheld hot and cold shower. Another
large stowage compartment lies beneath the aforementioned cockpit seat,
and to facilitate family entertaining, there’s also a sink to port
with more stowage cabinets beneath as well as a refrigerator and freezer
combo. My visitor noted that there was even sufficient room in the cockpit
to bring in the occasional striper or bluefish.
We found the 360’s
starboard helm well laid out, with all dials, gauges, switches, and controls
within an average person’s reach. The helmsman is treated to a bucket
seat with flip-up bolster, and there’s a wide companion seat just
to port for the rest of the family. The 360’s elevated express configuration
supplies unobstructed sight lines whether you’re standing or sitting
at the helm, and the fiberglass radar arch, with recessed lighting and
side grabrails, adds just the right rake to her clean profile.
For all her exterior
amenities, it is down below where the 360 shows off the kind of cruising-in-comfort
possibilities my friend was looking for. With 6'8" headroom, there’s
all the space a traveling family would need, and the aft cabin converts
to a double sleeper that’s perfect for the kids. Its well-padded
overhead will prevent the stars from coming out early due to a sudden
stand up.
Moving through the boat,
we found the main cabin’s banquette seating to starboard also converts
to a double bed. Entertainment is supplied by an eight-speaker stereo
with CD and subwoofer, and an adjoining table makes serving from the port-side
galley easy. The galley is equipped with a two-burner Kenyon electric
stovetop, Panasonic microwave, sufficient countertop space, side-by-side
undercounter refrigerator and freezer units, television and VCR combo,
and plenty of drawer and cabinet space. The head is just aft of the galley
and offers a stand-up shower with curved plastic doors and VacuFlush MSD.
The forward stateroom
has a pair of pocket doors for privacy, a centerline berth, and a clothing
locker on each side as well as stowage cabinets. A television and VCR
unit is conveniently mounted here also.
My time aboard the 360
was just about up, and as I packed up my gear I made one last check to
make sure I didn’t overlook anything. I noticed my visitor up on
the bow, leaning on the stainless steel rail and looking out into the
waterway. "Well, what do you think?" I called out from the cockpit.
He made his way aft and helped me set my gear on the dock. "It might
be just what I need for my next boat," he said. Based on what he
told me of his boating needs, I had to agree.
The 360 may be just
the ticket for boaters like my dock friend. It offers a nice balance of
maneuverable size, reasonable price ($237,589 with twin 370-hp 8.1 MerCruiser
Horizon V-drive gasoline inboards), and practical accommodations for the
cruising family and is an easy step up for owners of 29- to 34-footers.
Add Sea Ray’s vast dealer and service network along with the traditionally
good resale value of its boats, and owning a 360 Sundancer can not only
be delightful but downright practical as well.
Sea Ray Phone:
(800) SRBOATS. Fax: (865) 525-5977. www.searay.com.
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