Boat test for the 2005 Sea Ray 48 Sundancer with boat pictures, boat specifications, and boat test results. Includes pricing, videos, engine test reviews, and ratings for the 2005 Sea Ray 48 Sundancer.

The biggest change, at least in my opinion, is in the saloon. Sundancers have always excelled at squeezing a lot of accommodation space out of available LOA. But they've also always had one drawback: The cabin was dark, especially if the wood and fabrics weren't brightly colored. This situation is by no means exclusive to Sundancers; it's a characteristic of most express-style boats. It's just that Sea Ray has done something about it, namely added those side windows, a feature that frankly is turning up on a lot of boats these days. Sea Ray fits three on each side, and unlike some of its competitors, these don't open, so they are less likely to leak, and it's impossible for someone to accidentally leave them open. It has also added a skylight in the forward end of the cabin, and all combine to make a big difference. The cavelike feeling endemic to express cruisers is gone, and you now feel like you really want to spend some time down here--even if you leave the lights off.

One final change is the helm station. The basic design isn't all that different, but the 48 does feature some neat, modern thinking. For starters, the old faux wood dash is gone, replaced by slick brushed aluminum that looks like it came out of an Audi. Infinitely adjustable, the helm seat offers good driving position whether you stand or sit, nothing really new for Sea Ray. What is not only new but was virtually inconceivable by the average boater back when the 460 was introduced is SmartCraft. Standard on the 48, it includes electronic analog gauges for fuel level, oil pressure, voltage, coolant temperature, and engine rpm, so it's not so intimidating for nontechies. It also includes a digital readout that can be programmed to display everything from fuel consumption and range to depth and speed to GPS data—pretty much everything you might need or want to know except how much beer is left in the 'fridge. And it's intuitive. I was able to comfortably navigate the thing in about 20 minutes, and I'm no Ben Ellison when it comes to electronics.

New nomenclature notwithstanding, the 48 is not revolutionarily different from the 460. The changes are subtle but important, especially the extra light in the cabin. I guess you could say the 48 is just another bright idea from Sea Ray.

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