Can a family of four spend a weekend aboard a 24-footer without filing
for divorce or adoption? If it's the new Sea Ray 240 Sundancer, the answer is an unqualified 'yes.'
Sea Ray has created a sport boat with enough room for comfortable full-family overnighting with an
ingenious cabin layout and a host of bigger-boat features.
The 240 Sundancer was first introduced in 2000, and it's proven so popular that the factory
has been building them at the incredible rate of 16 per week. Sea Ray spends a considerable amount
of time and money listening to owners and dealers, so what you get is an upgraded 240 that
incorporates the most requested features.
For a start, the interior has been warmed up with the use of faux cherrywood on the galley
cabinet, the fridge door, and even the door to the head. A hanging locker has been added that
steals about four inches of space on one side, but the dividend is having a generously sized place
to hang your clothing.
It wasn't all that long ago when air conditioning was unusual on a 24-footer, but the 240
Sundancer offers a 5000 BTU CruisAir air conditioning/heating unit as an option. It's a slick
package, and you'd be silly not to opt for it unless you live in a very temperate climate. This
compact system will keep you from thrashing around on hot sheets in the summer, and it will take
the edge off those cool mornings if you're pushing the boating season into fall.
The essence of the 240, like all Sundancers, is to be found in the cockpit, which has all
the size and space of a big runabout. The redesigned helm has a faux-burled dash panel and an array
of the custom Sea Ray backlit low-glare gauges. A Lowrance depthsounder is standard, and you can
opt for the SmartCraft system that provides a wealth of useful data, from fuel consumption to water
temperature.
Power-assisted steering and a sporty wood-rimmed tilt wheel are also standard, and a
waterproof switchpad handles all the electrical systems. The horn button makes a new sound that
resembles an angry duck, but apparently it can be heard at a greater distance and has none of the
failure problems of conventional horns. The helm seat is luxuriously well-padded, and has a flip-up
thigh bolster so you can stand as comfortably as you sit. The only nitpick about the helm is that
the trim tab switches are a far stretch away on the dash, and would be more usable if they were
closer to either the wheel or the single-lever throttle/shifter.
Standard power on the 240 is a 220-hp, 5.0L MerCruiser with a Bravo II MCM sterndrive, and
several engine options range up to a 6.2L, 320-hp MPI with a Bravo III twin-prop drive or even a
157-hp Volvo diesel with DuoProp drive.
The test boat has a minor engine upgrade to the 5.0L MPI with the Bravo III, which increases
the horsepower to 260, improving handling immensely. It tops out at just over 46 mph, which is
about 6 mph more than you would get with the standard engine. What is really surprising is the low
sound level, and even with the hammer down at 4600 rpm, you can still talk without having to raise
your voice. Sea Ray also raised the windshield height slightly, which calms the cockpit breezes.
Opposite the helm is a wraparound companion lounge that has been cleverly designed for use
either as a forward-facing seat or as a rear-facing recliner. Just behind the helm is a cabinet
that converts to the optional wet bar with sink and hidden ice chest.
The remainder of the cockpit is quite flexible. The aft-facing bench seat folds down to
become a sunpad, the forward-facing bench seat can be folded flat against the transom when you want
space for chairs or swimming, and both of the benches combine with the optional table for alfresco
dining or entertaining.
To reach the foredeck, the cabin door slides shut to reveal molded steps leading through the
opening center panel of the windshield, and the bow area is encircled by a welded stainless-steel
rail. There's a large storage locker for anchor gear, and the test boat has the optional bow
roller. Oddly enough, there's no cleat for the anchor, and the two mooring cleats on the cabin
sides are hard to reach.
Back at the other end of the Sundancer, there's an oversized swim platform that conceals a
three-step swim ladder with grab handle. Another thoughtful feature is the locker built into the
transom for dock lines and fender storage, which also conceals the shore power and shore water
inlets as well. And, for families with small children, the cockpit is not only deep but the locking
transom door is full-sized.
If you tend to judge the cabin space by how comfortable it might be if you were marooned
below in a driving rainstorm, the 240 passes that test with ease. There's a wraparound settee with
padded backrests that's large enough for the whole family, and the table that goes with it has a
designated storage area so it doesn't have to rattle around when not in use. That settee converts
to a full double berth at night, and there are storage shelves surrounding the bunk for clothing
and gear. Overhead, a 20-inch-by-20-inch translucent deck hatch lets in light and air, and two
opening ports are on each side of the cabin as well.
The raised helm area of the 240 allows for a mid-cabin with a square double berth, although
the entryway is a bit constricted. The cabin is great for kids, but adults may find entry and exit
to be somewhat graceless. Once inside the cabin, however, there's plenty of room with a backrest
for sitting and an opening port for fresh air.
The galley area is compact, but the newly optional microwave creates a tough choice. The
microwave is great to have dockside (you need AC power), but it also consumes much of the storage
space in the galley. So how badly do you want popcorn?
By putting a 'well' into the cabin floor by the galley, Sea Ray has provided full standing
headroom in that area, since it's much more pleasant to cook standing rather than stooping.
The standard galley comes with a stainless-steel sink, pressure water and a single-burner
butane cooktop, but it would be a mistake not to order the 'overnighting package.' That option
includes a dual-voltage refrigerator, the shore power to run it, and shower facilities in the head.
For some reason, though, you have to order the optional water heater separately.
The head, by the way, is a one-piece molded section for easy maintenance that includes a
sink and storage cabinet. The test boat has the optional Vacuflush head, which is certainly much
more civilized than the standard portable toilet, and well worth the extra change.
All the living space below creates a fairly tall boat, but while underway you don't get the
sense of a high center of gravity. Crank the wheel into a turn and the 240 banks pleasantly and
solidly. There's enough vee to the hull to slice through without pounding, and the spray is thrown
well aside rather than back into the cockpit.
Easily trailered behind an SUV or pickup, the Sundancer has all the speed and cockpit space
of a runabout, with a comfortable family-sized cabin. And, with all the amenities of larger yachts,
this is certainly going to continue as one of Sea Ray's most popular models.