Conditions are about as ugly as they can get on Choctawhatchee Bay, causing even the large cruisers to stay tethered to the docks at Baytowne Wharf in the Florida Panhandle near Sandestin, and it looks like an excellent day to stay inside and slurp a dozen select at the Acme Oyster House in the faux-quaint Florida cracker fishing village. But despite the unbelievably gnarly 3-footers white-capping the bay, there's another kind of select that's on the crew's minds - the Sea Ray 250 Select EX - a mid-sized luxury bowrider that's going to be tested to see if it has the right stuff to handle this kind of day on the bay.
You
wouldn't dream of taking a normal bowrider out in conditions like this, but the 26-foot-6-inch Sea
Ray appears to be industrial-strength tough, and sports a 21-degree deadrise at the stern and an
even sharper entry. This isn't to imply that the Sea Ray 250 Select EX looks like a longshoreman. It's a looker with a graceful profile, starting at the bow with
its highly polished, optional stainless-steel plow anchor, and continuing with the elegant
shearline that swoops down to the integrated swim platform - a classic case of form running smack
dab into function. True, the anchor does cost nearly $923, but think of it more like a hood
ornament on a Rolls Royce.
The striking helm station of the Sea Ray 250 Select EX features gauges that are set wide apart, and sports an aircraft-like accessory toggle switch
array that has protective nubs to prevent accidental toggling. Ordering the optional Navman 5500
chartplotter gives you a slightly different dash setup that puts the display right between the tach
and the speedo for easy reading. There's a dash-mounted compass that's set off to the left,
giving the driver a slightly skewed parallax view of the line of travel. The tilt sport wheel
features the Vessel Control System (VCS), which allows the driver to access key engine functions by
interfacing with the SmartCraft system. Also on the wheel are volume and channel controls for the
standard Clarion AM/FM CD stereo system with Sirius-ready capability, and an MP3 input with a
speaker system that positively rocks (or "countrys" depending on you musical tastes) with an
oversized subwoofer and six weatherproof speakers.
Powering the test model is the MerCruiser 496 MAG High Output V8, which puts a thundering herd of 425 ponies in the roomy engine compartment that opens with a push of a button. Sea Ray has opted not to offer the 425-hp version of the 496 in current production models, but at approximately $8,000 more, it's a pretty steep price to pay for what would amount to a 3-mph increase over the 375-hp model, the most powerful engine now available.
The
engine fires up pronto, producing a spectator-startling blast of exhaust fury courtesy of the
through-hull, "St. Anger" optional Corsa exhaust system ($1,846). Shifting into forward is smoother
than a politician's election-year promise, with the Digital Throttle and Shift (DTS) that uses
"fly-by-wire" technology, rather than push-pull cables. Flipping the Corsa exhaust to the quieter
"Blue Bayou" setting drops the decibel reading from 72 down to a pleasing 61 decibels at idle.
There's a short, narrow channel that's barely long enough to be able to run up to top speed,
and before the wind changes directions and eliminates this opportunity, it's time to rock.
Resembling a carrier takeoff, the Sea Ray 250 Select EX rockets down the alley and reaches a top speed of nearly 59 mph with a full tank of fuel.
Toward the end of the run, the Sea Ray encounters rough water, and the DTS throttle lever is backed
off ... way off. With the trim all the way down and the standard hydraulic trim tabs deployed to
help keep the bow down, the Sea Ray 250 Select EX is slowed to a barely-on-plane speed of 18 mph as it heads into the teeth of the chaos.
The ride is actually pleasant, thanks to the beefy 5,031-pound, deep-V hull. At this speed,
the Sea Ray 250 Select EX shushes through the slop in level fashion with no banging or rattling, or even any spray on
the tinted windshield that features the optional polished stainless-steel header ($1,538). Even in
rough conditions, the best seat in the house might just be the luxurious bow seats that have a
decadent amount of backrest angle, as well as well-placed armrests. There's also an exceptionally
wide rearward-facing seat at the bow that makes a great ski-watching perch.
The cockpit L-lounge provides comfortable seating for at least five passengers and features the usual flawless Sea Ray upholstery. Curiously, for a model like the Sea Ray 250 Select EX, which gives you loads of standard features, the cockpit table is optional and fairly expensive ($538). The crew gets exceptional seating with wraparound bucket seats that swivel and adjust fore and aft, and have extra-wide flip-up bolsters. Just behind the captain's seat is the wet bar with a Corian countertop, molded sink and a faucet fed by a 21-gallon tank. But conspicuously missing are cup holders for drink assembly. The entertainment center can be fitted with a Norcold refrigerator ($946), but if you don't choose this option, there's also a standard carry-on cooler instead. The enclosed head compartment door in the port console opens at the corner for easy access and is roomy enough for guests of all sizes, and can be rigged with a VacuFlush head with a 10-gallon holding tank ($1,769).
A centerline walkthrough leads you through the gull-wing stern sunpad, allowing you to board without stepping on the pristine, white upholstery. There's a filler section to keep escape-prone toddlers penned up. The swim platform is fully integrated for a clean, modern look, and for apre's ski, there's a standard shower. There's a standard ski tow, but for those who go wakeboarding and want "the look," there are two available watersports tower options, starting at $4,731. There's ski storage in the roomy centerline locker, which is deep enough to hold a 5-gallon bucket, and dry storage is available underneath all the bench seats and in the starboard-side console.
The base price for the Sea Ray 250 Select EX is $63,518 when equipped with the 300-hp MerCruiser 350 Magnum MPI engine. The 375-hp 496 Magnum upgrade pushes the price to $75,980, and when optioned out with all the must-have goodies like colored hull ($846), full canvas package ($2,385), bow filler cushions ($300) and transom stereo remote ($223) - in addition to the other options mentioned - it can easily take the price past the $90,000 mark. That's a lot of money for sure, but then again, Sea Rays aren't for folks who are looking to get on the water modestly; they're for those who are looking for a waterborne object d'art that just happens to be as tough as nails.
THE VERDICT
The 250 Select EX is a good-looking bowrider that features the sort of fit and finish you'd expect from a Sea Ray. This 26-foot-6-inch bowrider handles rough conditions with the strength and grace of the big dogs. It could use more engine choices, a "free" cockpit table and cup holders for the entertainment center.
Sea Ray 250 Select EX
LOA 26'6"
Beam 8'6"
Weight 5,031 lbs.
Fuel 75 gal.
Top Speed 58.6 mph
(w/425-hp MerCruiser 496 MAG HO**)
Time To Plane 4.8 seconds
Decibels @ Idle 61/72 dB-A*
Decibels @ 30 mph 82/86 dB-A*
Decibels @ WOT 93/96 dB-A*
Base Price $63,518
(w/300-hp MerCruiser 350 MAG w/Bravo III outdrive)
Price As Tested $95,586
(w/425-hp MerCruiser 496 MAG HO**)
Hull Warranty Lifetime Limited
NMMA Certified? Yes
* Decibels with/without Corsa switchable exhaust engaged
** Engine no longer available
Sea Ray
2600 Sea Ray Blvd.
Knoxville, TN 37914
(800) 772-6287
www.searay.com