Sea Ray SLX 360 Preview
Sea Ray offers six sporty models from 23 to 40 feet in its SLX series. The newest to join the ranks is the Sea Ray SLX 360, which slots in just below the SLX 400 flagship. The newcomer offers multiple entertainment zones in the bow and cockpit, seating for 18 passengers, lots of stowage space, and a fold-down swim terrace. That’s a lot to pack onto a 36-foot platform.
Overview
The concept of day boating and day boats has changed since I grew up. Although it was always fun, the experience was far from luxurious. Today, single-outboard boats that don’t feature stereos or electronics and do feature barebones seating and weird fuzzy carpeting just won’t suffice.
Boater expectations are more refined, and builders such as Sea Ray have stepped up, honing every detail from construction to amenities to hair-raising speeds.
Cockpit and Amidships
Walking from one end of the SLX 360 to the other takes passengers on a bit of a serpentine path. Step aboard onto the aft platform on the starboard side and walk through the gate into the cockpit.
In a place of prominence is an aft-facing triple-wide sunbed with headrests and armrests. It’s the perfect hangout at anchor, maybe while watching the kids play in the water.
Sea Ray built a nice surprise into a section of the starboard hull. A portion of it folds down—it’s electric, so no manual labor—to form a terrace. At anchor, it adds space for a party crowd or serves as a great place to sit and dip your feet in the water.
Move forward to find an L-shaped settee to port. Add a table to create a proper dinette. To starboard is a galley with a sink, a refrigerator, a grill, and an unexpected convertible countertop. Pull up on the backrest of the starboard seat to flip it over to form a handy counter extension.
Ahead are two double seats, one for the helm and one for companions. Both seats are electric. The helm seat slides forward and aft while the companion seat raises to match the skipper’s perch or lowers to spin and face aft to join the party in the cockpit. In the middle is a door to the cabin, but more on that later.
Sea Ray SLX 360 Bow
Now step out to port and walk through an opening section of the windshield to the bow. A row of three seats with armrests features prominently here. Add two optional tables and the crowd can enjoy another dining area. Sea Ray situated cupholders on both sides and an electric windlass with a through-stem anchoring system at the bow.
The angled windshield is low, leaving plenty of open space between it and the hardtop, which includes two skylights and an optional electric SureShade that extends to cover the dinette and the aft sunbed. Lots of accent lighting and a Fusion stereo create a great ambiance.
Helm and Options
The helm of the Sea Ray SLX 360 is inspired by the automotive industry. Sea Ray integrated controls into the steering wheel. Leather and wood accents and fine stitching on the seat provide luxury touches. Simrad Ultrawide NSX multifunction displays create a driving pod you’d find on a Lucid or a Rivian SUV.
Engine throttles are outboard as is the joystick that is optional with an integrated bow thruster. This helm can build confidence in any skipper.
Sea Ray provides buyers with many options, such as Seakeeper gyro stabilization, a freshwater engine flush system, and a generator. You can even opt for the Fathom e-Power energy management system that exchanges the generator for an enormous bank of lithium batteries to power everything aboard for an entire day without needing to charge.
Sea Ray SLX 360 Accommodations
It’s rare that we need to talk about accommodations on a 36-foot bowrider, but the Sea Ray SLX 360 has an interior like a cruiser. And like the rest of the boat, it’s posh. Below is a convertible climate-controlled cabin with crescent-shaped seating that folds down into a full bed.
A flatscreen TV, indirect lighting, and some storage cubbies join a stand-up enclosed wet head with an electric toilet, sink, and shower to round out the area. It’s a great space for youngsters to crash for an afternoon nap or for a couple to take an overnight cruise. Either way, these accommodations give you options and elevate your day boating.
Propulsion and Systems
Sea Ray’s “Quiet Ride” is a standard construction technique that reduces noise and vibration to minimize sound-generated fatigue. Generous use of acoustic insulation, such as foam sprayed into voids, dampens sound. Special additives in the fiberglass layup, full-beam bulkheads, and better-quality fittings such as latches, hatches, and gaskets also minimize vibration and noise. Sea Ray’s hull design also optimizes the ride for the best running angle and acceleration, and reduced bowrise.
Buyers can power their Sea Ray SLX 360 with twin V8 Mercury 300 hp outboards or upgraded twin V10 400 hp engines. Top speed with the standard engines is about 50 mph. A comfortable cruise speed of 35 mph provides a 230-mile range. The upgraded engines may give you a bit more at the top and they have the power to push this big boat (18,000 pounds dry) into a chop.
Sea Ray SLX 360 Conclusions
This is not your dad’s boat. It’s an attractive and sophisticated machine that will turn heads on the lake or in the marina. The price for a well-configured model is approximately $940,000, trailer not included.
Sea Ray SLX 360 Specifications:
- LOA: 38 feet, 1 inch
- Beam: 10 feet, 10 inches
- Draft: 3 feet, 7 inches
- Deadrise: 21 degrees
- Air draft/clearance: 9 feet
- Displacement: 18,100 pounds dry
- Fuel: 275 gallons
- Water: 30 gallons
- Power: Triple V8 Mercury 300 hp or triple V10 Mercury 425 hp
- Price: $940,000 well equipped
Images are courtesy of Sea Ray.
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Zuzana Prochazka
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