Sea Ray 260 Sundeck Specs and Review [Video]

Sea Ray marketed its 260 Sundeck deck boat from 2007 to 2015, during which the model went through two generations. The first 260 Sundeck was a rebranded 2000-2008 Sundeck 240 that was heavily redesigned for the 2010 season.

Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty and talk about these separate generations in detail.

First Generation (2007-2009)

Hull and Deck (’07 – ‘09)

In the late 2000s Sea Ray rebranded its entire fleet, and the Sundeck series was no exception.

Before this remarketing venture, each model was named based on the length of its hull, which didn’t include the size of the swim platform.

Therefore, the 2000-2008 Sundeck 240 featured a true 24-foot hull, while its overall length was 26 feet 4 inches with the external swim platform.

But everything changed in the late 2000s when Sea Ray started to label its boats based on their overall length instead of just their hull length.

In other words, the old 200 models became the new 220s, the old 220s became the new 240s, and so on.

This is the reason why the dimensions of the very first 2007-2009 260 Sundeck (260 SD) were identical to its predecessor 2000-2008 Sundeck 240.

These boats shared the same deep-V fiberglass hull featuring a 21-degree deadrise.

In terms of dimensions, it measured 26 feet 4 inches in length with the swim platform and had a beam of 8 feet 6 inches.

The great performance of this bowrider-style deep-V shell was combined with the comfort and amenities of a deck boat layout.

Thanks to its hybrid bowrider/deck boat design, the 260 SD offered the best of both worlds.

This boat was also known for its outstanding capacities since it could carry 12 people plus a plethora of gear of up to 2,100 pounds.

One of the few design flaws of the 260 SD was arguably its heavy construction since its dry weight was 4,960 pounds with the standard engine.

Adding the weight of the liquids, some basic gear, and a tandem-axle trailer, the trailering weight of the rig was increased into the range of 6,800-7,300 pounds.

Unlike its smaller relatives, this boat was not easy to tow, handle, or launch.

In return, the spacious top deck offered plenty of free space and luxury amenities.

The bow was designed with a comfortable boarding platform and a retractable bow ladder.

Boarding from the bow you entered the cozy forward lounge, which came standard with many useful features.

Without the need for completeness, the most important of these included cushioned seatings with underneath storage, integrated beverage holders, speakers, grab handles, a dinette table, a shower, and a floor locker.

You could reach the well-designed cockpit through the curved walk-trough windshield.

This area could be ordered with two different floorplans.

There’s no question that the optional one was far more popular. This version featured two swivel bucket seats and a smaller L-shaped aft lounger.

In contrast, the standard floor plan enjoyed a larger lounger, which filled the port side of the cockpit. In return, it lacked the versatile companion swivel seat.

To enhance comfort and fun, the cockpit was also designed with many bells and whistles including an enclosed head compartment, walk-thru door, dinette table, floor storage, cup holders, and a large wet bar with a sink and storage.

Other storage units included a huge cockpit floor storage, starboard storage, side panel storage, and under-seat storage.

Captains appreciated the well-equipped helm, which utilized an adjustable seat with a flip-up bolster, power steering, stereo remote, switch panel, compass, and a simple yet practical instrument panel.

The latter enclosed a SmartCraft gauge, a speedometer, and a multifunction gauge (fuel level, water temp., trim, and oil pressure).

Through the walk-thru transom, you could reach the extended swim platform which was completed with a reboarding ladder, transom shower, and grab rails, which doubled as a ski hook.

Engines and Performance (’07 – ’09)

Believe it or not, the standard power source of the heavy 260 SD was the MerCruiser 5.0L MPI Bravo III rated at only 260hp.

As one may expect, the boat was way underpowered with this engine package, her top speed barely breaking the 40-mph limit.

This is why most of these boats were ordered with optional power sources like the 350 MAG MPI (300hp, 496 MAG (375hp), 496 MAG HO (425hp), or the top-of-the-line MX 6.2L MPI (320hp).

Fitted with these engines, the top speed averaged between 45 and 50 mph depending on the load and environmental conditions.

However, even with the larger 6.2L 320hp power mill, the boat struggled under a heavy load.

This is why many boaters considered the 496 MAG engines to be the right power option for this boat.

Specifications (’07-’09)

The main specifications of the 2007-2009 Sea Ray Sundeck 260 were as follows:

Overall Length

24’ 0”

Overall Length w/ Swim Platform

26’ 4”

Maximum Beam

8’ 6”

Height – Keel to Top of Windshield

6’ 7 ¼”

Height – Waterline to Top of Windshield

4’ 7 ¼”

Draft (stern drive down)

39”

Draft (stern drive up)

23”

Dead Rise

21°

Dry Weight

4,960 lb.

Est. Trailering Weight*

6,800-7,300 lb.

Fuel Capacity

65 gal.

Usable Fuel

58.5 gal.

Water Capacity

18 gal.

People Capacity

12 persons or 2000 lb.

Total Weight Capacity

2100 lb., persons, gear

*(w/ std. engine, liquids, basic gear, and trailer)

Second Generation (2010-2015)

Hull and Deck (’10 – ‘15)

For the 2010 season, Sea Ray redesigned its spacious Sundeck 260.

Even though the dimensions of the hull remained almost unchanged, the top deck was upgraded with a more modern look and new features.

To be more precise, the key novelties of the revamped model were as follows:

  • Enlarged forward lounge with more spacious seatings, folding armrests, side panel storage, and a self-draining bow cooler
  • Redesigned cockpit lounger and bucket seats
  • Smaller wet bar with dedicated cooler storage
  • More spacious helm with a revamped dashboard
  • Fuel fill and swim ladder relocated to the starboard side
  • Redesigned fiberglass-lined head with porta-potty, vanity, drain, and an opening port
  • Aft lounger seat (a.k.a. multifunctional aft seat)
  • Aft ski/wakeboard storage
  • Transom storage (under the walk-thru passage)
  • Automatically locking windshield walk-thru latch
  • Optional watersport tower
  • Aesthetic tweaks

The new features increased the dry weight of the 260 SD from 4,960 to 5,200 pounds, which converted into a trailering (curb) weight of 7,300-7,800 pounds with the standard engine.

Fitted with the optional engines, the weight of the rig exceeded a whipping 8,000 pounds.

 

Engines and Performance (’10 – ‘15)

The MerCruiser sterndrive power options of the 260 SD were carried over from previous years without any significant changes.

However, certain high-end packages were already available with optional Digital Throttle & Shift (DTS) controls.

The standard engine remained the fairly inadequate MerCruiser 5.0L MPI Bravo III 260hp.

You could expect a better performance from the midrange engine options including the 350 MAG MPI (300hp) and the MX 6.2L MPI (320hp) with Bravo III sterndrives.

The former offered a planning time of 4 seconds, a top speed of 44-46 mph at 5000 RPM while the best cruising speed was roughly 25-26 mph at 3000 RPM.

Boating at this economical speed, the fuel usage of the 350 MAG MPI averaged between 8-9 gph giving her an estimated fuel range of 160-180 miles.

The most advanced engine options included the 496 MAG (375hp) and the 496 MAG HO (425hp).

https://youtu.be/IEqqvXjhXLw

Specifications (’10 – ’15)

Factory specifications of the second generation (2010-2015) Sundeck 260 were as follows:

Overall Length w/ Swim Platform

26’ 5”

Maximum Beam

8’ 4 ½”

Height – Keel to Top of Nav Light

10’ 1 ¼”

Height – Waterline to Top of Nav Light

8’ 4 ½”

Height – Waterline to Top of Windshield

6’ 7”

Draft (stern drive down)

39”

Draft (stern drive up)

21”

Dead Rise

21°

Dry Weight

5,200 lb.

Est. Trailering Weight*

7,300-7,800 lb.

Fuel Capacity

65 gal.

Water Capacity

20 gal.

People Capacity

12 persons or 2000 lb.

Total Weight Capacity

2100 lb., persons, gear

*(w/ std. engine, liquids, basic gear, and trailer)

Takeaways

Sea Ray Sundecks were the bestselling models in their classes and with good reason.

These cleverly engineered boats were a unique blend of a bowrider-style hull with the floorplan of a traditional deck boat.

This family included many popular models from the tiny 200 to the top-of-the-line 270 Sundeck.

Introduced in 2007, the first 260 Sundeck was a rebranded version of the 2000-2008 Sundeck 240.

Except for some cosmetic changes, Sea Ray marketed this first-generation 260 SD from 2007 through 2009 without any major upgrades.

Its redesigned successor was revealed in 2010 and remained in production through 2015.

Due to their high sales figures, you can still find many of these boats on the water and on classified boat sites as well.

If you are considering buying a used 260 Sundeck, make sure to invest in one with the most powerful 496 MAG engine (or one with the MX 6.2L MPI at the very least).

Smaller engine options, especially the standard 5.0 MPI make this boat way underpowered.

As one may expect, the performance of these engines is reflected in the resale value as well.

Based on our research, the asking prices of used 260 Sundecks average between $20,000 and $60,000.

Again, even though the prices of standard-engine models could be attractive, they are definitely not recommended!

Disclaimer: Specifications in this post are for informational purposes only. For further information, please refer to the operator’s manual.


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