Sea Ray Sundeck Series Rewiew [1995-2017]

Marketed from 1995 through 2017, the Sundecks family was the most popular Sea Ray day boat series ever built. From the entry-level 190 to the flagship 300, this breed included many exciting models, but the bestselling model was arguably the legendary Sundeck 240.

In this post, we’ll briefly review every Sea Ray Sundeck model from 1995 through 2017.

Why Was the Sundeck Series so Popular?

The Sea Ray Sundeck series owed its exceptional success to its unique design.

The architecture of these boats cleverly blended the space and amenities of a deck boat layout with a bowrider-style deep-V hull.

This clever engineering combined the performance and rough-water capabilities of a steep deadrise hull with the comfort and capacities of a deck boat.

Also, the Sundeck series was known for its high-quality materials and finishes, as well as luxury features.

Until the mid-2010s, the majority of these boats were powered by MerCrusier gasoline sterndive engines.

From 2015 through 2017, the outboard variants became more prevalent.

Sea Ray Sundecks Compared

In a nutshell, Sea Ray produced its popular Sundeck day boats in the following years:

Model

Years of Production

190 SD

‘99-‘02

200 SD

‘03-‘08

210 SD

‘97-‘04, ‘08-‘09

220 SD

‘02-‘08, ‘10-‘13, ‘14-‘16

230 SD

‘08-‘09

240 SD

‘95-‘99, ‘00-‘08, ‘09-‘13, ‘14-‘17

260 SD

‘07-‘09, ‘10-‘15

270 SD

‘02-‘07, ‘15-‘16

280 SD

‘09-‘15

290 SD

‘08-‘09, ‘15-‘16

300 SD

‘09-‘15

Let’s drill into the specs and talk about the various models in detail!

190 Sundeck

Manufactured from 1999 through 2002, the 190 SD was the smallest Sea Ray Sundeck ever built.

As the name suggests, this tiny boat was built with a 19-foot hull and a tiny deck that could accommodate 8 people and a lot of gear.

As far as power options go, the boat was available with either outboard or sterndrive propulsion.

The standard sternrive engine option was the MerCrusier 4.3L V6 Alpha I rated at 190hp while the optional 5.0L MPI Alpha I delivered 220hp.

The latter ensured a crusing speed of 30-33 mph and a top speed of 43-45 mph under ideal conditions.

Thanks to its light weight and small dimensions, the 190 SD was easy to tow and handle on the ramp.

https://youtu.be/CWaPr106Zqc

200 Sundeck

In 2003, the 200 Sundeck replaced its 19-footer sibling in the entry-level position.

With the external swim platform, the overall length of this model was exactly 21 feet with a beam of 8 feet 4 inches.

Its well-deserving deck was rated for 8 people and could carry a lot of gear up to 1,200 pounds.

You could expect the dry weight of the 200 Sundeck to be 3,550 pounds, which rounded up to 4,000 pounds with the necessary liquids.

Sitting on a single-axle trailer, you could expect the trailering weight of this boat to be anywhere from 4,600 to 5,000 pounds.

210 Sundeck

Compared to her smaller siblings, the 210 Sundeck was far more popular.

This is no surprise since its deck had a larger interior space with greater capacities.

Manufactured from 1995 through 2004, the first-generation 210 SD weighed only 3,500 pounds and was rated for 10 people.

Available power sources included V6 and V8 MerCrusier sterndrvies from 190 to 260hp.

To the greatest delight of many Sea Ray fans, the 210 made a comeback for the 2008-2009 seasons.

This short-lived variant already came standard with an extended swim platform, which increased the overall length from 21 feet to 22 feet 4 inches.

However, the interior space became slightly smaller and the passenger capacity also decreased from 10 to 8 people.

During this era, the 210 SD was powered by 260-300hp MerCrusier sterndrive engines.

https://youtu.be/0TZ6KhMx60U

220 Sundeck

The 220 Sundeck lived through three generations (‘02-‘08, ‘10-‘13, ‘14-‘16), which was no coincidence.

This model had a large interior, which was more than enough for an average family.

Yet, its dry weight was only 4,200-4,835 pounds depending on the year. Thanks to its relatively lightweight construction, the 220 was still easy to tow by an average truck.

The first generation of this popular Sea Ray deck boat was marketed from 2002 through 2008.

Its overall length was 23.5 feet with the swim platform and it enjoyed 260-320hp sterndrive enignes.

In the late 2000s, the 220 was rebranded as the 240 SD, since the manufacturer started to name their boats based on their LOA instead of their hull length.

The second-generation 220 SD was in production between 2010 and 2013.

Since the overall length of the boat was shortened from 23.5 feet to 22 feet 4 inches, her capacities also dramatically decreased. (Passenger: 10->8, overall weight: 1800->1400 lbs.)

Due to its smaller interior and limited capacities, this generation was less popular than its predecessor.

For 2014, Sea-Ray once again had heavily redesigned the 220 SD.

The revamped version returned with a refreshed design, slightly larger dimensions, and much greater capacities.

After the 2016 season, the 220 SD was discontinued for the sake of the 220 SDX.

230 Sundeck

Due to bad timing, the 230 Sundeck never became as popular as its relatives.

Unfortunately, she hit the market in 2008, just when the financial crisis began.

The other problem the 230 SD suffered from was its hefty price tag, which was literally higher than the price of the larger 240.

Based on their hull lengths, the 240 was two feet longer than the 230.

Nevertheless, fitted with the same engines, the price difference between them was 6-7 percent.

How was this possible?

In a nutshell, the 230 SD was a new model with a fresh design and new amenities, which indicated a higher price tag.

As one might expect, the majority of buyers decided on the 240 SD, so the 230 remained in the shadow of its larger sister.

Due to low customer interest, Sea Ray discontinued this boat after two short years of production.

The key specifications of the short-lived Sundeck 230 were as follows:

  • LOA: 24’4”
  • Beam: 8’ 6”
  • Draft (stern drive up): 39”
  • Draft (stern drive up): 23”
  • Dry Weight: 4,850 lb.
  • Fuel Capcity: 55 gal.
  • Usable Fuel: 50 gal.
  • Fresh Water: 10 gal.
  • Dear Rise: 21

240 Sundeck

Introduced in 1995, the 240 Sundeck was not only the first Sea Ray Sundeck ever built, but it was by far the most popular model in this breed.

This 24-foot deck boat built its reputation on its remarkable capacities and great handling on both coastal and inland waters.

Its heavier weight also made this boat more stable and predictable, yet it wasn’t so heavy that it couldn’t be towed by a truck.

Over its more than two decades of production, it went through four generations which were as follows:

  • First: 1995-1999
  • Second: 2000-2008
  • Third: 2009-2013
  • Fourth: 2014-2017

You can find out more about these generations in this detailed 240 Sudneck review.

https://youtu.be/n2yxAhL39TM

260 Sundeck

Besides the most favorite 240 and the smaller 220, the 260 SD was perhaps the third most popular model in the Sundeck series.

This is no surprise since the first generation (2007-2009) 260 Sundeck was literally a rebranded 240.

For 2010, Sea Ray entirely redesigned the model, which returned with a plethora of novelties like an aft lounger seat, transom storage, revamped wet bar, and more.

In this post, you can find out more about the 260 SD and its factory specifications.

270 Sundeck

The 270 Sundeck was known for its wide beam and extremely spacous top deck.

Unfortunately, its heavy weight made it difficult to tow and handle on the ramp. Therefore its market was significantly smaller than its lighter siblings.

The first generation of this boat was manufactured from 2002 through 2007 without any significant changes.

After seven years of hiatus, the 270 SD made a comeback for 2015 and was discontined after the 2016 season.

Even though the new model carried over the legacy of its forerunner, it was an entirely different boat designed from scratch.

280 Sundeck

Sea Ray marketed the huge 280 Sundeck from 2009 through 2015.

As the name suggests, her overall length was 28 feet, with a beam of 8 feet 10 inches.

Combined with its impressive 6,100 pounds of dry weight, she ensured safe, comfortable cruising even on a heavier chop.

It was discontinued after the 2015 season to make room for the more advanced 290 SD.

290 Sundeck

Like many of her relatives, the 290 Sundeck also went through several generations.

The first boat in this size class lived only two short years from 2008 to 2009.

She measured in with an overall length of 29.5 feet and a wide beam of 9 feet.

Despite its large dimensions, the dry weight of this model was “only” 6,044 pounds with the standard engine.

Released as the replacement of the 280 SD and 300 SD, the second generation 290 SD was introduced in 2015.

This all-new model had an entirely new design with a much roomier interior and greater capacities. To be more precise, she could accommodate no less than 17 people!

She was phased out by the more advanced 290 SDX.

300 Sundeck

Manufactured from 2009-2015, the 300 Sundeck was the largest Sea Ray Sundeck ever built.

Its overall length with the extended swim platform was almost 29.5 feet and had a beam of 9 feet.

Cozy and spacious, the large top deck was available with different floor plans and optional amenities.

After the 2015 season, it was discontinued to make room for the more advanced 290 SD.

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


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