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The Sea Jay Aluminium Boats Velocity 550 is a mid-size bowrider built in welded and pressed marine-grade aluminium by Sea Jay Aluminium Boats of Australia, a builder trading since 1985. On our measurements it works out at roughly 18 ft 1 in (5.50 m) of hull with a beam near 7 ft 10 in (2.38 m), which places it squarely in the trailerable family bowrider class: one vehicle, one trailer, one afternoon of prep, and the boat is in the water. Queensland alloy builder with a huge range and clever family-and-fishing crossovers.
Layout is classic bowrider and that is the whole point of the boat. Twin lounges run forward of the windscreen with a walk-through to the anchor well, the helm and companion seats sit amidships behind a wrap screen, and a full-width lounge spans the transom for sunbathing and socialising. Around 9 people fit aboard comfortably in sheltered water. Cushions lift out, backrests fold and filler pads convert the cockpit from a conversation pit into one long sun bed in a couple of minutes.
On the water the Velocity 550 is easy to like because nothing about it is demanding. Trim it out, settle into a mid-throttle cruise and it holds course with a finger on the wheel. Turns are progressive rather than sharp, wake crossings are soft, and the boat is forgiving of an inexperienced driver — an underrated quality in a family bowrider.
Power is a 115-175 hp four-stroke outboard package, and that suits both the hull and the way these boats are used. Keeping the machinery outside the hull frees up stern storage, simplifies servicing and removes the bellows and gimbal wear items that punish neglected stern drive boats. It also lifts the swim platform clear of the exhaust.
Watersports are well covered. A tow point is standard on almost every boat in this class, and Sea Jay Aluminium Boats owners regularly add a pylon or a folding tower for wakeboarding. A healthy outboard package pulls a slalom skier out of the water cleanly and tows children on an inflatable biscuit all day without protest. Skis, ropes and vests live in the under-floor and under-seat lockers so nothing sits underfoot while the boat is loaded.
Fishing is the quiet strength of this hull. Pull the bow cushions and the forward lounge becomes an open casting platform with clear access all the way around the bow, and the rear lounge lifts out to open up the transom and side gunwales. Ten minutes of work turns the family boat into a genuinely capable fishing boat, and ten minutes the other way turns it back again before anyone gets home.
Build and finish sit where you would expect for a mid range boat from Australia. Sea Jay builds aluminium boats in Bundaberg, Queensland, and offers one of the broadest catalogues of any Australian alloy brand, from tiny car-toppers to serious offshore plate hulls. Within that range sit several bowrider and family sports layouts, including models that convert convincingly between fishing and family duty: forward cushions lift out to reveal casting space, floors hose clean, and storage is sized for both tackle and towels. Construction is fully welded, with pressed alloy on the value models and heavier plate on the offshore range, and Sea Jay's Vision and Velocity hull designs deliver noticeably better ride and stability than older pressed alloy designs. Boats are usually delivered as complete rig-and-trailer packages with the buyer's choice of Yamaha or Mercury power. Sea Jay's strength is breadth and value — there is almost always a model that matches a specific brief — and the brand has solid dealer coverage along Australia's east coast with dependable resale.
Options worth having on the Velocity 550 are the practical ones: a bimini for shade, a decent bow and cockpit cover so the upholstery survives being stored outside, an upgraded sounder if you fish, and a stereo package that can be heard over the engine. Aluminium hulls also reward a good trailer with proper skids, because the plating marks more easily than fibreglass on a poorly set-up trailer.
As a used buy, check the same things you would on any bowrider in this size band: transom firmness, stringer and floor soundness, hours and service history on the engine, steering and trim function, and the state of the upholstery seams, which are the first thing to fail on a boat that lives uncovered. Boats from this builder hold their money well, so a tidy example will not be cheap, and that is usually a sign you are buying the right one.
Our price guide for the Velocity 550 is US$39,000 - US$52,000 new, which moves with engine choice, trailer, tower and how recently the boat was refreshed. Judged as a whole, it does what people buy a bowrider for: cruise, tow, swim, fish and entertain in one boat, without asking the family to compromise on any of them. Sea Jay Aluminium Boats has been refining that formula since 1985, and the Velocity 550 is a straightforward, well-judged expression of it.
The world's best selling bowrider size, Light, simple and easy to tow.
US$38,000 - US$52,000 new
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Featured Boat of the Week
This week we are putting the Bayliner Bayliner DX2000 in the spotlight, and it earns the spot. At 20 ft 2 in (6.16 m) long on a 8 ft (2.44 m) beam, this is a bowrider that reads the water well and still feels roomy enough for a full day out. A 20-foot deck-boat-width bowrider with outboard power and a huge social cockpit. Power comes from 115-150 hp mercury fourstroke outboard through a outboard package, and the fibreglass hull keeps the ride settled when the afternoon breeze puts a chop on the surface.
Seating is rated for 8 people, so there is space for family, friends, towels, eskies and the tow rope without anyone climbing over gear. Owners tend to buy it for family, water ski, leisure — which is exactly where it shines. Fuel is 30 us gal (114 l), and on the second-hand and new market you should expect to land somewhere around US$42,000 - US$58,000 new depending on hours, trailer and options.
Our full deep dive covers the layout in detail: bow lounge comfort, helm ergonomics, the rear entertaining area, storage that actually swallows a weekend, plus standard features, popular options and honest notes on where the boat compromises. If the Bayliner DX2000 is on your shortlist, start there — and check back next week, because the featured boat changes every week as we complete more full model reviews.
Featured Bowrider Article
Buying Advice
Your first boat teaches you what you actually want in your second. The trick is to make that lesson cheap. A first bowrider should be easy to launch, easy to drive, cheap to keep and simple to sell — everything else is a bonus. For most first-time buyers, 4.8-5.8 m (16-19 ft) is the sweet spot. Boats this size tow behind ordinary vehicles, fit in a standard garage or side yard, launch single-handed, and carry four to six people comfortably. They are also forgiving to dock, because you can push them off a pontoon by hand. Resist the urge to buy 7 m as a first boat. Bigger boats cost more to store, need more capable tow vehicles and heavier trailers, and are far less relaxing to manoeuvre while you are still learning. Plenty of owners upsize later; almost nobody regrets starting smaller. A single modern four-stroke outboard is the easiest introduction to boat ownership. It starts reliably, services simply, tilts clear at the ramp and can be flushed in minutes. Aim for a mid-range engine option rather than the smallest one offered — an underpowered boat struggles to plane with a full load, which is when boats feel worst.
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