The big-beam social bowrider. Thirteen aboard without anyone sitting on the floor.
The Sea Ray SDX 250 is what a bowrider becomes when the brief is entertaining rather than towing. At 25 ft 5 in (7.75 m), the deck plan is essentially a floating lounge with a windscreen.
The signature feature is the reconfigurable seating. Backrests slide, lounges convert, and filler cushions turn the cockpit into one continuous sun bed or a forward-facing conversation pit. Thirteen people fit without the boat feeling crowded.
Outboard power keeps the transom clean and the swim platform enormous. A single 350 hp is adequate; twins transform acceleration and give redundancy for owners who travel further offshore.
The hull is a genuine deep-V for this class, so the SDX handles bay chop well and stays dry at cruise. Fuel capacity of 75 US gal (284 L) gives real range for a day boat.
This is a boat for owners whose weekend involves ten friends, a sandbar and a cooler. If you tow skiers occasionally, it does that too, but its natural habitat is anchored in clear water with the music on and the swim platform busy.
The world's best-selling bowrider size, in its most accessible form: light, simple and easy to tow.
US$38,000 - US$52,000 new
The refined mainstream benchmark: quiet, dry, and beautifully finished for the money.
US$72,000 - US$95,000 new
The quality yardstick of the class. Everything is heavier, quieter and better made.
US$155,000 - US$210,000 new