Sea Ray 280 SS

Beautiful Sat Ray 280 SS with twin 5.7 engines with only 500 hours. Well taken care of and needs nothing. All canvas and vinyl in good condition. Priced for quick sale. No trailer Call phone with any questions

Twist the ignition keys on Sea Ray's new 280 SS with a pair of MerCruiser 350 Magnum V-8s lurking under the sunpad, and you'll never have to worry about being invisible. Our test boat, at a dock near Sea Ray's World Headquarters in Knoxville, Tennessee, had the Silent Choice exhaust system closed to the quiet setting, but the hearty snarl of 530 horsepower stirring to life caused everyone on the dock to stop and look.

And if you think that's fun, wait'll you wrap your fist around the racing-styled Morse throttles and lean forward, letting the notchy levers go all the way to the stops. Somewhere behind you, there's a lot of commotion and suddenly the greenery on the river edge is starting to blur past. For those of you with hair on your heads, I suppose it would blow around. If you look around, you'll see a big roostertail streaming far astern. Just try to stop grinning.

New to the Sea Ray line for 1997, the 280 is one of several boats based on the same hull. The Bow Rider version was offered in the 1996 line, but the SS (Sun Sport) and CC (Cuddy Cabin) versions add a whole new dimension. Interestingly enough, the basic 280 SS has a lot in common with Clark Kent, being just as mild-mannered as that fictional reporter. With the stock 7.4LX MPI MerCruiser and Bravo III counter-rotating prop stern drive, this is an economical family cruiser with comfortable accommodations for overnighting and the sort of close-quarters handling that keeps you out of trouble.

But let your pencil start wandering around on the engine options list, and you might just end up with the Superman version of the 280 SS like the pocket rocket we tested. That's the beauty of the 280 you can tailor it to your needs, whether they be cruising, fishing, overnighting, or stopping talk on the dock.

The difference between the SS and CC versions is readily visible since it is only in the cockpit area. Around a small table, our SS had a wrap-around rear sofa that can quickly convert into a spacious sun lounge by adding a filler cushion, while the CC has a more conventional bench seat aft. Forward on the port side is a back-to-back passenger seat, and the helmsman has a fully adjustable high-backed seat against the aft-facing wet bar with cooler, sink, and glass rack.

The helm seat has one of the cleverest innovations I've seen in some time: a hinged bolster that converts the seat from a comfortable sit-down steering position to a stand-up leaning post so you can see over the windshield. You have to see it to believe it, and there are probably a lot of builders who wish they'd thought of the idea. Both the helm and passenger seats are mounted on fiberglass boxes for strength and to provide extra storage.

The dash is faux burled wood with a full array of backlit instruments, and the 280 features a wood-rimmed tilt Dino wheel, power steering, and power trim. Standard equipment includes a Nova VHF radio, Clarion AM/FM digital cassette stereo with six-disc CD changer in the cockpit, and Lowrance 3500 depthfinder.

Step below, and you'll find a comfortable cabin with a U-shaped dinette around a convertible table that makes into a huge vee berth. An enclosed head with a vacuum flush toilet is to starboard, and a small galley counter is to port with room for the optional microwave. A realistically-sized hanging locker is aft, within easy reach of the cockpit.

Stowage is a strong point for the 280 SS, with a large locker under the cockpit floor for deck gear or kneeboards, the previously mentioned seat boxes, and each corner under the aft sofa has a large stowage bin as well.

Getting to the foredeck is easy, with molded steps built into the sliding cabin door and a walk-through windshield with a hinged center section. Once there, you're surrounded by welded stainless-steel rails that reach back to mid-cockpit. Our test boat had the optional Lewmar compact electric anchor windlass right behind the sturdy anchor roller on the bow and, in addition to the usual foot switches, it was fitted with cockpit controls so you never have to leave the helm to drop or raise the anchor.

Construction on the 280 SS is sturdy and seamanlike, with a fully hand-laid fiberglass hull backed by an inner grid that combines stringers and floor supports into one piece. The cockpit liner is a one-piece mold that is completely self-bailing and, combined with the hull grid, rigid and free of flex.

Though the twin V-8s filled the engine compartment, there was still ample room to work on and around them, and even spark plug changes shouldn't require a double-jointed mechanic. An aluminum fuel tank was a bit of a disappointment since other Sea Rays are using long-lasting polyurethane tanks, but a removable panel allows for inspection and eventual replacement.

Since we were testing the Superman version of the 280 SS, we were prepared for speed and we got everything we expected. Flat out with the twin MerCruisers howling away happily, we were in the low 60 mph range with a full load of fuel and four largish people aboard. We were running on absolutely glassy water which isn't the best for speed runs (you want a little chop to loosen up the hull "stickiness"), but this was certainly an impressive speed for a three-ton express cruiser with a full load of overnighting amenities.

Steering was precise and the boat was responsive to the drive trim, but I couldn't seem to make much difference with the trim tabs. That's actually good news, because the boat came up fast onto a plane and ran pleasantly flat at a wide range of speeds so, although the hydraulic tabs are standard, perhaps they aren't a necessity.

Steering was responsive and solid, giving the sense that this was serious business driving a boat with a lot of horses under the lid. But cranking hard into a turn didn't faze the 280 SS, which powered out of the turns solidly with no evidence of cavitation.

In addition to the healthy 350 Magnum MPI engines, you can also order the 280 SS with a single 502 Magnum, twin 250-horsepower 5.7LX, or twin 350 Magnum EFI engines, as well as single Volvo diesel. The Bimini top is standard, as is the snap-in cockpit carpeting, the cabin carpet runners, a Halon fire system, stainless-steel props and audible engine alarms.

Whether you want the Clark Kent version or the Superman chest-pounder, the 280 SS has a lot to offer. It's up to you.

Boat Specifications

Length27'6"Beam9'6"Draft (single)3'5"Draft (twin)3'2"Weight6500 lb.Fuel127 gal.Water24 gal.