Reinvented
ords like “beauty” and “sophistication” seem to fall short when you lay your eyes on Sea Ray’s all-new Sundancer 370 Outboard. This model successfully embodies Sea Ray’s legacy while simultaneously taking their brand to the next level with its new design.
Sea Ray’s design director, Charlie Foss, explained that in many ways this new model is a reinvention of Sea Ray, representing a new chapter in an already rich history. To understand the Sundancer 370 Outboard’s significance, it’s important to note the Sundancer family and history.
“Sundancer in and of itself is a household name when it comes to cruisers,” observed Foss. “When you think of Sea Ray, the Sundancer name is kind of its perfect manifestation.”
So when Foss and his team approached the new Sundancer 370 design, they created a new design language that not only pushed it toward the future but also built upon its history, carrying over many of the classic Sea Ray elements.
“It’s bringing a lot of those more historical elements back to life,” added Foss. “I feel the greatest of the Sundancer name and what it was in its past is now revitalized.”
Then they brought in the center hull crease—a horizontal line that bisects the vertical of the hull with the Sea Ray emblem integrated right into the middle. This was actually something on some of the very first Sea Rays and had been carried on throughout the majority of Sea Ray history.
“There was a period of time where it started to disappear,” noted Foss, “but we found that to be one of the more significant elements that really kind of solidified the history of Sea Ray. Then we modernized through some of the surfacing around it.”
Sea Ray also added in a few new elements to the hull side such as the lower jawline that’s in the forward quarter of the hull side which is a little more progressive and modern while providing a little more power to the overall form.
“We’re utilizing that to emphasize the progressive nature,” shared Foss. “This is built on a history, but it’s also a forward-looking view.”
“People today are looking for more versatile platforms that allow them to better utilize the entire boat,” explained Foss.
“The boat is really smartly designed from an efficiency standpoint,” agreed Caroline English, Sea Ray’s marketing director. “One of our core brand pillars is our meticulous craftsmanship and every inch of the Sundancer 370 is designed to maximize space and maximize the utility.”
Historically, the cruiser platform devoted about 60 percent of the boat to the interior and then around 40 percent to the exterior. This translates to the exterior space referring only to the cockpit with the rest of the boat a massive interior.
Although this setup is great for overnighting, in today’s world, boaters want to use more of the boat’s exterior features while still having the interior features that allow them to sleep on the boat. The Sundancer 370 Outboard achieves this by enhancing its exterior features and keeping the integrity of its interior ones.
These additions place the boat on a much more versatile platform than ever before. Then when you go down below, you’re still not missing anything. You still have the ability to sleep four below with a nice converting forward berth as well as an extremely comfortable mid-berth with separate head and shower. While keeping all the amenities intact, Sea Ray has successfully expanded the usable overall space on the boat to be more suited for today’s boaters.
The bow offers seating for up to five adults and with its optional filler cushion, it can transform from a table into a spacious sun lounge. Then the convertible transom seat easily shifts from a hard-back surface when underway to an aft-facing seat or sunpad when at rest.
“We’ve gotten a lot of feedback that kids love the opportunity to sit up at the bow and be right up at the front as you’re underway,” shared English. “With our convertible seating up there, it’s a great opportunity for your kids to have a lot of fun.”
As Foss mentioned, the portside walkthrough makes accessing the bow and moving from one social area to another, completely effortless. The optional electrically-actuated opening glass hardtop with black panoramic sunroof and extended sunshade options also add to the open and free-flowing ambiance of the boat.
The V-berth lounge area features a cozy L-shaped couch and smart TV. Then the cabin gourmet galley hosts an optional microwave, refrigerator, solid-surface countertops, a trash receptacle and cabinetry with lower storage so you can easily prepare drinks and food. When it’s time to turn in for the night, the L-shaped couch transforms to the master bed and the mid-berth has fill-in cushions to create a queen-sized bed.
The Sea Ray team are not the only ones excited about the new Sundancer 370 Outboard. When Great Lakes Boating spoke with Pete Beauregard, the president of Colony Marine in Michigan, he was eagerly waiting for the boat to come to his dealership in June.
“We’ve always been one of the top Sundancer dealers in the U.S. and probably the world,” shared Beauregard. “With this being a new generation of Sundancer, we’re pretty excited to get the product in.”
Beauregard had the opportunity to see the boat in a dealer council launch and was very pleased with everything he saw. He loved how open and spacious the boat felt and he also got to test drive it. He described the boat as being smooth, quiet and fast—in fact, he felt that the acceleration was unbelievable.
Just from some of the promotional digital assets he’s been able to show customers, the boat has been extremely well received. “I can tell you that those digital assets don’t even do the boat justice,” said Beauregard. “It’s ten times nicer when you can see it in person. It just feels so much bigger than what photos can actually do.”
With its rich history and fresh new look, the Sundancer 370 Outboard truly is an icon reinvented. The Sundancer heritage is powerfully ingrained in this boat, but its modern and sleek design also represent Sea Ray’s position in the future.
