2018 Sea Ray SLX 400 Specs
2018 Sea Ray SLX 400 Specs I now know exactly how a twelve-year-old boy feels on Christmas morning when he opens his first transformer. Given all the knobs and levers to reimagine the toy in several machines, he thinks “genial ” and “way cool! ” I know this because I felt the same way when I stepped aboard the Sea Ray SLX 400. It’s fantastic. and definitely cool.
Sea Ray has looked at how boaters use boats. We’re having a chat, we’re swimming, we’re hauling kids. When it comes to selecting the most important feature, some of us would start with the performance selector — and the SLX 400 will also be available with outboards when you read this. Others (you know who) would start with a civilized closed head with a shower, and the list goes on: Good melodies, lots of seating, easy water access, enough speed to zoom, a place to eat, and a place to sleep. With the SLX 400, this is a check in every box.
Let’s start playing with this transformer in the cockpit. They occur aboard a wide swimming platform (with a central section that lowers for easy water access), and the teak planked starboard koaming seems odd until it folds by pressing a button to greatly expand the deck. Sea Ray calls it a bathing terrace and, although only for the rest, it makes the cockpit to a terrace by the water.
Next to it there is a large sun pad with a Rückenlehnenkissen, which turns into several sitting and lying areas by spinning. There is also a hidden compartment in the Transom large enough to store full-length stand-up Paddleboards. No more umreifungsbretter on the hardtop.
The Midcockpit has a wrap-on-the-back (with this movable backrest), and an outdoor galley with sink is to starboard. Our submarine had double electric Kenyon grills and an isotherm refrigerator — both no-brainer options. An optional retractable parasol sets electrically from the hardtop.
Two other transformer features: The double-width seat opposite the helmet rotates to face the cockpit seating, and the teak cockpit table unfolds into a Essgröße.
The skipper gets a double-width helmet seat that adapts to a wide range of roads, and the accompanying backrest flips to a seat that is directed back into the entertainment area. The dash is ergonomically flawless: Twin Raymarine 12-inch GS displays for navigation and a Mercury VesselView monitor, a chrome footrest and cleanly labeled and illuminated buttons for the systems. A molded console holds the MERC throttle and sliders in place, and the Axius joystick is placed for effortless docking and maneuvering.
Next is another entertainment area, and getting there is easy and safe with a wide Portside walkway and a flush mounted door that combines with the foldable windshield to protect the cockpit from wind and spray. Three forward-facing touring seats have folding armrests and storage containers on each side. The seating on each side of the bow turns into a sun cushion, and a removable table provides another area for munchies. Grab rails are everywhere, and the whole boat has padded coamings.
Step from the rudder through the slider and into the cabin: the head room is almost 7 feet. The starboard-side head has a shower and a Vacu flushing toilet.
A mini-galley to the harbour has a microwave and a refrigerator, and a changing couch with folding table turns into a V-berth. Under the cockpit there is a huge game room: A queen-size mattress with padded backrest outboard, so you can stretch forward to the back, sideways or your own combination. It is big enough for the overnight stay and comfortable enough to tucker the kids for a nap.
Power for the SLX 400 is a pair of 380 PS MerCruiser 8.2 mag ECTS, turning twin-prop Bravo three x star drives and using the Axius joystick control. It comes with a standard 5 kw generator.
In progress the SLX 400 only offers pure fun. The power steering is surprisingly responsive, and I quickly discovered the reason for the lateral sun roof in the hardtop. The SLX 400 banks like an F-15 that goes for a target. If the wheel is hard, you need this sun roof to keep an eye open for other boats. But this hard bench in a train is rock solid, and no one on board felt a need to grab for a gripper rail. We are in a shadow of over 46 mph, and it is surprisingly happy cruising with 3,500 rpm and 30-plus mph.
There are more mega-size bowriders in the range of the 35 foot length: The Four Winns Horizon 350 is $314,146 with twin 8.2 MerCruiser B3s and joystick; Monterey’s 378 SE is $379,230 with twin 430 hp MerCruiser 8.2 mag Ho star drives. The formula 430 Super Sport crossover ($1,350,000 with quad Mercury Racing 400 Verado outboards) is larger and is powered by outboards.
2018 Sea Ray SLX 400 Specs
The Sea Ray SLX 400 is not so much a boat, but an entertainment package. It is your own floating water park. As I’ve done, you’ll find this special transformer “way cool. “
Highlights
* The magnificent bathing terrace offers cockpit rooms and water access.
* Lower the Swimming platform section to create a beach.
* Air conditioning and generator are standard.
* Great gripping rails for every seat and sun cushion.
Low points
* White Gelcoat helmet top reflects to make the windshield almost opaque on sunny days. We would prefer that the dark is dyed.
* Black screen-sun roof radiates warmth from the sun into the otherwise protected cockpit entertainment area. We’d rather dye it brightly.
* Access to the generator will be a challenge.
Price: $536,392 (Basis)
How we tested
Engines: Twin 380 hp MerCruiser 8.2 Mag ECTS
Drive/Props: Bravo three x/B3 24 “Pitch Stainless steel-propsets
Gear Ratio: 2.00:1
Fuel load: 240 gal.
Water on board: 10 gal.
Mann weight: 350 lb.
