By: Walt Jennings
For anyone looking for a large deck boat with all the bugs already worked out, you should look at Sea Ray’s SLX 280 outboard. With the 280’s expansive cockpit its deep bench seating has room for eight passengers sitting comfortably and there is abundant storage under all the seats including a built-in ice chest. The bow in this bow rider also has seating for five adults with storage underneath the seats.
The expansive transom on the 280 has a huge sun pad with storage and a built-in cooler underneath.At the helm, the swiveling driver’s seat is wide enough for two passengers to sit and view Sea Ray’s digital dash that includes a 9-inch Simrad touchscreen chart plotter display that will also display the twin 250 hp Mercury outboards engine data. Adjacent to the helm on the starboard side is Mercury’s Joystick Piloting handle.
There is a co-pilots seat on the port side of the helm with a compartment in the dash that opens in front of this seat that is large enough to be a changing room. This helm seat in addition to the double helm seat, both swivel aft to increase cockpit seating to 11 people.
Notable options include Sea Ray’s Power Tower top with a retractable sunshade, a Water System Bundle, and transom sprayer. If you want a little nighttime lighting, the SLX 280’s lighting bundle includes LED RGB-W colour-changing and accent interior lighting throughout.
Specifications
SpecificationsLength: 31 ft 5 in
Beam: 9 ft
Dead Rise: 21 degrees
Draft: 35 in
Fuel Capacity: 135 gal
Boat Weight: 8,053 lbs
Passenger Capacity: 11
Maximum Hp: 2 x 250 hp
Engine Manufacturer: Mercury
MSRP: $259,325 USD