36 Sea Ray Sedan Bridge

Source: Canadian Yachting Magazine

One of Sea Ray’s very newest models is the 2007 36 Sedan Bridge. It’s the smallest in the Sea Ray Sport Yacht line but the combination of price and features is almost certain to make it their biggest seller. Few marine companies can muster the depth of resources available to the Brunswick Corp. companies and this new Sea Ray is a showcase for some of their latest technology. The very contemporary and dramatic styling is like a visual cue to the advanced electronic systems and features on board.

On the other hand, the sedan bridge layout, no matter how innovative and cleverly designed it is, is part of the great cabin cruiser tradition that stretches back more than 50 years of power yacht design.

For its length, beam and height, this design of boat offers maximum accommodations and living space and the Sea Ray 36 Sedan Bridge was designed with extended cruising in mind. The cabin is very open and bright thanks to all the glass areas and the layout includes two well-appointed staterooms. The fly bridge has an impressive command center that combines with generous entertainment space.

Perhaps the highlight of Sea Ray’s new 36 is the electrical system. While most yachts have an enormous breaker panel full of switches, pilot lights and confusing labels, an amazing new state-of-the-art electronic power distribution system that uses a 10.4 inch multi-system touchscreen monitor and touchpad wall switches, controls all the systems. It is not only simple and intuitive to understand, it operates with only two wires!

The simplicity of the wiring should dramatically increase the reliability factor while also making it much easier to track any problems. The touchscreen monitor and touchpad wall switches let you control a full range of electronic functions. Other neat touches featuring high-end electronics include the 20-inch LCD flat screen television in the salon that has a remote DVD player. This whole system can be played through the entertainment center that has a six-disc CD changer, eight amplified speakers and a sub woofer for the home theater experience on board.

Moving to the exterior appearance, when you first see the 36 Sedan Bridge, the combination radar arch and bridge hardtop makes the boat appear to be very tall especially when the canvas is up. On the other hand, the hardtop has a hatch that can be cracked open for a little bit of ventilation, an under-roof liner for the canvas which we thought was a good feature and it provides sturdy locating points for all of your canvas.

The bridge is intended as a primary living area with comfortable bench seating and a removable table for passengers. There is snap-out carpet, overhead lighting, and stereo and helm and companion bucket seats.

The struck us as being particularly comfortable and handsome. The captain has a centre-mounted seat with very comfortable, firm upholstery cushions, a flip a bolster and our test boat had a gorgeous wood-rimmed sport steering wheel that tilts. The view in all directions is commanding even when backing into a slip. The twin inboard engines are controlled by classically styled separate throttle and gear levers.

The instrument layout was handsome and quite symmetrical with analog gauges on the outside, big LCD screens for the navigation systems in the center and the autopilot and Smart  Craft systems on either side. Our test boat had the Raymarine E120 system with a very bright daylight viewable screen protected by a little bit of a lip on the dash top for a sunscreen.

We especially liked the angled footrest, the padded coaming and the twin glove box and storage areas in the cowling. Sea Ray has given the 36 Sedan Bridge a very impressive helm.

The performance was impressive too. The twin 8.1 MerCruisers registered a mere 70 dB on the bridge at idle and even with the canvas up at the maximum speed of 33.9 mph on GPS, we still only recorded 86 dB. These are really smooth running engines and our [lightly loaded] test boat sprinted up to planning speed in only 10.2 seconds. Using the trim tabs we could keep the 36 on the plane down to 2500 rpm. Our favorite cruising speed was 3800 rpm doing 23.3 mph but as we ran out into the chop in Lake Ontario, we found we could tab down harder to really smooth out the ride and stayed on plane at 3000.

We have often been impressed with Sea Ray’s hull designs. The power assisted Sea Star Hydraulic steering is a delight to use and although the boat is equipped with a pair of rudders, we could toss it around like a sport boat. Especially in wide-open turns, we could crank the wheel over hard enough to throw everything off the shelves below yet the ride remained secure feeling and comfortable up on the bridge. You probably would never run your own boat that way but you could!

In spite of the very capable performance, this boat was really meant as a floating vacation home and the Interior appointments don’t disappoint.

The cabin is entered through a screened sliding glass aft bulkhead door. Making the most of the space, the designers have installed the entertainment systems and electrical panel just to port inside the door, using the space under the molded-in stairs to the flying bridge.

The salon is very bright and open with standard equipment wooden slat blinds. A foldout couch on the starboard side is the comfortable place to curl up and watch TV while just forward of that is the convertible dinette. This is very cleverly designed to flip down into a double berth using the cushions and there is storage underneath the seats. Opposite and down a couple of steps is the galley with the granite-type counter, real cherrywood cabinetry and an impressive under-counter side-by-side fridge and freezer.

There’s a two burner ceramic stovetop with fiddles to prevent pots from sliding onto the floor, a usable single sink, “Inverter” model Panasonic turntable microwave and coffee maker that can be moved around. Like so many of the features we found on the Sea Ray 36 Sedan Bridge, the galley looks like it belongs on a larger yacht. The designers have done a terrific job of finding space and accommodation in this 36 footer.

Some of the other clever ideas include separate head and shower stalls and a quarter berth with two singles featuring inner-sprung mattresses. It is located under the raised dinette area. The master stateroom is forward with a large overhead screened hatch, screened opening portholes, island Queen berth again with an innerspring mattress and an averaged size hanging locker.

Sea Ray’s designers realize that outdoor fun is important as well. There are proper walk around side decks, bow rail with lifeline and a good size aft cockpit that features a transom door, transom storage for shore connections and a built-in swim platform.

Quality touches we like included the gaskets on the cockpit hatches to keep you things dry and on the engine room to keep the sound noise to a minimum. The whole boat had a solid feel and the combination of traditional space and state-of-the-art systems makes a compelling package.