540 Sea Ray Sundancer

Source: Giorgia Gessner, Yachtonline.it

Sea Ray 540 Sundancer, modern lines

Built in the USA by Sea Ray, the 540 Sundancer made its world debut at the recent Fort Lauderdale Show. This 16.7-metre express cruiser is the product of the yard’s 50 years in the business of building yachts. That long experience is clear too from its plant and the clever flourishes that really do make life aboard simpler and more pleasant.

This is a craft with Mediterranean lines that are really more Italian than anything else, showing the influence our nation has had in this area internationally. It sports a hard top with two electric transparent panels which allow plenty of fresh air into the large living area which is very bright too because of its generous windows. The cockpit has an aft sun pad with two side sun pads which rotate 90 degrees to convert to backrests for the L-shaped sofa which is served by a dining table. Opposite this is a wet bar with ice-maker and optional grill, an ultra-flat TV and a central bridge featuring new generation equipment. The two console seats turn 180 degrees to face the sofa – very cosy when at anchor or in port.

The deck is surrounded by wide walkways and a robust guardrail. There is the now classic built-in sun pad on the foredeck. The spacious, elegant interiors come in a choice of four different solutions both in terms of fabrics (light/dark) and woods (polished or matt). Below decks, there is a living area with dinette/sofa bed facing a well-equipped galley. A sliding shoji screen separates off the owner’s stateroom and ample bathroom aft. Another shoji screen leads to the VIP stateroom forward, which is also en suite.

An alternative version is also available featuring two cabins (a double and a twin Pullman) with a shared bathroom while the owner’s moves forward. The transom is large enough to stow a small tender or jet ski and lowers below water level for easy launching and retrieval. There are two state-of-the-art Cummins 700 hp Zeus drives in the engine room and these give the 540 Sundancer a maximum speed of 31.5 knots even at full load. We spoke to Lorenzo De Cristofano, chairman of Motomar, the yard’s exclusive agent here in Italy, about the new model and he told us: “Buying a Sea Ray is a particularly good value at the moment thanks to the favourable euro-dollar exchange rate. Furthermore this model is very much at the cutting-edge both in terms of its electrical plant, one of the yard’s proudest features, and the water management system. In fact, all the various pipes and tubes go to a special central section and each has its own valve so it can be cut off individually. Another major advantage is the type of guaranteed assistance that Motomar offers through its dealerships, which are located right along the entire Italian peninsula, and which is also offered by Cummins. The latter is particularly attentive regarding these new drives as it is determined to conquer the Italian market through them.”