455 Sea Ray Sedan Bridge

Boat Review

Source: David Lockwood, Boatpoint Magazine

Sea Ray is not a company that’s known for producing flybridge cruisers, but as David Lockwood found out, the new Sea Ray 455 is up there with the best

The average American man stands 177cm tall and his wife looms about 155cm tall. They are likely to be overweight. More than half of them, including the above couple’s 2.1 children, are girth challenged. Australians aren’t far behind in terms of size.

These statistics aren’t good news for the nation’s health, of course, but look on the flipside. If you’re in the market for a new boat, consider one designed by Americans for Americans. It’s bound to be, well, accommodating.

Sea Ray’s new 455 Sedan Bridge is a textbook case. I came away from the new boat, released at a dealer conference in America last year, convinced that it is the best Sea Ray cruiser I’ve seen since, well, since the before standards slipped about five or six years ago.

Not only is it an incredibly spacious boat – a triumph in smart design and mindful ergonomics, and refreshingly new in its approach to many things – but it is also styled in a most attractive European way.

Gone is the glitz, the tacky chrome-plated plastic bits. Serious stainless-steel fittings are back. The five-star finish is where I’d expect it to be. We’re talking a well-assembled boat. No daggy bits even in out-of-the-way areas. A tight fit.

ON THE DESIGN FRONT
The new 455 Sedan Bridge is one of those boats I could right a novel about. There’s a lot that excites in this boat, not least of which is the flowing, mellifluous approach to design. The CAD design team is finally getting it right.

From the moulded staircase leading from the cockpit the bridge, to the wide sidedecks around the cabin, and the open-plan interior, this is a boat that encourages freedom of movement. Which, for a flybridge cruiser, is really saying something.

The less nimble will find the flybridge staircase a lot easier to negotiate than a ladder; crew will find the wide sidedecks backed by toerails reassuring when going forward.

Inside, the boat flows from saloon to separate dining area – both with views – to an open galley, and two generous cabins with en suites each and separate shower stalls.

Of course, none of this came about by chance. The 455 Sedan Bridge evolved, I’m reliably informed, through Sea Ray’s process of consulting boat owners and dealers. In fact, customers are canvassed for input even before the final design lines are settled on.

The resulting 455 Sea Ray Sedan Bridge is the first of a whole new line of flybridge boats from Sea Ray. Next is a massive 585 Sedan Bridge followed by a 525 Sedan Bridge.

Interestingly, flybridge boats are something Sea Ray hasn’t concentrated on for some time, instead preferring to finetune its signature sportscruisers.

Not that Sea Ray is new to boatbuilding. The company, which is owned by marine giant Brunswick, has been building boats over 30ft for more than 20 years. Only these days, fully-automated milling machines and the latest resin-transfer moulding techniques are doing a lot of the dirty work.

All seven Sea Ray manufacturing plants have ISO 9002 accreditation. Boats are built to National Marine Manufacturers Association, US Coast Guard and American Boat and Yacht Council standards. There is a five-year transferable warranty policy.

But there’s more to it than the boat. Sea Ray in America, at least, pioneered the added-value concept with rendezvous and owners’ clubs. In future, local owners will hopefully see dealers staging a lot more events on local waters. The time is nigh as there are certainly enough boats around.

Meanwhile, there is a lot to embrace about Sea Ray’s new 455 Sedan Bridge, not least of which is the quality of the construction. The boat has a solid GRP hull with Coremat for added stiffness and cored decking using a material called Spherecore. The hull and deck are bonded and screwed. On the water it behaves like a stiff, monocoque structure.

SAFETY FIRST
Naturally, the big American is mindful of safety issues. In fact, even despite being diesel powered, there were carbon-monoxide detectors in all cabins.

Elsewhere I noted an automatic fire-suppression system with manual operation outside the engine room, fuel shutoffs, chafe-protected and coded wiring, colour-coded through-hull fittings, high-water alarms, emergency start system, low-glare blue night lighting, systems monitoring engine diagnostics and pumps, weatherproofed electrical installations and an impressive manual.

The engineering side of the boat could be considered time proven. Aquamet two-inch shafts, Nibral four-blade props, sea cocks on all underwater fittings and dripless shaft seals are among the goodies. The exhausts are patented underwater types with idle relief valves. With Cummins motors and a lot of insulation this is an exceedingly, delightfully, quiet drive.

On deck are bow and handrails where you intuitively reach for them, lots of rounded edges and bump-free mouldings, and practical surfaces. Most of the timber joinery, for example, isn’t joinery at all but a faux printed material applied over Corex. Replacement panels, guaranteed to grain match, are available from the factory.

Mori Slapan, a safety expert for the National Marine Safety Committee, was on hand to examine this boat for this year’s Boat of the Year Awards. Apparently the boat’s halon fire-fighting system is non-compliant here. But in the same breath he was impressed by this boat from a safety perspective compared to the others he has seen.

There is collision bulkhead forward but no watertight bulkhead aft of the engine room.

The engine room, accessed via a cockpit hatch, and the lazarette, with genset, are one big open space. The generator was fitted with an optional sound shield. Take it from me – it was a smooth and quiet operator.

Servicing room around the motors, twin Cummins 6CTA 8.3lt 446hp engines – upgrades from the standard twin 417hp motors – was sufficient to crawl around their outsides. I’ve seen bigger engine rooms, but the strainers and fuel filters were easily accessible. A freshwater tap and oil-change system are supplied as standard. Ditto the zone-controlled reverse-cycle air-con system.

Added to these things there were some options that made the 455 Sedan Bridge a floating, self-contained holiday home. There was a cockpit lounge, removable cockpit table, table for the flybridge, coffee table with twin taborets in the saloon, ducted vacuuming, washer-dryer and bowthruster with joystick to help stage your exodus.

Yet, fully-loaded with all this and an optional Smart Craft monitoring system – which lets you check everything from fuel consumption to range – the boat represented good buying at $735,000. It more than stacks up with European boats – inspired by them, perhaps? – and gives our local lads a run for their money.

LIVE ABOARD
Despite its flybridge the 455 Sedan Bridge is not a gamefishing boat. Rather, it’s geared for retirees and entertainers. And with four-plus-four sleeping arrangements it’s perfect for families. The attendant styling should see it through a good many years to come.

There is a full-length moulded awning casting shade over the cockpit, keeping the rain away during our test, with clear curtains on track so you can create a sealed aft deck. Add stretcher beds or airbeds for a kids’ slumber party.

Vision from the bridge helm station, the only one, extends down the staircase and out the transom door to at least the port side of the boarding platform. So, providing you know where your port side should be in the pen, you can park this baby with confidence.

The cockpit has an optional aft lounge with moulded base for additional storage. With loose chairs and the optional cockpit table you have an all-weather veranda for entertaining and dining. Features at hand include a 12V cockpit fridge for your drinks, hot/cold handheld shower and storage lockers with rubber mats. There is a transom locker for fenders and warps.

Moulded steps and handrails lead to the sidedecks, which are backed by a high bowrail, moulded toerails and a good grade of non-skid. There are additional foredeck rails, but no sunpad. The tender is best carried on the transom.

But compared to so many boats it is almost a privilege going forward on the 455 Sedan Bridge. It’s so easy that it adds considerably to the boat’s mooring ease.

A raw-water tap in the anchor locker lets you hose the mud from the plough, while a remote spotlight was added for the run back home after spending too long swinging at anchor.

Thanks to a moulded staircase, the bridge was similarly quick and easy to access. A locking hatch provides added security once up top, as well as shutting out engine noise. A doubly quiet drive from here.

While there wasn’t a fully moulded hardtop, the aluminium pipe-welded frame and canvass leading off the radar arch provided shade and shelter. Importantly, clears and canvas didn’t flap when underway. A clever quick-clip system lets you fix the front clear open without needing to scroll it up first.

There was a lot of mock-walnut panelling on the dash – too much for my liking – but the moulded console is at least accommodating of the supplied electronics while keeping its leading edge out of the skipper’s view.

The boat had Raymarine GPS, Tridata unit and VHF radio. A 10in chartplotter is a factory-fitted option.

There are, like a lot of US boats, separate throttles and gear-shift levers. To me, these seem clumsy considering the boat has high-tech Cummins motors with synchro mode, slow idle and two preset cruise-control speeds. These functions are accessed at the push of a button on the assembly of switches on the dash.

The Smartcraft engine-monitoring panel was middle frame in the dash, so you could check everything from engine revs to fuel flow at a glance. My eyesight must be fading; a bigger Smartcraft screen would be nice.

The bridge was fitted with an optional table and infill. There is room for at least four people around the table on a U-shaped lounge. The helm and co-pilot seats, luxurious numbers I might add, swivel to face the lounge. So you could do lunch with six up top.

Convert the table and lounge and you have a sunpad or a sleepout. On a calm night I would happily sleep up there. But I’d make sure I ticked the options box for the 12V fridge in the bridge. The storage unit looks kind of bare without it.

INDOOR LIVING
Full marks for the pull-across insect screen and the wide sliding door guarding the entrance to the saloon, even if it needed some adjustment due to a pre-delivery oversight.

The decor, one of four interior options called Keystone, was a timeless blend of creams, beiges and bone-coloured bits and bedspreads.

The oversized saloon windows act as picture windows when you are seated on the interior lounges. There are two-stage pull-down blinds for complete privacy or half light. Man-made leather and suede lining, moulded Granicoat counters and Amtico mock parquetry galley flooring are among the easy-clean finishes.

The entertainment centre includes a 20in flatscreen LCD television with DVD/VCR player and a sound system with amplifier and subwoofer. There was a speaker select for isolating indoor and outdoor areas.

Seating comprised a three-person lounge to port that converts to a sofa bed, a two-person lounge opposite and an L-shaped lounge on a mezzanine level with dinette for four people. Add the two casual stools or taborets and you have room to seat 11 people indoors and sleeping for six. See what I mean about accommodating?

Safety expert Mori Slapan rightly points out that the boat could do with a few extra rails around its saloon to help with your passage through the boat in a seaway. At least the galley had a nice, big handrail.

The galley is an open-planned area down a few steps, under the raised saloon roof, which itself is a neat feature that creates a real sense of space in this boat. The washer-dryer resides under the stairs, alongside the servery, which is enthusiastically described as a breakfast bar.

Catering for extended trips away, storage is a real highlight. There is a huge subfloor space for victuals, room left over around the washer-dryer, various drawers and cupboards for glasses and plates, and even a dedicated full-height pantry. Which is to say nothing of the space designed for a coffee maker. Very European indeed.

Amenities include a two-burner recessed stove with splash-collection area, convection microwave, domestic-sized fridge/freezer and garbage receptacle. Full marks for the all-too-rare extractor fan.

SLEEPING BEAUTY
I’m impressed by the two heads, which is something normally found on much bigger boats. Two heads are better than one; they make this a real entertaining boat.

Both heads have Vacuflush loos, shower stalls for big Americans, Grohe fittings, stainless grabrails, and there is a linen press in the guest’s/dayhead. The extractor fan is behind the heads and there is an air-con outlet in each en suite.

The guest’s cabin has single beds with thick foam mattresses and fitted bedspreads. Storage is by way of a lowboy, cupboards and a hanging space with cedar lining and an automatic light.

There is room to stand and dress at the foot of the beds, plus a small seat. Infill cushions let you convert the singles into a big double bed should the need arise.

The best double in the boat is in the owner’s cabin up front. The island berth has steps to assist with your assault on the island-style innerspring mattress. There are two big hanging lockers, a 13in television with remote, and storage in shelves, drawers and cabinets. Floor space is generous for dressing.

Various lighting combinations let you set the mood; air-con controls offer climate control, and there’s a big hatch overhead. It all points to good night’s sleep.

The Sunbrella carpet runners will help keep the interior of this boat looking clean, while the brushed stainless-steel doorknobs typified the move to chic rather than glitz for Sea Ray. We’re talking major steps forward here.

DRIVE TIME
Sea Ray has never wavered from its philosophy on the water. The company prefers moderate to deep-vee hulls, depending on their length, that can handle a bit of the rough stuff.

On the day of our test, a messy 1.5m sea with a similar-height swell confronted the 455 Sedan Bridge.

These were what I consider perfect test conditions. Any rougher and you wouldn’t bother. But as it was, you would still make the dash back home.

Foremost, the boat is exceptionally quiet. Second, it is smooth. Third, it’s dry. And last but not least, the moderate 18° of deadrise does an honourable job of taming the sea. There were thuds and thumps but no jarring.

Economical cruise revs of 2000rpm gave about 18–19kt, according to the GPS, for a total fuel consumption of about 85lt/h. Leaving 10 per cent of the 1325lt fuel capacity in reserve, the boat can cruise for more than 14 hours over 265nm.

My figures fit within those supplied by Sea Ray. Fast cruise at 2380rpm gave 23.2kt but 132lt/h consumption, and flat out the boat did a speedy 27.3kt at 2750rpm, using 189.5lt. A few more hours and this would be a 28kt boat.

If you want speed, you can always buy a Sea Ray sportscruiser. However, if you want a liveaboard boat, a holiday home afloat, this is a better option. Try Sea Ray’s new 455 Sedan Bridge on for size. For me, and most big Americans, it is a perfect fit.

HIGHS

• Styling and people-friendly design
• Excellent ergonomics and all-over access
• Vast improvement in finish
• Generous accommodation, loads of seating and serious cruising amenities

LOWS

• Non-compliant halon fire-suppression system
• Needs a ceiling rail in the saloon
• None of the tables have fiddle rails to stop food and drinks flying

 

Boat Specifications: 455 Sea Ray Sedan Bridge

SEA RAY 455 SEDAN BRIDGE

OPTIONS FITTED Engine upgrade, cockpit lounge, removable cockpit table, table for the flybridge, coffee table with twin taborets in the saloon, ducted vacuuming, washer-dryer, bowthruster, Smart Craft and more

GENERAL

Material: GRP hull with cored decks

Type: Monohull

Length overall: 13.84m w/ platform

Beam: 4.27m

Draft: About 1.12m

Deadrise: 18°

Weight: 12,927kg dry w/ std motors

CAPACITIES

Berths: Four plus four

Fuel: 1325lt

Water: 454lt

ENGINE

Make/model: Cummins 480CE Type: Electronically-controlled six-cylinder turbocharged diesels Rated hp: 446 @ 2750rpm (max)

Displacement: 8.3lt

Weight: 858kg

Gearboxes (make/ratio): ZF 1.761:1

Props: Four-blade bronze