Is it Really "all about the beam"?

L&L

New Member
Aug 11, 2017
17
Boat Info
2004 Sea Ray 225 Weekender with Standard Horizon CP 180 plotter and SH VHF radio
Engines
5.0 Mercruiser with Bravo 3 drive
A fellow boater once told me that enjoyment of your boat is all about maximum beam width (among other things of course). In this regard, we are looking to upgrade from our 225 Weekender to a 280 DA. Looking through the archives, in 2010 it looks like Sea Ray put the 280 on a diet and the beam width dropped from 9'5" to 8"10". From a trailering perspective I like the slimmer 280 but wondering if it makes that much of a difference when on the water?

Thanks in advance for all thoughts/input/advice.

John (Vancouver, BC)
 
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Beam offers more design options and therefore possibly more style and features. However, a planning hull needs to have a fine entry and a decent deadrise to achieve a sea kindly ride on big water. Long water lines and mass help as well. Many SR models stress interior design above sea keeping capability on blue water lakes and oceans. So it depends on your definition of comfort. Living space or ride? The larger SR boats may offer both but I have no experience on SRs longer than 45 feet.
 
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I've owned 8.5 beam boats my whole boating life (25 years). Last boat was a 268DA I had for 9 years and I just moved into a 10'2" beam 290 (my first 10 beam).

My perspective, oh, hell yes it matters hugely!

-Fishing in choppy-beam seas this past weekend is a totally different experience and more tolerable.
-Moving about the cockpit and cabin areas are easy with multiple people on board.
-Boating and fishing are now a completely different and more enjoyable experience.
-People moving about the cockpit while the boat is underway does not require constant trim tab adjustments.

Negatives:
-Trailering is slightly more challenging, but very do-able with a good trailer.
-Need wide-load permit
 
Comparing the 2 "280 models", you will notice a big difference. Sea Ray started representing LOA into the models numbers when they molded the swim platforms with the hull design. Not only is the older 280 wider, but it is longer at 31'. As previously stated, the new 280 is comparable to the older 260

Yes, Beam matters.
what he said!
 
1 foot of beam on a 30 ft boat is 30 sqft of space. 1 foot of LOA adds nothing.
 
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I had a late 80s 350DA share a twin slip with no piling between for a few weeks. They are WIDE. My fenders rolled between us as I backed in. Nerve wracking
 
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Wife and I bought our first 40 Sundancer because it was a " big butt girl". Made all the difference living on the vessel for weeks on end.
Went on a friends sail boat; convinced me that narrow ain't my thing.
 
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I'm going to add something to this, especially if you're looking for 33'-40'. I've owned my share of boats (two separate boat lives) and within the last year went from a 330EC to a 340DA to get the midcabin. The 330 had straight drive inboards. Our 340 is V drives. The 330 ran so much better. The center of gravity being forward made a huge difference. I also owned a 400EC with straight drive inboards which ran amazing. If you don't need extra space in the cabin, the expresses run very, very well. I'm extremely pleased with my 340 Sundancer but if the quality of ride is most important to you, straight drives are excellent.
 
Beam is one part of the equation only. Length is the other (pertinent to this conversation), rather it is the ratio between the two that will significantly drive how your boat will perform . The real answer to your question boils down to how you boat and what you want out of your boat. If livability outweighs overall performance and fuel economy, you likely want a beamier boat. As sbw1 noted above, If you like to go fast and expect a seakindly fuel efficient ride you will want a narrower boat. If you boat in calm protected waters you may be ok going with a beamier boat without really feeling any sacrifice of performance.
 
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Beam is one part of the equation only. Length is the other (pertinent to this conversation), rather it is the ratio between the two that will significantly drive how your boat will perform . The real answer to your question boils down to how you boat and what you want out of your boat. If livability outweighs overall performance and fuel economy, you likely want a beamier boat. As sbw1 noted above, If you like to go fast and expect a seakindly fuel efficient ride you will want a narrower boat. If you boat in calm protected waters you may be ok going with a beamier boat without really feeling any sacrifice of performance.

I sorta agree - if you increase or decrease beam holding length constant.

Would think that's taken into effect by the designer when they were designing the parameters. House boat versus sun dancer.

"As sbw1 noted above, If you like to go fast and expect a seakindly fuel efficient ride you will want a narrower boat". If you like to go fast, sea kindly ride, and you want to extra room of the beamier boat - then make sure you have the length to support the beam.... Does that make sense?
 
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I sorta agree - if you increase or decrease beam holding length constant.

Would think that's taken into effect by the designer when they were designing the parameters. House boat versus sun dancer.

"As sbw1 noted above, If you like to go fast and expect a seakindly fuel efficient ride you will want a narrower boat". If you like to go fast, sea kindly ride, and you want to extra room of the beamier boat - then make sure you have the length to support the beam.... Does that make sense?
Yes that is on point. As you increase length you can also increase beam without conceivably changing the ratio between the two. So bigger boat overall, more livability and if properly designed seakindly ride. The OP is looking between various years of the 280 model and mentions a significant beam change at some point. I dont know what the corresponding waterline length was with the design change, so the beam change could be impactful or not depending that.
 
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Yes that is on point. As you increase length you can also increase beam without conceivably changing the ratio between the two. So bigger boat overall, more livability and if properly designed seakindly ride. The OP is looking between various years of the 280 model and mentions a significant beam change at some point. I dont know what the corresponding waterline length was with the design change, so the beam change could be impactful or not depending that.

That sounds reasonable.
 
The when beam on a planing hull increases, the cost is ability to carry deadrise throughtout the hull, fuel, and increases the danger lev l in a following sea. The upside is stability withl as rolling due to flattening of hull toward transom. So it is all about risk/benefit and, where and how you will use boat.
 
A fellow boater once told me that enjoyment of your boat is all about maximum beam width (among other things of course). In this regard, we are looking to upgrade from our 225 Weekender to a 280 DA. Looking through the archives, in 2010 it looks like Sea Ray put the 280 on a diet and the beam width dropped from 9'5" to 8"10". From a trailering perspective I like the slimmer 280 but wondering if it makes that much of a difference when on the water?

Thanks in advance for all thoughts/input/advice.

John (Vancouver, BC)

Had a 2005 260 with a 8'6'' beam. It was the most topsy turvy boat I ever owned, scary even. Always felt like to was going to roll over. Searay really botched the design on that one and so, I sold it after 2 years. My opinion,, always go up 10 feet when upgrading, bigger is better, beam is bigger and so, I'd recommend a 300 or 310, you won't regret it.
 

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