Sedan Bridge vs. Express Cruiser

[Captain Nemo]

Down the road my wife and I are interested in buying a 4-5 yr. old sedan bridge. We like the fact the room it offers in the salon, and importantly, the all-around windows and daylight that cannot quite be offered in an express format. The idea of an additional level to hang out on (the fly deck) seems cool too.

We are new at this, and so I am addressing these questions to those who either owned both boat types, or who simply know a lot about them, and I do appreciate your time and advice.

1. FYI, we can't spend more than 500k for it, that's our cap.

2. Sea Ray or not Sea Ray, that is the question. While we like Sea Ray, and will keep our 280 Sundancer on a NH lake for many years to come, the sedan bridge will be for a Gulf of Mexico / Florida / Atlantic East coast usage, and we would love to have something in a 50' size. I know it's weird to ask this question inside the very friendly and wonderful ClubSeaRay.com, but what the heck, this is democracy: are there other (not Sea Ray) pre-owned sedan bridges that we should look into, and would you point out their pros and cons vs. Sea Ray sedan bridges?

3. Some sedan bridges (sport fishing yachts or whatever) have 2 helms: one on the bridge and the other inside. Is it the cost that Sea Ray doesn't feature 2 sets of controls?

4. When you guys (and gals) get out on the open sea, isn't it windy up on the fly deck? Don't you often have to put up the plastic canvas? Does it take long to put it up, say, on a Sedan Bridge 47?

5. From your personal experience, why would you recommend a sedan bridge over express, or perhaps not?

6. I don't want to bore you and/or (adversely) affect your evening, so I'll limit my remaining 20-30+ questions to just one more. Are we OK to try to get as big a vessel as we can afford (+/- 50'), or should we look for something smaller?

Thanks for your input, and have a nice evening everybody!

 

[sbw1]

I won't plug the obvious brand. We've owned several SRs and enjoyed them before the change. Expresses are not for everyone, but the bigger ones with hardtops are great. As you get older and your back starts to "talk to you" they are easier to single hand and operate. Also very much easier to wax, wash and keep clean while cruising. We do a far amount of big water boating and my wife has never enjoyed a bridge boat in rough water because of the motion up there. Buy what you like but know what you like before you spend the bucks. We've been buying the same design layout for 40 years and we know what works for us.

 

[Converse48]

Sea Ray or not Sea Ray, that is the question. While we like Sea Ray, and will keep our 280 Sundancer on a NH lake for many years to come, the sedan bridge will be for a Gulf of Mexico / Florida / Atlantic East coast usage, and we would love to have something in a 50' size. I know it's weird to ask this question inside the very friendly and wonderful ClubSeaRay.com, but what the heck, this is democracy: are there other (not Sea Ray) pre-owned sedan bridges that we should look into, and would you point out their pros and cons vs. Sea Ray sedan bridges?
Some of the other options are likely more "Sportfishing" boats like Ocean, Viking, Hatteras, Bertram, Riviera, Cabo, etc. These are typically more intended for offshore use and for, well, fishing. The deeper V design often comes at the cost of efficiency, so you have to ask yourself what kind of boating do you think you will be doing. I am comfortable taking my 44DB in the ocean occasionally, but if I were along the coast I would probably go with a sportfishing-type boat. There are other sedan bridge types, mostly from European manufactures like Azimut, Fairline, Cranchi, etc. but I am (obviously) partial to Sea Ray.

3. Some sedan bridges (sport fishing yachts or whatever) have 2 helms: one on the bridge and the other inside. Is it the cost that Sea Ray doesn't feature 2 sets of controls?
The second helm is a major cost driver (with redundant everything!) as well as a hog of interior space. Most, if not all, sport fish boats do NOT have them. The inside helm is more of a Europe thing.

4. When you guys (and gals) get out on the open sea, isn't it windy up on the fly deck? Don't you often have to put up the plastic canvas? Does it take long to put it up, say, on a Sedan Bridge 47?
These boats typically have their "canvas" (strata or EZ2CY) up all the time. They will have opening panels and vents that are very easy to open/close, but the bridges stay pretty much enclosed all the time. Many are air conditioned. You will also hear about the dreaded "motion" of being further up on the bridge. While this is true per the laws of physics, you are really only a few feet higher up on the bridge than you would be in an express cruiser, espcially one with a raised helm to allow for a cabin below the helm. The other point is that for those who don't like the "motion", they can hang out in the salon in air conditioned comfort and watch TV while still having a nice view of the surroundings and a clear view of the horizon (which can aid in motion sickness).

5. From your personal experience, why would you recommend a sedan bridge over express, or perhaps not?
The reasons you mention... more, better-lit interior room, and flying bridges are just plain cool. The dancer crowd will point to their "single level" exterior, which is true. As long as you're OK living in a cave. Don't buy the "dancers are sportier" BS any Sea Ray sedan bridge my size or bigger is as fast, if not faster, than a similar sized dancer.

6. I don't want to bore you and/or (adversely) affect your evening, so I'll limit my remaining 20-30+ questions to just one more. Are we OK to try to get as big a vessel as we can afford (+/- 50'), or should we look for something smaller?
For your budget you might be able to find a late model 50-52DB or you can take your pick of any of the 48DBs on the market. Whether this is "the right size" for you or not depends on a ton of other factors.

Let the fight begin!:smt021

 

[Carver370]

While my next boat is a Sea Ray Sedan, my second choice would be a 530 Carver Voyager. Something else to look into.

I am not a big fan of Silvertons but their sportfish boats are more of a Sedan Bridge than anything, no ladder to the flybridge since it has molded steps is very nice.

The obvious question is, your cap is 500K which is great but how much are you willing to spend per year on maintenance, dockage, running it, etc. etc.

 

[earthmover17]

Nemo,
I can't speak for other boats but I love my SR bridge boat. This site and specifically Frank and Gary have saved me thousands. That in of itself would lead me to stay with a SR.
As festivus said the second helm to me is worthless as it steals a ton of room from the saloon. If the weathers bad enough that I need to be in the saloon I shouldn't be out there.

Jack

 

[bmac]

Down the road my wife and I are interested in buying a 4-5 yr. old sedan bridge. We like the fact the room it offers in the salon, and importantly, the all-around windows and daylight that cannot quite be offered in an express format. The idea of an additional level to hang out on (the fly deck) seems cool too.

We are new at this, and so I am addressing these questions to those who either owned both boat types, or who simply know a lot about them, and I do appreciate your time and advice.

1. FYI, we can't spend more than 500k for it, that's our cap.
For $500k you've got lots of choices, from an almost new 44DB to a few year old 48DB or 52DB
2. Sea Ray or not Sea Ray, that is the question. While we like Sea Ray, and will keep our 280 Sundancer on a NH lake for many years to come, the sedan bridge will be for a Gulf of Mexico / Florida / Atlantic East coast usage, and we would love to have something in a 50' size. I know it's weird to ask this question inside the very friendly and wonderful ClubSeaRay.com, but what the heck, this is democracy: are there other (not Sea Ray) pre-owned sedan bridges that we should look into, and would you point out their pros and cons vs. Sea Ray sedan bridges? Other than Azimut and the '08 Ovation 52 I haven't seen another Sedan Bridge layout or fit and finish that compared to Sea Ray. The Ovation had triple IPS and I think was still underpowered.

3. Some sedan bridges (sport fishing yachts or whatever) have 2 helms: one on the bridge and the other inside. Is it the cost that Sea Ray doesn't feature 2 sets of controls? I would say cost is one issue but the primary reason you'll rarely (I've never seen one) see a Sea Ray DB with the second helm is the room it consumes in the saloon.

4. When you guys (and gals) get out on the open sea, isn't it windy up on the fly deck? Don't you often have to put up the plastic canvas? Does it take long to put it up, say, on a Sedan Bridge 47? My Strataglass is always up, vents open in hot weather.

5. From your personal experience, why would you recommend a sedan bridge over express, or perhaps not?
Like most everyone else that has commented, the space the Sedan Bridge affords and the livability of the boats, makes them more like home. I've had two DA's and now a DB. We've looked to move up each of the past two years and have walked back and forth between the 48DA and our boat and have not made the move. The 48DA is a great boat, but my boat at 6 feet shorter and one foot less beam has more livable space, IMO....and it burns significantly less fuel at the same cruise speed.
6. I don't want to bore you and/or (adversely) affect your evening, so I'll limit my remaining 20-30+ questions to just one more. Are we OK to try to get as big a vessel as we can afford (+/- 50'), or should we look for something smaller?

Thanks for your input, and have a nice evening everybody!

Go as big as you can afford...to buy, operate and maintain. Best of luck buying a new boat is an exciting time.

 

[northern]

If I was to buy another boat the first rule would be no canvas especially if you are going off shore. Second I would give up speed for a boat that is solid in the water to ride out big waves rather than go fast to get out of the storm. An upper and lower helm are great. We have both and on cold wet days going to Alaska the warm interior of the boat is nice. The upper helm is heated with a 40,000 BTU heater run off waste heat from a main engine, but it is like trying to heat a tent. On hot days the upper helm is cool.

 

[Jackie J V]

Wow... I managed to get in before this turns into the typical Bridge vs. Express post.

You guys in bridges are old...
You guys in expresses live in caves...

:smt043

Don't worry, we'll get there yet.

I just moved to my first bridge boat last season, having boated solely in express cruisers for the previous nine years. I thought I'd never make the move and was sure that I'd be losing a lot by making the move. Turns out we love it and for now, I can't imagine moving back. Both formats are great...it just depends on what you're looking for.

For me, I wanted three staterooms as our boat is our cottage. We're there every weekend for half of the year and typically do three weeks extended cruising during the summer. With two growing teenage boys and two dogs, we needed the space.

I too was concerned with the issue of motion. When sitting at the helm, we are at least six feet higher (maybe even eight) than we were sitting in our Regal 4260. We were in some pretty big stuff last summer and didn't notice it any more than in the prior boat - we were actually more stable in total. Obviously the heavier weight contributes to the stability, but so does the engine position. In the bridge boat, the engines are going to act as a great big countersink right in the middle of the boat (often) versus in most express cruisers their right in the aft portion of the boat. That makes a big difference.

We never take down the full canvas. At 30 knots, crap would be flying everwhere. We do open the smilies to the extent we're looking for air flow.

Five hundred grand will get you a lot of boat. Just be aware though, the operating costs seem to go up exponentially with size. Everything costs more...slip, fuel, maintenance (there are going to be alot more systems), etc., etc. Also if you're going for used, be prepared to invest 10% again for upgrades and starting maintenance.

I don't think I'd use the lower helm station (but I have no experience to say that definitively). I think I'd feel claustrophobic - without a clear view. To Jack's point, if it's so bad that you'd want to hide out below - I wouldn't want to be out there. Even more, if I were caught out in those conditions, I think I'd want to be up high for visibility. I've been caught in 14 footers before and more visibility would be a good thing.

Final point...make sure you're going to be comfortable in the size. It's a big leap from the 280 to a 50+ footer (we had three boats after our 28 footer before we got to the current boat). I was pretty intimidated at first with each step up, especially this one moving from our 44 footer. We're fine now...but it took a bit of a leap of faith. Sea Trials would be great.

Cheers and good luck!
Paul

 

[rmadaris]

We just returned from cruising south Florida in the 42DB we bought last January. The view, quiet (with hatch closed), warmth (been chilly down here too) with the glass zippered shut and the hatch closed....could go on and on. Bottom line we feel we made the perfect decision - not a compromise!

 

[fwebster]

For my particular use, i.e. mostly as a day boat with several 4 to 5 100> mile cruises a year, we prefer an express style boat. However, I run 2 convertibles for friends on a regular basis when they have company or when we need to move one of the boats a long distance. One is a 50 Viking w/1000 hp MANs, the other is a 54 Hattaras w/8v92 Detroits.

The good points were mentioned above, but there are some down sides to the Convertible/Bridge boats. The ride on the bridge is considerable worse in quartering or beam seas and marginally worse in following and head seas because of the height off the water.......the heavier the seas, the worse that difference becomes. I much prefer the ride of my Sundancer for coastal cruising where speed isn't a consideration. In a Sea Ray express style boat, you just slow down and the ride becomes tolerable. If you need to cover some territory, or are going to be doing regular crossings to the islands, etc. then I'd prefer either the Viking or Hat. or some other serious blue water boat. They are big and heavy and will just keep going.........everyone on the boat is going to be hanging on to something and you are not going to be moving around in the cabin unless you crawl, and the bridge is going to get wet, but you can keep trucking.

The biggest disadvantage to me on Sea Ray bridge boats is the controls are on the bridge so the guy running the boat is helpless for line handling during docking. Most convertibles have gear and throttle controls in the cockpit and I use them regularly in docking after I get the boat turned stern to the slip. I lose count how many times a day I climb to the bridge on convertibles but my legs know it at the end of a day. Consider that when you are shopping.......

The noise in a salon on a convertible is almost deafening. You can sit comfortably and stay dry, but passengers won't be carrying on a conversation. Sitting 3 ft away from 2000 hp separated only by the salon floor is not going to be a quiet relaxing day on the water. The noise on the bridge is significantly less, so that is where most folks chose to ride.

Forget the lower station on convertibles or sedan bridge boats. it is useless for anything but riding in A/C and looking forward. Besides, the lower station is an expensive option if offered and it will also significantly increase your maintenance and repair cost.

If I were picking a bridge boat to leave idle for long periods and to use for coastal cruising, I'd pick a Sea Ray 480DB, a 52 DB or larger. The Sea Ray has established dealers and known systems on them. Convertibles will be more expensive to maintain because there are more systems and they are more complex.

Leaving a boat in FLorida for extended periods brings on some overhead you may not be factoring into your equation.......The boat cannot sit, it must be run regularly or you need a diver to keep the bottom clean. Boats cannot sit in the Florida sun without regular attention. They need to be washed about once a week and they will need wax/polish 4 or more times a year. God help you if you buy a blue or black hull and don't wax the hull regularly and keep the salt washed off of it regularly.

Insurance for a move from a 28' boat to something 50' or more is going to be difficult unless you have current documented experience in a larger boat. Expect to be denided or a rider put on your policy that you have a hired licensed captain on the boat with you for 3-6 months. Insurance for an absentee owner can be a challenge in Florida with our storm frequency. How will you get the boat to a protected hurricane hole or to a haul-out facility? Can you even find a haul-out when a storm is approaching? You can contract for storm haul outs, but if your boat isn't here when the travel lift is ready, you are out of luck.

Lots to think about............Now you probably have 50 more questions!

 

[compensation]

1. FYI, we can't spend more than 500k for it, that's our cap. As you are talking about "down the road" it's hard to judge what $500K will buy, but in today's market you would have a lot of choices.

2. Sea Ray or not Sea Ray, that is the question. While we like Sea Ray, and will keep our 280 Sundancer on a NH lake for many years to come, the sedan bridge will be for a Gulf of Mexico / Florida / Atlantic East coast usage, and we would love to have something in a 50' size. I know it's weird to ask this question inside the very friendly and wonderful ClubSeaRay.com, but what the heck, this is democracy: are there other (not Sea Ray) pre-owned sedan bridges that we should look into, and would you point out their pros and cons vs. Sea Ray sedan bridges? To me the first question is not brand specific, but rather style specific. Within the category of boats with a fly bridgerange/fuel efficiency and livability at the expense of speed. you have a vast array of styles. Based on your boating style (or anticipated style for "down the road") do you really need to do 20+ knots? Many power cruisers opt for a 6-12 knot boat that gains seaworthiness,

3. Some sedan bridges (sport fishing yachts or whatever) have 2 helms: one on the bridge and the other inside. Is it the cost that Sea Ray doesn't feature 2 sets of controls? Cost in $ and room are the key factors. A bridge boat with no lower helm will need a full enclosure, but these are never completely water/weather tight. A boat with an open bridge and a well designed lower helm is ultimately more versatile.

4. When you guys (and gals) get out on the open sea, isn't it windy up on the fly deck? Don't you often have to put up the plastic canvas? Does it take long to put it up, say, on a Sedan Bridge 47? I think you will find that most people leave the enclosure intact but may open a smiley or a panel here or there. I personally find that more that 2 hours with a 25 knot wind in my face is too much. I prefer to have something in front of me to block the wind and spray. Of course if you have a lower helm station you can retreat there in foul weather.


5. From your personal experience, why would you recommend a sedan bridge over express, or perhaps not? I like the visibility from the fly bridge. Going up and down stairs is a bit of a pain, but worth the trip!

6. I don't want to bore you and/or (adversely) affect your evening, so I'll limit my remaining 20-30+ questions to just one more. Are we OK to try to get as big a vessel as we can afford (+/- 50'), or should we look for something smaller? Be careful here. You need to work closely with your insurance company to make sure that they will cover you. Making too large a step in size can set off alarms with them. There is a steep learning curve going from a 28 to a 50, but actual boat handling is often easier with a larger vessel.

 

[Turtlesboat]

Bridge boats always look so cool at boat shows, like mini duplex condos. But unless it's pooring down rain, we love to be outside and on one level. I don't want to sit inside and stare out a window. I don't like being removed up on the bridge. For me the decision was really about how we like to enjoy the boat. I find it surprising how little we spend "inside" the boat other than sleeping. we spend most of our time in the cockpit, swimming, running around on the dinghy. I like the flow of the sundancer for this kind of activity. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Jaws]

There have been many good points made here so far and I had a similar decision back in 2007. My final choice was assisted by the tremendous help of members of this board. Try this link: Choices: 460DA vs 480DB

Just remember that every boat is a COMPROMISE! We ended up with a Sundancer because half the time it's just my wife and I aboard while the rest of the time it's maybe just one other couple. Number of people aboard is probably the main reason at this point in our lives for this choice. Also, we run the boat quite a bit in our abbreviated boating season from port to port and the Sundancer is nice for the purpose, but prior to that we did more anchoring in our former location of Georgian Bay. I agree with Paul that a bridge boat may be better for that scenario.

What do you give up with the Sundancer? Salon space, extra accomodations, and cruising speed. What do you gain with the 'Dancer compared to a similarly sized bridge boat like the 480DB? Lower maintenance and fuel costs and a lower COG. Both handle well and are very attractive boats. Yes I have to enter the boat through canvas but we like the open air livability when we want it and unzipping the camper is a three minute job. The cockpit is well protected and climate controlled so that's where we spend much of our time.

Good luck with your decision.

James

 

[docofthebay]

My other boat is a 27ft sportfisher that has upper and lower stations. I never, never use the lower station, it is a waste of space and potentially money as the doubled gauges, controls etc all cost extra when replacing/repairing. I thought it would be cool to have both, but in 5 years of use, I think I used it once and that was only when a shifter cable messed up on the upper station. I fixed it and went right back upstairs.

 

[dpmulvey]

Donning nomex suit.

Have you considered a Bayliner 4788. They can be had for well under $300K

 

[Soren]

I like bridge boats.

 

[Tonka Boater]

...we love to be outside and on one level. I don't want to sit inside and stare out a window....I find it surprising how little we spend "inside" the boat other than sleeping. we spend most of our time in the cockpit...

Ditto...I'd love a bigger boat but we really wouldn't need a bigger cabin at this stage. More cockpit space for entertaining would be great though. Maybe down the road.