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.

 

Yes, Beam matters.

 

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

what he said!

 

the '09 up 270/280 DA is more comparable to an '05-'08 260, not the '01-'08 280

 

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

 

Once upon a time a "270" had a 10 foot beam

MM

 

Went from 260 DA to 290 DA the feel was dramatically different. So much more room and breathability.

 

1 foot of beam on a 30 ft boat is 30 sqft of space. 1 foot of LOA adds nothing.

 

Still amazed Every time I see one of those late 80’s 340’s,......looks like you could play volleyball on that thing!

 

The next year up the 340 became the 350 and lost, I believe 6 inches of beam and it's noticeably tighter.

 

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

 

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.

 

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.

 

i tell my wife the beam matters all the time...


wait... what are we talking about again???

 

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?

 

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.

 

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.

 

The yellow SR had some of the characteristics you described. You could really roll it with the trim tabs or when people would move from one side to the other. That is the downside of a narrow beam deep V hull. They are tender and lean into the wind without tab adjustments. The upside is the ride. This boat went through some big Lake Michigan seas relative to its small size. It was a dream running the inlet in rough seas into Grand Haven harbor. The Tiara also has a very fine entry with a keel and 13 foot beam which is kind of the best of all worlds. It has a good ride and plenty of space inside for a 32 foot water line. It was about the same length overall as my 370 SR Express. Don't have a pic of the SR in the slings, but if I did, the front of the hull would would be much fatter than the Tiara. It had more living space and head room than the Tiara. Its ride on Lake Michigan in a chop was punishing however. When the lake was flat, it was faster than the Tiara but less economical to run in spite of being a much lighter boat. Was a great boat for cocktails with guests. Hull design is all about trade offs.

 

The more beam the less rockin' n rollin', but the difference between the two boats your looking at is more than that. The older 280DA is about 2.5' longer along with the 7" wider, you're going to get more boat, it'll be noticeable. The heavier, older 280DA is also 21 degree deadrise vs 19 which will give you a bit better ride in rougher seas. Get the older larger 280DA is my recommendation.

 

I went from a 28 footer with a 10’ 6” beam to a 36 footer with a 14’ beam and will never go back.

You can stroll around in the salon and cockpit.

 

View attachment 72360 I went from a 28 footer with a 10’ 6” beam to a 36 footer with a 14’ beam and will never go back.

You can stroll around in the salon and cockpit.

Ditto, We went from an 02 280DA to a Sabre 38 with a 14' beam. The ride is completely different for the better. That said is significantly heavier (2x+) and uses more than twice as many horses. The crazy thing is on plane at 21 knots we are burning less than 20 gph total.

Henry

 

Beam is the most important, as long as it makes sense. I went from a 268 with an 8'6" beam to a 380 with a 13' beam.... Love it

 

I've always wondered why there were a handful of Sea Ray models (late 80's, early 90's) that seem to have MASSIVELY more beam than any other vintage of those models. I see some upper 30's and lower 40's Sea Rays around me that look to have 2' more beam than late 90's through today equivalents.

I wonder if Sea Ray found the fine line between beam, weight, performance and had to back off on "super beaminess" after these models?

 

View attachment 72354 The yellow SR had some of the characteristics you described. You could really roll it with the trim tabs or when people would move from one side to the other. That is the downside of a narrow beam deep V hull. They are tender and lean into the wind without tab adjustments. The upside is the ride. This boat went through some big Lake Michigan seas relative to its small size. It was a dream running the inlet in rough seas into Grand Haven harbor. The Tiara also has a very fine entry with a keel and 13 foot beam which is kind of the best of all worlds. It has a good ride and plenty of space inside for a 32 foot water line. It was about the same length overall as my 370 SR Express. Don't have a pic of the SR in the slings, but if I did, the front of the hull would would be much fatter than the Tiara. It had more living space and head room than the Tiara. Its ride on Lake Michigan in a chop was punishing however. When the lake was flat, it was faster than the Tiara but less economical to run in spite of being a much lighter boat. Was a great boat for cocktails with guests. Hull design is all about trade offs.
View attachment 72353 View attachment 72352

Here is a pic of my 370DA which supports your comment about looking “fatter”...

 

Lord! Your boat is surrounded by behemoths! Makes it look small actually. Lol

 

Ditto, We went from an 02 280DA to a Sabre 38 with a 14' beam. The ride is completely different for the better. That said is significantly heavier (2x+) and uses more than twice as many horses. The crazy thing is on plane at 21 knots we are burning less than 20 gph total.

Henry

How are you liking the Sabre so far?

I’m picking up my new Back Cove tomorrow. I’ll be going from 8.5 foot beam to 12 feet - much different ride.

 

The Back Cove is a very nice boat. Congrats.

 

YOU ARENT KIDDING!
they had one at the boat show down here and the wood work was absolutely amazing!

 

Yes. It's all about beam. You'll notice the most when walking from corner to corner on a narrow boat, the boat will lean a lot and make sitting not very comfortable. Or someone steps on to the boat you feel the lean. Wider boats have less movement at the dock or at anchor and I think a much heavier solid ride so Go wide .

 

When I had my 250 all my friends and dock neighbors had narrow beam boats as well because of the slip width. One of the stupid-boy-tricks we enjoyed (we've matured since then) doing was all rushing to one side of the boat just as a friend was maneuvering into a slip. Scared the living **** out of him. That trick doesn't work with a wide beam boat.

So that there is all the reasons you need to go wider

 

When I had my 250 all my friends and dock neighbors had narrow beam boats as well because of the slip width. One of the stupid-boy-tricks we enjoyed (we've matured since then) doing was all rushing to one side of the boat just as a friend was maneuvering into a slip. Scared the living **** out of him. That trick doesn't work with a wide beam boat.

So that there is all the reasons you need to go wider

One of the tricks our boys used to play on neighbors when we were at a transient slip next to a narrow beam boat was to run back and forth in cockpit of our 300 WE at bedtime when our aft curtain was up and they were unseen. Our 300 wouldn't move much but they could usually get the less beamy boat next door rolling so much that the owner would come up from down below to see what was causing the big wake. The boys would hide and then do it again when the bewildered neighbor would go below again. It was funny to watch. Some people never grow up.

 

Same here with a 2003 260DA - 8'6" Beam it would noticeably rock side to side but on the 340SDA with a 12' beam it is barely noticeable. When people enter and exit the boat I usually hear them now rather than feeling the boat move. One other factor is the gross weight - the 340SDA is probably double the weight and holds it place in the water quite well.

-Kevin