Sea Ray’s new series of Select runabouts have been immediate hits, and the 250 could prove to be one of the most popular boats in the company’s entire lineup.
This model exudes a style that told us right away on test day that Sea Ray had stepped it up from a standard that’s already high. Gone are the plastic louvers feeding air to the engine compartment. Instead, we found perforated dot, stainless-steel grates with molded trimmings that looked sharp and let the big dog 496 Mag HO eat all the air it wanted. After all, that’s the limiting factor on most engines – the amount of air available to generate horsepower. We also found an exhaust diverter on board that opened up the pipes and added 1.5 mph to our top speed, letting us touch an exciting 60 miles per hour with 50 gallons of fuel.
But Sea Ray didn’t have to bone up much for this design because the 270 that we tested one year ago was right on the money. We found the same sharp helm setup with toggled switches protected by stainless-steel rings. We found Smartcraft gauges that were accurate and easy to read, and we found a fuel-flow meter in the system that lets the driver optimize his trim and rpm settings for the best economy when cruising.
Luxury splashes this hull in the form of double-stitched vinyl with three-color accents, jewel-quality stainless fittings, and ear-splitting Ferrari Momo tweeters and midrange speakers. Call the 250 Select EX a line extension if you want, or call it 25 feet of pure pleasure. It’s on target for the business of having fun.
Vital Stats
Length Overall: 26’6″
Beam: 8’6″
Dry Weight: 5,050 lb.
Fuel Capacity: 75 gal.
Maximum HP: 425
NMMA Certified: Yes
MSRP (base boat): $61,336
MSRP (test boat): $85,210
