Gasparilla Island residents will be among the first to catch a glimpse of the prototype of the new 37-foot Sea Ray 370 Venture.
The Sea Ray 370 Venture will arrive at the Boca Grande Marina by 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 24, and depart by 11 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 25. The boat will be available for viewing and possible sea trials.
"The boat is quite spectacular," said Capt. Tom Healey, MarineMax Venice sales consultant.
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The Sea Ray 370 Venture will arrive at the Boca Grande Marina by 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 24 and depart by 11 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 25.
Healey said the hidden outboard layout of the 370 Venture is ingenious and allowed great expansion of the cockpit and transom area. Overall, the Sea Ray 370 Venture design solves a lot of issues, Healey said.
"Typically draft is the No. 1 issue," Healey said. "This boat can move around in 22 inches of water. The engines trim up out of the water so you don't have to have a boatlift. It's got a better warranty and emissions control.
"The big advantage is it has a huge cabin. It's got the mid-state room of a 44-footer."
Fact Box
To Go
Who: Capt. Tom Healey, MarineMax Venice sales consultant
What: prototype of the new 37-foot Sea Ray 370 Venture
When: arrives by 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 24 and depart by 11 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 25
Where: Boca Grande Marina
Why: stopover on way to St. Petersburg Boat show
Cost: MSRP $375,000-$425,000
Contact: contact Healey at (941) 626-3741
Sea Ray 370 Venture innovations
Eliminating the inboard engine room allows space for creating the largest and most comfortable mid-cabin, full-beam master stateroom in class.
- Outboard motors can be tilted out of the water minimizing fouling and corrosion issues. Owners with docks with low water on moon tides can let the 370 Venture rest on her own bottom unhurt.
- Drive units trimmed partially up allow the vessel to be used in skinny water and even beached, extending cruising possibilities.
Extended swim platform reaches far beyond the props, making it safe for swimmers sliding into the water. ??
Engine boxes over the port and starboard outboard wells muffle the engines twice - by the shrouds and the engine boxes. This makes the boat remarkably quiet.??
Because outboard engines are mounted so far aft and so low, the cockpit is huge and able to seat six people around a table for entertaining.
Editor's note: For more details tune into "The Boating Life," at 8:06 a.m. Saturday and Sunday on WENG 107.5 or contact Healey at (941) 626-3741.
The twin 300-horsepower Mercury Verados engines offer exceptionally low noise and vibration.
"The boat is so quiet you'd think it was on electric powerboat," Healey said. "Its exterior styling and large living spaces make the 370 Venture Sea Ray's most appealing 37-footer ever."
It's not for the faint of wallet. The 2013 Sea Ray 370 Venture carries a manufacturer's suggested retail sticker tag ranging from $375,000 to $425,000.
"You have only 24 hours to see this beautiful vessel," Healey said.
Boattest.com gave the following review:
"There have been lots of sea trials going on at Merritt Island, Fla., recently in a boat that we have never seen before. The boat is incredibly quiet so we naturally wondered what kind of propulsion system it has. What we discovered might end up being the marine story of the year: a 37-foot express cruiser powered by twin Mercury 300-hp supercharged Verado outboard engines. By powering this 15,432-pound boat with twin outboards, Sea Ray has created a completely new type of boat that has a number of important advantages for boaters."
Editor's note: For more details tune into "The Boating Life," at 8:06 a.m. Saturday and Sunday on WENG 107.5 or contact Healey at (941) 626-3741.
