Sea Ray SLX 280 Outboard Review: Adventure x Elegance
The new SLX 280 Outboard by Sea Ray is impressively fun to drive. This sporty boat comes with twin Mercury® 250 Verado® outboard engines as standard. Let's explore what else this boat has to offer.
VESSEL OVERVIEW
The new SLX 280 Outboard by Sea Ray is impressively fun to drive. It's got the looks, the power, and all the right stuff to make some great boating adventures. It also offers ample space, improved seating, and smart storage, making it a perfect choice for memorable outings with family and friends. Let’s take a closer look at what this vessel has to offer.
ENGINES AND PERFORMANCE
The SLX 280 Outboard boasts the renowned propulsion system from Mercury Marine®. This sporty boat comes with twin Mercury® 250 Verado® outboard engines as standard, featuring Joystick Piloting, SmartCraft® Digital Throttle & Shift (DTS), and the option for Dynamic Running Surface™ with a top speed of 55.6 mph. The boat handles turns with ease and offers great mid-range acceleration, making it feel like a sports car on the water. With the Active Trim engaged, the boat adjusts to speed and conditions automatically, ensuring a smooth ride.
AFT DECK/COCKPIT
The SLX 280 Outboard features a redesigned, spacious cockpit with enhanced luxury and improved functionality. Its deeper seats ensure comfort and ergonomic support, while the seamless storage options, such as the transom locker and cockpit floor compartment, keep gear securely stowed away when not needed. For added convenience, the transom sunpad includes an integrated cooler cleverly positioned under the seat, perfect for keeping beverages and snacks chilled. There’s also the option to upgrade the cockpit with a drawer-style refrigerator and a handy end table that comes equipped with a wireless charging station.
HELM STATION
The SLX 280 Outboard comes fully equipped with cutting-edge technologies, making navigation and control a breeze. There’s a doublewide captain's seat and high-backed chair, which adds to the conversation pit experience. The helm features a standard Dual Digital Dash™ with Simrad® touchscreen displays, providing access to Mercury Marine® engine data, Active Trim control & monitoring, CZone® digital switching, and other advanced features. Additionally, the helm includes a top-notch Fusion® stereo system, ensuring a premiere tune-blasting experience for you and the fam.
BOW AREA
The bow area of the Sea Ray SLX 280 Outboard offers a spacious and comfortable U-shaped seating arrangement with forward-facing backrests, flip-up armrests, and grab rails for security. Storage compartments beneath the cushions provide convenience, and an optional advanced next-generation Power Tower features a streamlined design complemented by a sporty canvas top and a sunshade that can be extended as needed.
NOTABLE EXTRAS
Swiveling wakeboard racks are also available on the SLX 280 Outboard, ensuring easy and secure storage of wakeboards when not in use and allowing you wakeboarding enthusiasts to have quick access to gear. For those of you who like a little flash with your boat, there's also a cool Lighting Bundle, with LED RGB-W color-changing lighting that offers a vibrant array of colors to entertain guests or create a romantic ambiance for a cozy couple's retreat.
The SLX 280 Outboard excels in performance, luxury, and family fun. During testing, the boat demonstrated impressive maneuverability and storage capacity, thanks to the outboard engines positioned on the transom. However, outboard power can restrict water access from the swim platform area. Also, the 9-foot beam may affect trailering, so it's essential to consider the boat's size when planning transport. Overall the boat offers a winning combination of features and versatility.
SPECS
Engines: Twin Mercury® 250 Verado® Outboards (250 hp / 186 kW) Fuel Capacity 135 gal
Length 31' 5"
Beam 9'
Water Capacity 20 gal
Dry Weight 8,053 lb
