Sea Ray 280 Sundancer Boats For Sale

The Sea Ray 280 Sundancer is an express cruiser built for family weekends, with a beam just under 10 feet that gives it big-boat volume while staying easy to handle around the dock. Production examples on the used market span the early 2000s through 2013, and the platform is recognizable by its forward-swooping arch, extended swim platform finished in SeaDeck flooring, and walkthrough windshield that opens onto the bow. A windlass anchor with bow-mounted foot-pedal controls, stainless bow rails, a stainless rub rail, and a boarding ladder set off to the side away from the drives are standard touches. Anyone shopping Sea Ray 280 Sundancer boats for sale is looking at a capable cruiser that still keeps sport-boat manners.

Power on a Sea Ray 280 Sundancer for sale varies by build. Twin-engine examples carry a pair of 4.3L MPI MerCruisers rated 220 hp each on Bravo 3 drives, while single-engine boats run a 350 Mag MerCruiser at 300 hp or a 496 Mag. A 496 Mag HO with a Bravo 3 and 24-inch props reached a top speed of 42.3 mph at 4900 rpm; the most economical cruise came at 32 mph and 3500 rpm, where fuel consumption was 16.9 gallons per hour for 1.9 miles per gallon and a long cruising range. Handling is described as almost sport-boat-like in open water, with rapid acceleration and crisp turns.

The helm is laid out around a three-spoke tilt wheel with burlwood accents. Instrumentation on later boats includes SmartCraft displays, with examples updated to Garmin, Raymarine, and Humminbird Helix 7 electronics plus a Raymarine VHF. MerCruiser-equipped boats benefit from digital throttle and shift, a drive-by-wire system that replaces mechanical cables for easier shifting. The double-wide helm seat has a flip-up bolster for standing while driving, and on many boats the backrest reclines and swivels so the seat joins the rest of the cockpit seating.

The cockpit centers on L-shaped aft seating with a removable table that drops to form a sunpad facing the swim platform. A wet bar with a sink, an electric grill or cooktop, and cooler storage handle entertaining, and a hot-and-cold transom shower lets swimmers rinse off. Shore-power and freshwater connections, dock-line and fender storage, and a Fusion sound system with cockpit stereo remotes are part of the package. Optional extended Bimini tops with full curtains extend the season in cooler weather, and air conditioning with heat is found on better-equipped boats.

Inside, the Sea Ray 280 Sundancer interior makes use of the wide beam with a full galley to port carrying a microwave, an electric, alcohol, or butane cooktop, a deep stainless sink, and a 12-volt refrigerator. A side dinette and a forward dinette both convert to berths, and the mid cabin aft is open and easily accessed, giving the boat two double sleeping areas. Cherry burl cabinetry is the common wood, with overhead hatches and opening portlights, screens, and privacy curtains. The head is fiberglass-lined with a vacuum-flush toilet, a freshwater sink, and a shower nozzle, and Sea Ray builds the interior before the top cap goes on, finishing it in thick foam vinyl for a quiet cabin.

Used Sea Ray 280 Sundancer examples often come with desirable extras worth weighing as you compare a used Sea Ray 280 Sundancer for sale or one offered by owner: a 5 kW Kohler generator, air conditioning and heat, full canvas enclosures with replaced Eisenglass, cockpit covers, and a triple-axle aluminum trailer for hauling. Engine hours and any repower history matter, and on dark-hull boats the bottom paint may need touch-up. The fit, finish, and attention to detail across the era are consistently strong, making the 280 a well-rounded 28-foot weekender.