Sea Ray 290 Amberjack Boats For Sale

The Sea Ray 290 Amberjack is a 29-foot express cruiser built around serious fishing without giving up overnight cruising comfort, which makes it a strong fit for an owner who wants to run offshore, work the jetties or do bay fishing and still bring the family along. The hull carries a 10.5-foot beam, giving the cockpit and walk-around decks unusual room for the length. Examples on the market span the early-to-mid 2000s, with 2002 and 2005 model years common, and the layout works equally well as a weekender or a dedicated fishing platform.

Power comes from twin MerCruiser stern drives. Some boats carry twin 5.0L MerCruisers, while others were fitted with twin 350 Mag MerCruisers, both inboard/outboard setups driving through props at the transom. Engine hours vary widely by boat, and many have had supporting work done over the years, including rebuilt short blocks, new manifolds, risers, starters, alternators, transom plates and reconditioned props. A Westerbeke generator is fitted on many examples, along with a hot water heater, dual batteries with a battery switch, and a breaker panel.

The helm is laid out with clear sight lines and full controls within reach of the companionway. Electronics packages differ between boats but typically include a Garmin chartplotter, a Furuno plotter with the option to add radar, a Raymarine depth finder, VHF radio and compass, mounted at a tilt wheel with a bolstered, flip-up helm seat. A Clarion sound system with cockpit and cabin speakers appears on updated boats. Up top, a radar arch and hardtop-style Bimini support antennas, radar, a controllable searchlight and, on some, a night-vision sensor.

The cockpit is set up for both fishing and entertaining. A removable rear bench seat lets you open the deck for serious angling, and the boat carries fishing rod holders along the gunwales and rocket launcher holders on the hardtop. Fishing features include a live well or bait tank, a fish box that drains, a cutting board over a sink, a raw-water washdown and a freshwater faucet, with a switch routing the raw-water pump between the bait well and the washdown. The transom holds a wide swim platform with a telescoping ladder, a transom door, a transom shower and electrical and freshwater dock hookups. Seating runs to about seven people with the bench in place, including mezzanine-style twin seats and the captain's chair.

Below, the cuddy cabin sleeps more than its size suggests. The forward V-berth is generously wide with full headroom for a six-footer, a privacy curtain, side windows and a skylight with blinds, blackout curtain and screen. The galley runs along the port side with a single electric burner, microwave, sink and a small refrigerator with an icebox, set into mahogany-finished cabinetry with storage throughout. A starboard dinette converts to an additional berth, and an open mid-cabin under the helm serves as a kids' sleeping space or storage. The head is a wet head with full standing room, a vacuum-flush toilet on a pumpout holding tank, a sink, mirror and a pull-out shower.

When weighing a Sea Ray 290 Amberjack for sale, check the engine hours and service history closely given the age of the fleet, confirm the generator and air conditioning are functional, and verify electronics, since some older units such as a Raytheon GPS or a VHF antenna may need replacing. The V-berth uses a non-standard mattress size, so a custom mattress is worth budgeting for. Boats kept on a covered lift with strong canvas and recent bottom paint tend to present in noticeably better condition.