Sea Ray 480 Sundancer Boats For Sale

The Sea Ray 480 Sundancer is an express cruiser built for couples or two families who want a fully self-contained boat with two private staterooms and a large social cockpit. Production examples on the market span an evolution in propulsion: earlier 2005 boats run twin Cummins diesels on conventional drives, while 2009 models carry Zeus pod drives with joystick docking and the Skyhook station-keeping system. The Zeus boats produce 550 horsepower per side and pair that output with pod transmissions mounted just aft of the engine boxes, reached through an engine room ladder that allows full standing headroom below the cockpit.

On the water, a Zeus-equipped 480 Sundancer settles into its comfortable cruise around 2500 RPM at roughly 30 mph, with a top speed reaching just under 40 mph at close to 3000 RPM. The joystick controls the entire boat with one hand for tight-channel maneuvering, allowing the bow to pivot with a slight clockwise or counterclockwise twist, and Skyhook uses GPS and onboard computers to hold the boat in a fixed position without anchoring so the captain can ready dock lines without drift. Earlier boats add a bow thruster for low-speed control.

The helm is laid out with analog gauges and a SmartCraft computer that reports fuel efficiency, temperatures and pressures in real time. Electronics vary by boat: 2009 models commonly run dual Raymarine E120 displays for chart plotter, radar and depth, while others have been updated to Garmin multifunction displays with GPS, sonar and radar, plus Garmin VHF, Garmin autopilot and Bennett trim tabs. The captain's chairs carry flip-up bolsters and swing around so the whole helm seat assembly faces guests for entertaining.

The cockpit centers on a wet bar with a refrigerator, stainless sink with a built-in trash bin, a flat-screen TV tied into the stereo, and aft seating with storage beneath every cushion. A boarding cushion lifts away on the starboard side for a walk-in step, and the swim platform is hydraulic with a transom-locker remote, a Cable Master shore-power reel, and phone and TV hookups. Many boats add cockpit air conditioning, upgraded JL Audio, a Hurley davit for a personal watercraft, and a drop-down eisenglass canvas piece. Sun protection includes both a light-filtering shade and a blackout screen.

Belowdecks, the salon has an L-shaped sofa with a movable ottoman that converts to a queen berth, a custom-fitted sunroof, and a flat-screen TV with Bose surround sound. The galley runs a full-size refrigerator and freezer, a two-burner cooktop, a convection oven and microwave combination, a stainless sink with pullout sprayer, and an island pullout bar, with wood flooring and extensive cabinetry. The forward master holds a queen walk-around berth with indirect lighting beneath it, two lit hanging lockers, a flat-screen TV with DVD player, and a separate head and full stall shower. The aft stateroom is configured as two twins that convert to a king, with its own TV, vanity, and en-suite head and shower; a cupboard houses a washer and dryer. Diesel cabin heat and zoned air conditioning suit the boat for cooler cruising grounds.

When evaluating a 480 Sundancer for sale, the main fork is drivetrain: conventional Cummins-powered 2005 boats versus the Zeus pod-drive 2009 boats with joystick and Skyhook. Confirm electronics generation, since some helms retain original Raymarine units while others have been re-fitted with Garmin, and check options such as the hydraulic swim platform, davit, cockpit air conditioning and the washer-dryer that distinguish individual boats.