Sea Ray SLX 230 Boats For Sale

The Sea Ray SLX 230 is a 23-foot sport boat with an 8-foot-6 beam, part of Sea Ray's premium SLX line and set up for both day cruising and watersports. Listings of the Sea Ray 230 SLX for sale are commonly equipped with a watersports tower carrying a full-size Bimini, a tow point up high for wakeboarding and tubing, and a separate low tow point for waterskiing. The build is rated for a 13-person capacity, which makes the engine choice central to how the boat performs with a full load.

For performance, the standard engine is a V6 4.5-liter MerCruiser producing 250 horsepower. With that powerplant the SLX 230 runs 0 to 30 mph in 4.5 seconds and reaches a top speed of 44.6 mph, though it pulls onto plane more slowly when towing a heavy skier. The step up is the V8 6.2-liter, offered in either 300 or 350 horsepower, which gives the boat noticeably stronger hole shot for watersports. Many examples, including 2017 and 2020 boats, carry the 6.2-liter 300-horsepower engine paired with a Bravo Three dual-prop drive for added push and torque, with SmartCraft digital throttle and shift for smooth gear changes when docking.

A defining feature in the Sea Ray SLX 230 specs is the active trim control system, also called the dynamic running surface. These are large metal tabs integrated flush into the hull rather than bolted-on trim tabs, so they correct roll and pitch like conventional tabs but can also change the hull's dead rise to reshape the wake. The Lenco auto glide system runs them automatically, leveling out the boat as guests move around, and at 20 mph it cleans up the wake for wakeboarding when the tabs are dropped.

The helm is built around a captain's chair with a thigh-rise bolster that swivels, slides and adjusts for height, fronted by a leather-wrapped tilt steering wheel. Electronics include dual Simrad displays, so engine functions, chartplotter and GPS can be split between a close-in screen and a wider navigation view. Audio is handled by a Fusion six-speaker setup, with a Rockford Fosgate system available as an upgrade, and the waterproof push-button accessory switches can be hosed down at the end of the day. Custom MerCruiser SmartCraft gauges deliver engine data at the dash.

The deck layout uses the full beam well. The stern carries a pop-up lounger that raises and lowers without propping, a rear-facing seat for two or three with drink holders, a cell-phone charger and a large cooler, plus a full-width swim platform and a permanent walkthrough that eases boarding from the dock. The cockpit holds arena-style seating with a removable cocktail table and a port seat back that flips to open up lounge space, with the makers citing room for about eight at lunch. Up front, an acrylic walkthrough door closes off the bow, which has oversized storage wells on each side, a filler cushion to convert the area into a sun lounge, blue LED lighting, lit stainless drink holders, and a dedicated anchor locker.

Build details point to the boat's premium positioning: chrome stainless trim, deep storage compartments with rubber-padded clamps and full-length piano hinges to stop rattles, and dual gas struts so lockers stay open. Buyers weighing a Sea Ray 230 SLX should note the engine fitted, since the 250-horsepower V6 suits lighter loads while the 6.2-liter V8 is the better match for a full crew and serious watersports; trailer-equipped examples often come on a tandem-axle trailer with brakes and a swing-away tongue.