True, the 240 Sundancer (or “DA” in Sea Ray-speak) is the company’s smallest express cruiser, but “small” is a relative term in a line of world-famous boats that span up to 56 feet. For a family just getting into cruising, or a couple moving up from the day-only bowrider crowd, the 240DA puts you in a new league of boats. For here, you get much of the seating you had on your bowrider, but with a full cruising cabin and a list of amenities to match.

The first thing you notice is the extended fiberglass swim platform that—at 2 feet long—is plenty big to serve as a staging site for swimmers, wakeboarders, and water toy fans. There’s a 3-rung swim ladder right there, and a port for a freshwater washdown nearby. If you really need to warm up after a swim however, just head down into the cabin where you’ll find a “cozy” but fully enclosed head with hot/cold shower (water heater is standard equipment here).

Like its larger sister the 260, the 240DA has a handy aft bench seat for two adults that folds up automatically when you manually lift the hatch below to reveal the powerplant (more on that in a moment). Or, when you really want to clear the decks, this same bench seat folds down and tucks into the transom for extra cockpit space. Also like the 260, the 240 has a handy locker right in the transom that can hold a few fenders and docklines while containing shorepower and city water hookups. It is not big enough for items like large buckets and long deck-cleaning brushes, but they will find a home elsewhere on the boat.

Just in front of the aft bench seat is an aft-facing lounge for one adult or two kids. This is a great place to spot your athletes while towing them, and with a few twists of a handle, the seat lowers aft to create a small sunpad. You can also install a removable cockpit table here for snacks on the hook.

This is all just across from a small beverage console to starboard with two drink holders, food-prep surface, a handy stainless steel grabrail, and stowage below for an Igloo cooler and your cleaning supplies. Another plus is that the whole cockpit is a single level, so its easy to walk from transom, through this cockpit area, and on up to the helm without tripping on any raised surfaces.

In the belly of the beast is a single 260-hp MerCruiser 5.0 liter MPI hitched to a big Bravo Two drive. The propeller on the boat is extra wide at 17 ¾ inches, and Bravo Twos are very beefy drives normally found on house- and workboats. What this means to you is good, powerful out-of-the-hole acceleration when sking (7.0 seconds to plane from forward idle), and easier backing down while docking since this prop moves so much water. There is limited stowage space (add your own milkcrates and secure them) on either side, but MerCruiser has made your life easy by placing all the routine items—such as dipstick, gear lube monitor, power-steering reservoir, and oil filter—on top of the engine for easy service.

Up at the helm, you’ll find a single pedestal seat to starboard that swivels and has a flip-up bolster which you’ll use all the time while docking and while standing. This is just across from a neat L-shaped lounge for two with a recline on the forward end, making a permanent sun lounge.

It is also important to note how you reach the foredeck from here, and notice this as you compare compact express cruisers. On many boats you’ll find steps so narrow they’re barely the width of a deck shoe, but here, Sea Ray uses the entire span of the companionway door and molds in wide, non-skid steps leading up to the non-skid foredeck. Smart.

My only concern is the footwell you must step down into prior to descending into the cabin. This is not unique to Sea Ray or even this model, but it is necessary to get you down easily into the cabin. Once you’re aware of it, however, you don’t give it much thought, and grownups say they like it since they can stand there and keep their heads beneath the windshield for wind protection at speed.

The cabin itself is remarkably roomy for a 24-footer, with a dinette/V-berth forward, small hanging locker, compact galley that’s fine for overnighting, the aforementioned head, and a mid-cabin that has a tight entrance but a lot of room once you’re in. This is your primary storage area for bulky items like the front and side isinglass curtains, and speaking of canvas, the 240 DA (unlike the 260) comes with a bimini top AND camper canvas so you can even sleep or relax in the cockpit in inclement weather. The midcabin also has a nice little port for natural ventilation, and believe it or not, you can get this boat equipped with air conditioning which will run off shore power—a nice touch while docksiding at the marina.

With the 5.0L engine, we hit a top-end speed of 42 mph, which is plenty in flat water. Normally, in 2-3 footers you’ll run the boat around 25-28 knots comfortably, and this hull exhibits an exceptionally smooth ride at speed. My only advice here is to use the trim tabs sparingly—a little goes a long way, and you will use them a lot as a cross wind can cause healing, as can uneven weight distribution in the seating areas. But once you’re dialed in, the 240 DA runs smooth, straight, and true.

When you get to your dealer’s showroom, the 240 will probably be on blocks next to the 245 Weekender and the larger 260DA. My advice is to compare and contrast all three, but one thing’s for sure. When you buy a Sea Ray you don’t have to worry about the high quality you’re getting, and their Owner’s Club program and Owner’s Rendezvous events are both world class operations.—Capt. Chris Kelly

Speeds measured with Stalker ProSports radar gun. Fuel consumption (gallons per hour) measured with Floscan digital fuel-flow meter on gas inboards, sterndrives, and outboards, TechMate electronic scan tool on gas EFI inboards, Caterpillar digital fuel-flow meter on diesel engines, or permanently installed fuel-monitoring equipment. Range is based on 90% of published fuel capacity. Sound levels determined using Radio Shack digital decibel meter on A scale. 68 dBA is the level of normal conversation.

Performance Chart

Test Conditions