The 480 steals the best elements from Sea Ray’s design handbook. Great fuel and water capacity, excellent performance underway and wide-open topsides make her the portrait of versatility. With a sleek, wind-swept profile framing her sexy exterior and a spatial odyssey of accommodations inside.

The aft deck is where you’ll be doing most of your entertaining. There’s lots of space aboard and your guests will never feel crowded. A full wet bar with icemaker will keep the party moving and the host will never have to miss out on the fun by having to make trips down to the galley. The fiberglass hardtop will also help keep the rain from ruining the fun, and help keep the sun out of everyone’s eyes.

The helm station is on the same level as the aft deck, so the captain will always be part of the party and conversation. The helm features a height-adjustable seat, which offers a good line of sight that extends from the seaway to the swim platform. The panel is elegant and is accented with high-gloss burl paneling and features all the standard equipment with backlit instrumentation.

Once inside, the 480MY has a lot more luxuries to offer. The salon is spacious and has two settees that can seat up to seven. The galley is fully equipped with a full-size refrigerator/freezer, three-burner stove, microwave/convection stove and coffeemaker. There's also a utility room beneath the stairs that houses the standard washer/dryer and water heater.

The 480MY has overnighting accommodations for up to six people with three private staterooms. The master stateroom is located aft on the 480, and it’s a hidden treasure. It features a queen-sized berth, six-drawer dresser, a pair of nightstands, two full-length cedar closets, and a 20-inch TV/VCR. Sea Ray hasn’t missed a thing in terms of comfort, functionality, and standard features. Two more guests can nap in the mid-cabin, and in the forepeak, guests can stretch out on an island berth and watch TV. There's also plenty of storage thanks to drawers and a full-length hanging closet and plenty of sunshine thanks to the large tinted hatch.

Out on our test run the 480 ran a top speed of 33.9 mph at 2360 rpm with twin 616-hp Cummins diesels. Her best cruise was 28.0 mph at 2000 rpm, which gave us a total range of 281 miles. She jumped out of the hole in 12.4 seconds and was up to 30 mph in 19.9 seconds. Not too shabby for a 48-footer.

The 480 is one motoryacht that will really stand out in a crowd. If you’re looking for something really special, yet a bit unusual, then this new breed should definitely be on your list of boats to look at.

For more information call your local dealer or visit www.searay.com.

• Top speed for the Sea Ray 480 Motoryacht (2002-) is 33.9 mph (54.6 kph), burning 62.1 gallons per hour (gph) or 235.05 liters per hour (lph).


• Best cruise for the Sea Ray 480 Motoryacht (2002-) is 28.0 mph (45.1 kph), and the boat gets 0.63 miles per gallon (mpg) or 0.27 kilometers per liter (kpl), giving the boat a cruising range of 281 miles (452.23 kilometers).


• Tested power is 2 x 635-hp Cummins QSM 11 diesel inboards.