Sea Ray 370 Venture

RiverRat232

I have never seen this boat model before and it appears to solve the debate between inboards and outboards. I wonder why this boat was discontinued.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjnZrcRULc4&ab_channel=PowerBoatTelevision

TonyG13

Interesting concept. I really like it.

The one thing I did notice is how dated that 2013 SeaRay looks compared to my 2014 Rinker. I think Rinker was ahead of its time with helm and interior design. Our helm and interior still looks fresh. That SeaRay, not so much. I still get comments at the dock that people can't believe we have a 2014.

Michael T

@TonyG13 ....  EXACTLY!

Liberty44140

There is one on our dock and the owner hates it. I don’t know why, have just over heard him saying how he will never buy a boat with outboards that should be an inboard again. The engines take up a lot of space, they waste a lot of space, but again I don’t know his particular issues with it. 

YYZRC

Very cool. Too bad no shower stall!

Michael T

There have been at least four very big cruisers at our docks with twin and triple outboards. The word is the owners love them as in more space, cheaper and easier maintenance, less corrosion faster times to plane and better GPH by up to 20%. Just sayin'......

YYZRC

The Venture design solved the outboard ugly. 

Michael T

The owner of this boat (top right of picture) with twin Yamaha 200s slipped in the marina of the condo beside ours used to have a big Sea Ray and said the outboard set-up with his new boat is better in every way he can think of. I was told he had a warranty issue with one of the new engines and was headed-out for a two week cruise. The engine was swapped with a replacement in about two hours and he was on his way.

Handymans342

The Searay failed because no one bought it

YYZRC

Do you think twin 300s is sufficient on a 40’ boat? I thought SRs had a relatively heavy hull as well.

RiverRat232

One of the videos for the boat mentioned the props have a tendency to cavitate during full power hard turns. I didn't think big cruisers made that maneuver very often but maybe there was some other performance issues.

Michael T

Outboards and diesels will be the way of the future for cruisers under 50 feet.

LaRea

We had a thread in 2017 about the Venture and similar boats.  They have benefits and drawbacks.  

https://rinkerboats.vanillacommunities.com/discussion/comment/86039#Comment_86039

Willhound

Michael T said:

Outboards and diesels will be the way of the future for cruisers under 50 feet.

And, potentially, electric as battery technology improves and environmental rules tighten. Gas powered inboard technology is 50+ years old. Other than fuel injection there have not been a lot of improvements. Heavy cast iron blocks that are often difficult to work on, issues with drives and sealing for water. Properly set up outboards can be so much more efficient with fewer moving parts, better opportunity for remote steer/control options like Axius, better performance, easy removal for major servicing and the list goes on. There are creative ways of providing swim platform space and I would even argue better ability to tilt and trim for skinny water and optimizing ride.
And engine manufacturer's have put just about all of their resources into outboard development in the last 20 years for a reason.
As in all things, just my opinion.

LaRea

Five years from now, Audi will no longer be offering cars with internal combustion propulsion.  

Liberty44140

The one on our dock runs pretty well with the twin 300s. I’ve been headed to the island on the 342 going 28 and he’s cruised by me with a crowd on board. 

Willhound

I would think so. I'm not 100% but I'm assuming they measure HP at the powerhead, not the prop, so much as an inboard block can have 300 to 400 HP there is just so much more inefficiency in getting that power to the props with transmissions, shafts etc. Outboard is basically shaft down, 90 degree turn and prop. More power hitting the water?

Handymans342

Willhound said:

I would think so. I'm not 100% but I'm assuming they measure HP at the powerhead, not the prop, so much as an inboard block can have 300 to 400 HP there is just so much more inefficiency in getting that power to the props with transmissions, shafts etc. Outboard is basically shaft down, 90 degree turn and prop. More power hitting the water?

And less weight???

Willhound

I would think so.

LaRea

I wonder if it degrades roll stability compared to an I/O boat.  Instead of having the mass of the engine blocks located down near the keel, the blocks are up above the waterline.  That can't be great for stability.  (Same for any outboard-powered boat.)

Tradeoffs ...

Handymans342

LaRea said:

I wonder if it degrades roll stability compared to an I/O boat.  Instead of having the mass of the engine blocks located down near the keel, the blocks are up above the waterline.  That can't be great for stability.  (Same for any outboard-powered boat.)

Tradeoffs ...

Every outboard boat I have been on was stable

Lake_Bum

I've never seen one of those in person.  Cool concept, and a LOT easier to maintain.  

LaRea

All boats are stable, but some are more stable than others.  

Roll stability mostly affects how likely a boat is to roll upside-down in heavy seas.  Obviously, if you raise the center of mass, the boat will be less stable.  

However, roll stability also affects comfort. If you make a boat less stable, it might make the humans more likely to puke.  But for some hulls, it might actually do the opposite, and make the boat more comfortable.  

Tradeoffs ...

Michael T

Just got a call from a friend in our condo building. Told me to look out the window. We have been discussing the dramatically increasing number of cruisers with outboards that have pulled into the marina at the foot of our building for gas, pump-outs etc. This boat came in for gas. He couldn't see the manufacturer's name but said it was "really moving" before entering the fairway. He thought it was a 40 foot boat. He said it had 3 x 350s on it. By the time he called me I couldn't make out the manufacturer name or size, even with binoculars but it sure looked nice - and stable (lol). Picture attached.

aero3113

@Michael T , that’s a nice boat! It looks like a hybrid cruiser with an open bow.

Aqua_Aura

It looks a little like a Formula but the lines don't quite resemble it. 

Liberty44140

That is a Tiara, looks like the 43 LS

YYZRC

I guess you get a Seakeeper and you’re all set. That’s what I learned on Instagram. 

PickleRick

shawnmjr said:

LaRea said:

All boats are stable, but some are more stable than others.  

Roll stability mostly affects how likely a boat is to roll upside-down in heavy seas.  Obviously, if you raise the center of mass, the boat will be less stable.  

However, roll stability also affects comfort. If you make a boat less stable, it might make the humans more likely to puke.  But for some hulls, it might actually do the opposite, and make the boat more comfortable.  

Tradeoffs ...

Don’t center consoles perform great in heavy seas? I feel like that’s all we see when we go to Florida and those all have outboards. Are they maybe mounted lower than this SeaRay?

Not all CCs are created equally.   While less popular there are many full inboard or inboard outboard  CCs.  Some are built for open seas and other bay boats. Bay boats are usually wet in any kind of chop but very stable  at anchor while fishing.   Ever caught a shark on a  light rig pole? You'll like stability when you start taking laps around the boat to get it in. 

Shamrock  offered a 17ft diesel inboard.  To speed of some 18mph so even small ones got inboard options.  

LaRea

Quick sidetrack about roll stability.  

Marine architects pay close attention to a boat's "roll period."  If you stand on the dock and use your foot to rock the boat side-to-side, how many seconds does it take to roll from port to stbd and back?  As a rule of thumb, it's good to have a roll period of 0.8 to 1.1 times the boat's beam in meters.  For example:

Venture 370 should be:  2.7 to 3.7 seconds
Whaler 190 should be:  2.1 to 3.0 seconds
My boat should be:  2.9 to 4.0 seconds, and I measured 3.0 seconds (very stable)

If the roll period is too long, there's too much risk that a really big broadside wave could flip the boat upside-down.  Longer roll period = less stable in heavy seas.  

Also, a long roll period is more likely to make people seasick.  

If the roll period is too short (excess stability), the issue isn't rollover ... it's comfort.  When anchored, the boat feels so bouncy that it's uncomfortable for the humans.  On the other hand, @PickleRick might like having excess stability when he's running around reeling in that shark!

My point is:  Outboard engines have a higher center of mass than inboards, and a higher center of mass degrades roll stability.  However, the 370 Venture was a production boat that Sea Ray would have designed with roll stability in mind.  If the roll stability was out of spec, the designers would have modified the hull to compensate.  

YYZRC

Came up today: https://www.boatdealers.ca/boats-for-sale/483506/sea-ray-370-venture-vancouver-british-columbia