I checked on the Sea ray because I ran a Sea Ray 19" for a couple of years with a 305V8 OMC. It topped out about maybe 42mph apparently and chopped through waves pretty good too. I spun it around @ about 32mph in slightly choppy waters on the
Arrow Lake when I saw a yellow log dunking in and out of a wave. The lake is renowned for yellow logs floating, stumps and dead wood and I didn't want to rip out a leg. Scared the stuff outta me for sure...lol. Great boat, we used it a lot for a couple of years fishing and water skiing.
The Sea Ray that you mentioned I saw comes in either a 350 or a 454 I think it was. Is that correct? What did you operate?
It was a 350 P22. I think the top speed was 'claimed' to be around 70, sure seemed like it; it would just Hop up on step and Go!
It went through 3-4+' chop suprisingly well, tho not enjoyably.
Honeycomb hull was extremely light for a largish boat, so gofast was impressive.
Glad I didn't succumb to the temptation for getting one of the larger ones (27? & 37??) which were also avail in twins.
I didn't know SR made a 50th anniversery version in 2009! Chubbier looking, tho.
IRCC, the 454, tho more powerful, was heavier, and so no faster (and a lot thirstier).
Unfortunately, the lake I used it on - tho not small per se - was small enough that, at 70mph, it was PowerUp, Zoom (1-2 minutes), PowerDown (or loop around).
Oh, yah, the exhaust note on that thing (a special free flow (bellow) when at full power) was just delightful - nearly as good as the ChrisCraft chevy 283 v8!
So a LOT of work effort and $$ for a few minutes of joy....the rest was bouncing around in the waves, which was enjoyable enough.
There used to be yearly blues festivals on the lake we could attend from the lake, so that kept my interest going, but eventually those went away too.
I basically had to give up on boats b/c they progressively beat up on me more and more - starting with the 1961 ChrisCraft 21', then the P22, then a '76 Checkmate VmateII w/rebuilt TowerofPower (150hp!) that I still have but havent' run in years. The haul in/haul out/+trailering was just too much, plus all those B.O.A.T. costs, of course.
Sure did have fun for 10-12 years while I had them!
Sold the P22 at a disspapointing loss to a lowballer - it had less than 600 hrs on it, barely broken in, but still hope it bit him good at some point.
Have to admit, as much as I do NOT subscribe to the 'he who dies with the most toys wins' idea (life & living is more important), I do NOT regret the adventures and passions I've shared over the many years. Lots of stuff to look back on, remember, laugh like hell about, and wonder....How In
Heck did I survive
THAT??