Second Time Around: Sea Ray 460 Sundancer

The introduction of pod-drive technology allowed builders to expand living accommodations further amidships, transforming a 40-something-foot express cruiser from an overnight sleep-aboard boat to a vacation live-aboard vessel with two full staterooms and heads. Before there were pods, there were V-drives ? and boats such as Sea Ray's 460 Sundancer, or 460 DA in Sea Ray parlance.

This popular model was one of three Sundancers introduced in the 1999 model year, and compared to the 450 DA it replaced, the 460 featured somewhat softer lines at the transom and a separate and significantly larger swim platform, which could be fitted with an electric lift to accommodate personal watercraft. This was also one of the first models to employ a waterline exhaust system that used the natural vacuum created by moving water to pull exhaust gases down into an underwater bypass fitting as the boat's speed increased.

The 460 DA was noted for its luxuriously sculpted interior furnishings, wood-grain accents and amenity-rich package of standard equipment, which included numerous electrically operated accessories. The rear transom bench seat, for example, transitions into a sun pad with the push of a button. Similar conveniences are found at the helm and within the salon, including a trio of hide-away televisions, a full-height refrigerator/freezer and a washer/drier combo.

With the engines set aft and coupled to V-drive transmissions, the 460 DA had ample room for a full midcabin with 6-foot 5-inch headroom. Seating and cabinetry within the salon are angled to create an enhanced sense of space, and sliding doors to both staterooms allowed the interior to open for entertaining or close to create three private sleeping areas.

Like other models introduced in the late '90s, the 460 marked Sea Ray's transition from radar arches to full enclosures. An extended hardtop was offered as an option, along with ducting for a 16,000 BTU air handler to cool the upper deck. The helm features a captain's chair flanked by a passenger bench and a sculpted dashboard that could mount a single integrated display screen on the port side of the helm. Several Raymarine electronics packages were offered through the factory.

Early models of the 460 DA featured balsa coring, and there were a number of reported problems with water intrusion into the laminate, usually around through-hull fittings. The builder went to an all-glass laminate below the waterline midway into the 1999 production run, and balsa coring was also eliminated from the hull sides in 2001. Most water intrusion issues have long since been addressed either through Sea Ray's warranty service or third-party repairs, but any 460 DA built before mid-2001 should be scrutinized with extra attention to areas where hardware breaches the hull.

The 460 DA was offered with Caterpillar, Volvo and Cummins options. Many considered the boat slightly underpowered when fitted with the smaller 340 hp Cats, which would deliver a top end in the 27-knot range and efficient cruise speeds in the 21-knot range with a 32 to 35 gph fuel burn.

The larger Volvo and Cummins power plants (411 hp to 480 hp) added several knots to the boat's cruise and top-end potential. The Cummins C and CE series engines have proven to be the most popular option on the used market. Cummins-equipped boats will typically reach top speeds of about 30 knots with a wide-open fuel burn and deliver sustained cruise speeds in the 22- to 25-knot range. Most efficient operation is in the 2,000 rpm range, which yields about 21 knots and 0.8 nmpg.

Like most express boats with V-drive transmissions, space is tight in the 460's engine compartment. The use of dripless shafts eliminates the need to squeeze under the engines for routine maintenance of shaft logs, and with the exception of the starboard corer, there is ample space to move around the engines, and access to primary filters, fills and valves is straightforward.

The 460 DA was built through 2005, and at any time there are usually several boats for sale. Prices range from just less than $200,000 for early hulls to the high $300,000 range for a late-model boat in prime condition. In between, it's possible to pick up a well-equipped vessel from the early 2000s for somewhere between $235,000 and $275,000. For boaters looking to step up to a luxurious, full-featured express cruiser that will still turn heads at the dock, the 460 DA can provide a lot of value for the money.