August 20, 2026
Sea Ray SLX 400: 860 Horsepower and a Clean Transom
Sea Ray publishes a 47–50 mph wide-open-throttle band for the sterndrive SLX 400. At 39'9" and 20,794 lb dry on twin 430 hp MerCruiser 8.2L …
Read the articleSea Ray SLX 400
Expert Review, Technical Specifications & Market Analysis
The Essentials
| Feature | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Overall Length | 39'9" |
| Beam | 12'1" |
| Draft | 44" drives down / 33" drives up |
| Displacement | 20,794 lb dry weight |
| Engines | Twin Mercury MerCruiser 8.2L MAG ECT on Bravo Three X SeaCore drives (T-430 hp / 321 kW) standard; twin MerCruiser 8.2L MAG HO ECT on Bravo Three X SeaCore with Joystick Propulsion (T-430 hp / 321 kW) optional |
| Fuel Capacity | 250 gal |
| Water Capacity | 50 gal |
| Cabins / Heads | Sleeps four — Sea Ray describes a queen-sized bed in the aft section and a forward bunk that converts to form a social gathering area; 28 gal holding tank. Sea Ray publishes no head or shower description for this model |
| Max Speed | 47–50 mph (Sea Ray's published wide-open throttle range) |
Source: Spec & Photos courtesy of Sea Ray. Specs verified by Tony Smith, USCG 100 Ton Master, on August 20, 2026.
Part of the Sea Ray SLX series — see how owners step up through the lineup.
Quick Verdict
- Sea Ray publishes a 47–50 mph wide-open-throttle band for this sterndrive — the builder's own figure, on twin 8.2L V8s making 860 hp between them
- 39'9" overall, 20,794 lb dry, 250 gallons of fuel, 21° deadrise. The outboard model is a longer boat with a bigger tank; the two genuinely share only the 12'1" beam, the 50-gallon water tank, the 28-gallon holding tank and the deadrise
- Standard power is twin MerCruiser 8.2L MAG ECT on Bravo Three X SeaCore drives (T-430 hp). Joystick Propulsion arrives with the optional HO ECT package, not with the standard engines
- Nothing is bolted to the transom, so the platform behind the fold-down swim terrace is uninterrupted and the machinery weight sits low and inboard
- Quiet Ride is a hull-level noise and vibration measure rather than a trim option — listen for it on the trial, not in the brochure
- Settle your own cruising speed and range on the sea trial, and open the head door while you are aboard
Our Take
Sea Ray puts a 47–50 mph wide-open-throttle band on this boat's page, and that is the builder's own figure rather than somebody else's stopwatch. If you are the kind of buyer who wants a number from the people who actually laid up the hull, give it real weight in the decision.
The two SLX 400s are not the same boat, and the specification blocks prove it. This one is 39'9" and 20,794 pounds dry on 250 gallons, drafting 44 inches with the drives down. The outboard is a longer boat with a bigger tank and a completely different power package. They share a beam, a deadrise angle, a water tank and a holding tank, and that is roughly where it ends. Anyone who tells you the outboard is the same boat with motors on the back has not read either page.
What I would go and look at in person is the accommodation. Sea Ray describes a queen aft and a forward bunk that converts, and gives you a 28-gallon holding tank in the spec block. On a 40-foot boat carrying four people overnight, the head is not a detail I would take on faith. Open the door, sit in it, and decide whether it is a compartment you would use or one you would merely tolerate. Everything else here — the Quiet Ride hull, the Bravo Three X drives with their counter-rotating props, the terrace — I am happy to recommend on the published numbers alone.
Official Sea Ray Premiere: Inside the Sea Ray SLX 400
Video courtesy of Sea Ray.
Sea Ray SLX 400 Photo Gallery
Photos courtesy of Sea Ray.
Sea Ray SLX 400 Articles & Guides
Compare With
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Sea Ray SLX 400 come with Joystick Propulsion?
Not on the standard package. Sea Ray's standard propulsion for the SLX 400 is twin Mercury MerCruiser 8.2L MAG ECT engines on Bravo Three X SeaCore drives at 430 hp a side, without the joystick.
Joystick Propulsion arrives with the optional 8.2L MAG HO ECT package, also on Bravo Three X SeaCore drives and also rated at 430 hp a side. If joystick docking is on your list, price the optional package rather than assuming it is aboard the standard boat.
Does Sea Ray publish a speed for the SLX 400?
Yes — a 47 to 50 mph wide-open-throttle band, on twin MerCruiser 8.2L MAG ECT engines at 430 hp a side through Bravo Three X SeaCore drives.
Read the band as a ceiling rather than a plan, and settle your own cruising speed and range on the sea trial. Fuel capacity is 250 gallons, deadrise 21 degrees, and dry weight 20,794 pounds.
Where do you sleep on the Sea Ray SLX 400?
Sea Ray rates it at Sleeps: Four and describes a queen-sized bed in the aft section plus a forward bunk that converts to form a social gathering area. The specification block gives a 28-gallon holding tank, and a macerator appears on the option list.
On a 40-foot boat carrying four people overnight, the head is not a detail to take on faith — open the door on the sea trial and decide whether it is a compartment you would use or merely tolerate.
Is the Sea Ray SLX 400 the same boat as the SLX 400 Outboard?
No. The sterndrive SLX 400 is 39'9" and 20,794 pounds dry on 250 gallons, drawing 44 inches with the drives down and 33 up. The SLX 400 Outboard is 42'2" and 20,678 pounds dry on 375 gallons, drawing 45 and 32 inches, with triple Mercury 300 Verados standard or twin 600 Verado V12s optional.
Per Sea Ray's own specification blocks the two share only the 12'1" beam, 21 degrees of deadrise, 50 gallons of water, a 28-gallon holding tank, Yacht Certified capacity and a Sleeps: Four rating. Anyone describing the outboard as the same boat with motors on the back has not read either page.