It wasn’t difficult to find the new Sea Ray 36 Sedan Bridge rising above her express styled siblings at New York’s Chelsea Piers for a MarineMax/Surfside 3 demonstration day. An under 40-foot bridge model is not new territory for Sea Ray, although today the company’s bread and butter is with their Sundancer or express cruiser line. Therefore a new Sedan Bridge offering received more than marginal interest from the marketplace.

One of my favorite Sea Ray models was the 400 Sedan Bridge introduced in 1996. This boat could easily accommodate a family for a long weekend cruise or an extended jaunt. The accommodations were smartly planned, and she performed well at a variety of speeds. Before spending a week on a 400, I was in the Sea Ray express cruiser camp. Afterwards, I was, well, confused.

Comparing bridge models and express cruisers, you need to weigh the pros and cons of each.The key is to decide how you spend your time boating, or perhaps how you want to spend your time boating. This may dictate what style better suits your needs.

One of the advantages of a properly designed express yacht is the one-level exterior living space. There are no steps to negotiate with kids or trays of food, and you can accommodate more guests in one social space. For week-long cruises or long weekend trips, the accommodations of a boat such as the 340 Sundancer are more than acceptable. Although you could argue that the express is a better platform for day cruising and entertaining.

The 36 Sedan Bridge has a different set of priorities, incorporating an inside-out approach, where the accommodations are the focus versus the exterior social areas. “This boat is set up for serious cruising,” said one of the participants in the MarineMax demo day upon entering the saloon of the 36 Sedan Bridge. He’s right.

One of the most noticeable differences in the 36’s saloon, compared to an express model of similar size, is the amount of natural light pouring through the front and side windows. If you plan on cruising for longer periods of time, you may not want to descend into the cavern of an express cruiser. (Some builders, including Sea Ray, are addressing this issue by designing larger ports in the hull.) You can also easily view your surroundings when seated at one of the two settees in the saloon. The sliding door allows for a view aft while seated or lying down for an afternoon nap.

An important element of any “serious cruiser” is to have more than one social space so your family can spread out. This was an aspect I liked on the 400. Although smaller, the 36’s saloon has a similar layout. In addition to the two straight settees, Sea Ray’s designers have incorporated an expandable dinette raised above the settee and adjacent to the galley. It can accommodate four, although three would allow a little more elbow room. It’s a great spot for kids to hang out with coloring books and activities while you’re in the galley getting dinner ready. And the flat-screen television is easily viewed from the settee or dinette.

The galley also benefits from the light streaming through the side and front windows, and thanks to the location, the cook will not feel isolated from the rest of the group. There is enough storage for an extended cruise, and the under-counter refrigerator and freezer are easy to access. Both units are dual-voltage, allowing you to run off shorepower, the standard 7.3 kW generator, or the house batteries.

I would eliminate the sharp corner of the glass insert in the dinette hand rail. This rail secures the open side of the dinette, but in a seaway your hand will naturally grab the area between the rail and the glass corner. On a 52 Sedan Bridge displayed nearby, this issue was eliminated by using another stainless rail where the glass was placed. The split head arrangement is clever and not something you would expect to find on a 36-footer. A door accesses the head, with the MSD on the port side, allowing guests to use the head without disturbing the master stateroom.A separate entrance is built from the master cabin. The shower stall is on the starboard side. The guest stateroom is a typical configuration for a boat of this size, where the area beneath the dinette creates the headroom. There are twin berths and a hanging locker, and the space is suitable for kids or occasional guests.

I like to avoid clichés such as, “the master stateroom had the volume of a much larger boat.” But in the case of the Sea Ray 36, it’s true. The island berth is easy to climb into and is not severely tapered at the head of the berth. The entire cabin benefits from natural light and ventilation from the overhead hatch and two opening ports.Ample storage, including two hanging lockers, will satisfy the serious cruiser.

It would be misleading if I left you with the impression that the 36 Sedan Bridge was all about the inside, with limited exterior entertaining spaces. In fact, you have a few places to enjoy your surroundings while under way or at anchor. Our test boat featured an optional folding bench seat across the transom, which is a must-have option. On the bridge, there was an optional sectional settee abaft the helm. The arrangement of the settee included an end-table type unit between the two sectionals. In my opinion, the space would be better served by extending the settee to provide additional lounging room. The helm chair and companion chair adjust to join guests on the settees for entertaining and meals. The gauges were arranged and placed in the line of sight, and overall visibility was excellent.

Our test boat was equipped with twin 370-hp MerCruiser 8.1S Horizons, providing a top speed of approximately 30 knots. At 4000 rpm, we achieved a very respectable 25.5-knot speed. Keep in mind that the boat had no owner’s gear. The boat’s handling characteristics were predictable, and she was dry even when we encountered some large wakes in the busy Hudson River. Steering was responsive and the boat rose to plane with little effort. Sea Ray also offers twin 364-hp Cummins MerCruiser diesel options if you’re willing to give up a little speed at the top end in exchange for economy. If longer range cruising is on your agenda, you may wish to consider this option.

To have a bridge, or go without a bridge, now that is the question. You’ll have to figure this one out on your own. If you decide that a bridge model, with increased accommodations and cruising amenities, reflects your boating style, the Sea Ray 36 Sedan should be on your short list.