Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation
Sea Ray 235 Weekender 2012 vs Sea Ray 520 Sedan Bridge 2013 — Same Brand, Different Boat
Matching a deep vee Sea Ray 235 Weekender 2012 against a semi displacement Sea Ray 520 Sedan Bridge 2013 means you're likely deciding between two genuinely different on-water experiences. Hull type shapes everything from ride quality and fuel burn to dock handling and resale trajectory.
Size is the most obvious dividing line here. The Sea Ray 520 Sedan Bridge 2013 measures 52,3 feet overall (2013), giving it roughly 27,7 additional feet of deck space compared to the Sea Ray 235 Weekender 2012 at 24,6 feet (2012). Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Sea Ray 235 Weekender 2012 tips the scales at 477 lbs — 426 lbs more than the Sea Ray 520 Sedan Bridge 2013 at 51 lbs. That difference is meaningful if you're working within a half-ton or three-quarter-ton truck's tow rating, especially once you factor in a motor, gear, and fuel.
The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 641 hp, the Sea Ray 520 Sedan Bridge 2013 has a 341-hp advantage over the Sea Ray 235 Weekender 2012's 300-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads — 5 gal and 5 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Sea Ray 520 Sedan Bridge 2013 is rated for 15 passengers, while the Sea Ray 235 Weekender 2012 caps at 7. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Sea Ray 520 Sedan Bridge 2013 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Sea Ray 520 Sedan Bridge 2013 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 15 passengers and at 52,3 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Sea Ray 235 Weekender 2012 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 7 that costs less to run day-to-day.
General Boat Info
Model235 Weekender
Model520 Sedan Bridge
Model Year2012
Model Year2013
Measurements / Dimensions
Beam8 ft. 5 in. (2.55 m)
Beam15 ft. 3 in. (4.65 m)
Beam - Meters2.57
Beam - Meters4.65
Beam - Inches101
Beam - Inches183
Deadrise19℃
Deadrise15℃
Draft [drive up] - Detail20 in. (50 cm)
Draft [drive up] - Detailnot available
Draft [drive up] meters0.51
Draft [drive up] metersnot available
Draft [drive up] inches2
Draft [drive up] inchesnot available
Draft [max] - Detail37 in. (95 cm)
Draft [max] - Detail51 in. (130 cm)
Draft [max] - Meters0.94
Draft [max] - Meters1.3
Draft [max] - Inches37
Draft [max] - Inches51
Weight - Detail4,770 lbs. (2,164 kg)
Weight - Detail51,000 lbs. (23,133 kg)
Weight - kg2163.63
Weight - kg23133.19
Weight - lbs.477
Weight - lbs.51
Length [at waterline]22 ft. 6 in. (6.86 m)
Length [at waterline]not available
Length - Feet24.58
Length - Feet52.25
Length overall - Detail24 ft. 7 in. (7.49 m)
Length overall - Detail52 ft. 3 in. (16 m)
Length overall - Meters7.49
Length overall - Meters15.93
Length overall - Inches295
Length overall - Inches627
Length [over all with swim platform]not available
Length [over all with swim platform]56 ft. 5 in. (17.2 m)
Body / Hull
Hull materialFiberglass
Hull materialFiberglass
Hull typeDeep Vee
Hull typeSemi Displacement
Engine and Drivetrain
Engine makeMerCruiser®
Engine makeCummins®
Engine/s standard4.3L MPI ECT Alpha® 1 stern drive
Engine/s standardTwin QSM-11 670 T2 with DTS
Fuel tank capacity - Detail50 gal. (190 l)
Fuel tank capacity - Detail500 gal. (1,892 l)
Fuel tank capacity - Liters189.27
Fuel tank capacity - Liters1892.71
Fuel tank capacity - Gal5
Fuel tank capacity - Gal5
Fuel typeGas or Diesel
Fuel typeDiesel
Drive typeI/O
Drive typeInboard - Twin
Horsepower220 hp (164 kW)
HorsepowerTwin 641 php (477 kW)
Engine max300 hp (224 kW)
Engine maxnot available
Operational Info
Water capacitynot available
Water capacity140 gal. (530 l)
Holding tank capacity - Detailnot available
Holding tank capacity - Detail68 gal. (257 l)
Holding tank capacity - Litersnot available
Holding tank capacity - Liters257.41
Holding tank capacity - Galnot available
Holding tank capacity - Gal68