When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Sea Ray 390 Sedan Bridge 2011 and the Sea Ray 500 Sundancer 2011 are semi displacement designs with fiberglass construction — the buying decision usually comes down to a handful of practical questions: how many people are you putting on the water, how far do you trailer, and what does your tow vehicle weigh?

Size is the most obvious dividing line here. The Sea Ray 500 Sundancer 2011 measures 51,0 feet overall (2011), giving it roughly 10,3 additional feet of deck space compared to the Sea Ray 390 Sedan Bridge 2011 at 40,8 feet (2011). Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Sea Ray 500 Sundancer 2011 tips the scales at 3 425 lbs — 3 403 lbs less than the Sea Ray 390 Sedan Bridge 2011 at 22 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 576 hp, the Sea Ray 500 Sundancer 2011 has a 201-hp advantage over the Sea Ray 390 Sedan Bridge 2011's 375-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads — 3 gal and 4 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Sea Ray 500 Sundancer 2011 is rated for 15 passengers, while the Sea Ray 390 Sedan Bridge 2011 caps at 12. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Sea Ray 500 Sundancer 2011 could be the deciding factor.