expert advice on Cold-water boatingp68

Boating
Expert Advice on Cold-Water Boating
p68
BOATING
march 2011
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9 best boats
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4 Cams to
Make You
Famous p19

stingray’s Sexy 225SX
Not Your Typical Family Cruiser
BOATINGMAG.COM
U.S./CAN. $4.99
march 2011
Volume 84, Number 4
Tests
p36
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Cabo 44 HTX
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Cobalt 243
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Tahoe Q8 SSi
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Sweetwater 2286

Tests
( #2625 )
Stingray 225SX
S
tingray founder Al Fink is reportedly
Photos: tom king (OPPOSITE); COURTESY stingray boats
a bit of a fast-car enthusiast. That passion
is readily apparent in the design of the new
225SX. Dressed in sports-car red, with a grated
hood scoop, low-profile tinted windshield and
minimalist black racing stripe, this boat is the kind that
defines the cliché. It literally looks fast standing still. That
it backs up that impression on the water, and does it for
a significantly lower investment than does much of its
competition, shouldn’t come as a surprise to those familiar
with the brand. It’s Stingray’s modus operandi.
Stingray has a long history of getting more speed
out of less engine, often rivaling a competitor’s big
block with a small-block alternative. Most of the credit
usually goes to the company’s ultra-efficient Z-plane
hull design. Essentially, it replaces a conventional hull’s
protruding strakes with a series of stacked, horizontal
surfaces. (Think of the way a Venetian blind lies when
closed.) During hole shot, they act as horizontal planing
surfaces; once on plane, their outside edges function as a
spray release. Stingray claims the design allows for a more
undisturbed flow of water across the hull bottom, which in
turn gives the propeller more clean water to latch onto.
The Z-plane design also includes a notched transom, an
idea borrowed from offshore race boats. It allows the
drive to be mounted higher, further reducing drag and
increasing performance.
The numbers tell the story. With a catalyst-equipped
320 hp 6.2-liter multiport injection (MPI) MerCruiser
noteworthy
Achieving desired
speeds with a smaller
engine makes the 225SX less
expensive to buy and more
economical to run.
purring under the sun pad, and a three-blade Mercury
Laser prop transferring that power to the water via a Bravo
drive, my test boat consistently ran more than 60 mph,
peaking at 61.2. Had it not been carrying a full load of
gas, I imagine top speed might have been faster. Mercury
confirms this same boat did 62.5 with a much lighter fuel
load. Go-fast purists will note that’s speed breathing down
the neck of a Baja 23 Outlaw equipped with a larger 380 hp
MerCruiser 8.2 Magnum ($74,394).
Yes, at times that hull felt a little looser than average
during straight-ahead speed runs. I’ve come to expect that
on Stingrays, because they like to run with a lot of hull out
of the water. But rail the 225 into a corner and that hull
holds tenaciously, taking you in one side and out the other
fast, with absolute precision and no surprises.
This is a boat built, and propped, for speed, and as a
result, it’s not set up for waterski hole shots. It was about
5.5 seconds to plane and, as with other
boats propped for top end, the 225SX’s
long foredeck crossed the horizon for a
time. I’d be interested to see the difference
produced by the optional Bravo Three
drive. Once on plane, however, the
225SX ran surprisingly flat in the water,
requiring little trim to reach its peak speed
at wide-open throttle.
For all the bad-boy attitude this red
boat projects, it’s surprisingly polite in the
cockpit. Here, it’s readily apparent the boat
is fitted for recreational fun and comfort
— Stingray trademarks. Both captain’s
chairs have flip-up bolsters, and the
helm seat is flanked by a nice armrest to
Molded steps lend themselves to security for
moving forward, while smoked panels on the
companionway hatch admit light into the cuddy.
b o at i n g m a g . c o m
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 Stingray 225SX
starboard to rest an elbow
on while controlling the
throttle. The upholstery is
all about performance style
with aft bolsters and sewnin graphics. True go-fast
types will note the throttle
is a standard single-level
control, rather than the
dual-lever Livorsi controls,
but it was impossible not
to notice how smoothly it
worked thanks to standard
premium shift cables.
To port, a dual glove-box
design features a smaller
nook up top that houses the
sound system unit and a
tub below for larger items.
A generous 6-foot-4-inch
aft bench sits in front of a
sun worshipper’s 6-foot-5inch by 2-foot-9-inch sun
pad. Remove the center
cushion and you’ll find a
handy walk-through for
loading the crew aboard
without sullying the vinyl.
They’ll enter and exit over
a 5-foot-10-inch by 2-foot4-inch swim platform that’s
nicely integrated into the
Outboard
deck and hull, rather than
a bolt-on. A three-step
stainless ladder rests under
a cover to starboard, and
twin, generously sized grab
handles are at the ready.
Offering a wide sun pad, the 225SX
also conceals a safe, nonskid
walkway under a removable panel.
Forward, the cabin proves
equally well appointed.
Access is through a two-part
hatch, the top half of which
doubles as steps to access
the bow. Step within and
you’ll find a simple V-berth,
5 feet 6 inches in length
and tapering from 6 feet 8
inches at its widest point to
2 feet 2 inches in the bow.
A continuous netted pocket
rings each side, and a round
20-inch Bomar hatch
provides the necessary
V-Drive
ventilation. The 3½-inchdeep cushions provide good
support for relaxing below.
The center cushion lifts out
to reveal a port-a-potty.
A “true” go-fast? We’d say
it’s a real sexy, all-around
sport boat. But certainly a
boat that goes fast … and
leaves plenty of money
in the wallet to fuel your
fantasies. — Jeff Hemmel
Jet Drive
ava i l a b l e p o w e r :
stern-drives
 Boating Certified Test Results
High Points
u Stowage compartments below the aft bench feature raised edges to channel
Stern-Drive
water away and
keep gear dry.
Dual Prop
u Gray-toned gauge eyebrow ensures visibility of engine instruments.
u Wide-open engine compartment provides excellent maintenance access.
Low Points
u I’d prefer a glossy-finished bilge to make spotting drips easier.
u Bow access steps need a smoother-operating hinge mechanism.
u Engine compartment needs dividers to separate stowage from battery.
speed
efficiencyoperation
naut. stat. n. mi. s. mi.
sound
rpm
knots
mph
gph mpg mpg range range level
1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500 5000 5.04 6.78 7.47 8.60 30.50 36.67 41.93 49.40 52.96 5.80 7.80 8.60 9.90 35.10 42.20 48.25 56.85 60.95 1.90 3.50 5.30 7.70 9.80 12.60 18.00 21.70 24.50 2.65 1.94 1.41 1.12 3.11 2.91 2.33 2.28 2.16 3.05 2.23 1.62 1.29 3.58 3.35 2.68 2.62 2.49 136 99 72 57 160 149 119 117 111 157 114 83 66 184 172 138 134 128 73
75
85
83
90
85
84
89
91
Most Economical Cruising Speed
Windshield glass also produces a fair share of distortion.
Inboard
Pod Drive
How We Tested
u LOA: 22'11" u Beam: 8'4" u Draft (max.): 2'9" u Displacement (lb., approx.): 3,225
u Transom Deadrise: 20 degrees u Bridge Clearance: 3'9" u Max. Cabin Headroom: 4’0”
u Fuel Capacity: 57 gal. u Max. Horsepower: 320 u Available Power: Single MerCruiser
Engines: 320 hp MerCruiser 377 Mag (catalyst) Drive/Prop: Bravo One/Laser II
13⅞" x 21" Gear Ratio: 1.5:1 Fuel Load: 57 gal. Passenger Weight: 330 lb.
and Volvo Penta stern-drives to 320 hp
 Price: $47,415 (with test power)
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b o at i n g m a g . c o m
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Stingray Boats Hartsville, South Carolina; 843-383-4507; stingrayboats.com
Photos: courtesy stingray boats
u Steep-raked windshield is too low to get underneath, too high to see over.