TEST RESULTS 2004 POWER/PERFORMANCE Test boat engine: Volvo Penta 4.3 GXi 225 hp, 4.3L (262 cid) V-6 gasoline sterndrive. ACCELERATION mph/sec 0-20 / 5.2 | 0-30 / 7.4 | 0-40 / 10.5 TOP SPEED (GPS) rpm/mph 4,800 / 60.6 CRUISING SPEED (GPS) rpm/mph 3,000 / 33.4 | 3,500 / 41.9 | 4,000 / 48.7 SOUND LEVELS AT CRUISE (3,500 rpm) helm - 78 dbA SOUND LEVELS AT TOP SPEED 89 dbA SPECIFICATIONS LENGTH - 19'6" / 5.9 m BEAM - 7'7" / 2.3 m WEIGHT - 2,577 lb. / 1,169 kg FUEL - 21 gal. / 70.5 L SPEED TESTING BY GARMIN GPS

Over the years Stingray Powerboats has made a name with its patented Z-plane hull, which slices and dices through water and waves better than a gourmet chef does his favorite meal. Now Stingray is introducing the next-generation Z-plane on its new 195LR sport runabout. Modifications to the hull include unique contours to the running surface that now extend beneath both sides of the integrated swim platform. The intent is to help the boat plane quicker out of the hole and create three-point contact with the water at faster speeds to provide a free-riding hull.

I'm pleased to say that it does all of that. With a 225-hp Volvo Penta 4.3 GXi mated to an SX drive spinning a 21-inch stainless steel prop, I was able to plane the 195LR in a tad over three seconds. That's with two people and a fairly light load. In 7.4 seconds I was at 30 mph, which is pretty quick.

What is most impressive, however, is the top speed I recorded-60.6 mph. At that speed the boat does indeed ride free, gently floating on air mostly. Like all Z-Plane hulls, the 195LR sports a slightly notched transom, which also improves the boat's performance by allowing the drive to be set a bit higher out of the water to reduce drag. At cruising speeds, turns are predictable and tame and propeller ventilation is not an issue when the boat is properly trimmed. Bottom line: the boat performs very well and is a hoot to drive.

The new 195LR has a different interior design than that found on other Stingray models. The aft cockpit features a wrap-around bench seat to accommodate more passengers who can face each other. Ahead of the bench are twin adjustable bucket seats for the pilot and copilot. Aft is a well-padded sundeck.

Stingray has also refined the open bow of the 195LR. Compared with other bowrider models in the fleet, the 195LR's seat bases and cushions are less angular and considerably more curved, giving passengers more legroom. To make boarding and debarking from the bow easier, Stingray built in a sizable non-skid step at the bow and installed a recessed pull-up cleat there. And to make the most of the space, Stingray placed an insulated cooler beneath the step/hatch and put recessed drinkholders on both sides.

Other enhancements include tapered sidewalls for more room inside the cockpit, a larger swim platform to better accommodate watersports enthusiasts and a recessed three-step retractable ladder to avoid stubbed toes. Stingray also implemented some improvements in the dash. The helm, for instance, has a lower-profile elliptical instrument panel that provides the driver better forward visibility. On the passenger side, Stingray cleverly tucked the boat's stereo CD forward of the flat glovebox so that it is better protected by the windshield.

Storage is plentiful. You find it in the usual places — beneath seat cushions in the bow and aft bench, beneath the gunwales, in mesh netting on the backside of the bucket seats, a locking glovebox and an in-sole locker large enough to hold wakeboards and water skis.

Stingray also offers customers some items rarely included as standard — for instance, a personal "MyStingray.com" Web site, a place, among other things, to display photos of your boat. The list of standards also includes custom engine vibration dampers, a remote oil-changing system, fuel surge protector and three-year blister protection as part of the five-year hull warranty. All things considered, you get a lot of value and performance for the price in the Stingray 195LR.

Randy Scott