You can't go wrong with 25 feet of hull underneath you to reach across the wakes. Freeboard is high, giving parents a strong sense of security for their youngsters. Stingray's patented Z-plane hull has reverse strakes, which reduce drag surface of the hull. Also reducing drag is the higher mounting point of the stern-drive; together, these features mean more speed per horsepower and less sensitivity to trim position, making the boat fun and easy to drive.

In spite of the 250LR's beefy size and sizzling straight-ahead speed, we found this boat willing to dive into hard-over turns and stick them out until the end. Then it would come up, still on plane and still hooked up — another nice treat from Z-plane hulls.

Our test boat's 350 Mag MPI with Bravo III drive was extremely satisfying, but Stingray's founder Al Fink is a horsepower fiend; we just finished testing it with an 8.1-liter block. Oh ... my ... gosh! We racked an additional 10 miles per hour with the larger engine.

This boat would look really cool with an aftermarket tower, providing the performance that recreational wake riders and water skiers want. If buyers don't spring for the tower, there's still a styled tow point at the transom. Reboarding is done on the spacious platform via the drop-down stainless ladder. Then, thanks to a center transom walk-through, you can enter the cockpit at least as gracefully as you skied.

The new hull design has a glossy gelcoat with a choice of accent colors: red, yellow, titanium or blue. Rub rails are stainless steel, and so are pull-up stern, midship and bow cleats. In fact, we found more stainless-steel hardware onboard the Stingray than ever before — and at least as much as comparable boats in its class. This is a major upgrade for 2005.

The vinyl upholstery is a big improvement, too. It has a nearly stain-proof finish, as we inadvertently tested with some ballpoint ink — washing it off took two seconds. But the look and supple feel of the upholstery adds the most in terms of class. Stitchwork is so careful you can see the pride Stingray takes in its boats.

Worry about carpet maintenance? Don't. This optional carpet snaps out for easy cleanup, and underneath is a nicely finished fiberglass sole that looks great all alone. And the cockpit drains overboard, so end-of-the-day cleanup is easy in salt or fresh water. For convenience, there's a standard pump-out head onboard, a built-in cooler and a freshwater galley, making this boat the ideal business entertainer.

Stingray Boats has come a long way in 25 years, and this model is an example of the company's commitment to performance, design and family boating values.

Randy Vance
Boating Life Magazine