The 23 RX Sport Swingback blends classic pontoon construction materials with a modern twist. The classic comes from aluminum, naturally; the twist comes in its placement. Rather than traditional railings and panels, sleek outside cladding produces a near-seamless exterior as it wraps the boat’s lower half before giving way to an offset, interior-clad swoop of a bold accent color arching across the tapered bow and down the port and starboard sides. Overhead, a sleek sport arch mimics the flowing, uninterrupted lines below. Add a tinted windscreen at the helm, integrated docking lights at the bow, stainless-steel accents aft and Bennington’s logo on the bow gate to get one mean machine.
The black Phantom Package interior on our test boat really popped, and cool-touch pillow-top furniture with stitched diamond-pattern accents hinted at the cushy comforts below. As aboard most pontoons, parallel lounges are found forward. Add the optional gate-filler seat for a U-shaped lounge. Lift the seats to find storage below as well as behind the forward-facing seatbacks. Aft, a 4-inch raised helm lifted the captain above the passengers for a clear view forward. Behind, Bennington’s Deluxe Swingback features an L-shaped lounge with a removable pedestal table. The backrest pivots to form an aft-facing recliner, lies flat to form a sun bed, or ratchets up the sternmost cushions for a forward-facing recliner. A pop-up changing room waits below. An optional stainless-steel perimeter rail lets passengers use the area while running the boat.
Bennington’s ESP (Elliptical Sport Package) pairs 25-inch outer pontoons with a 32-inch elliptical tube down the middle to provide a lightning-fast time to plane and precision handling while underway. The latter showcased Bennington’s trademark hint of inside lean to inspire confidence and keep the crew planted when cornering. A 300 hp Yamaha proved quiet and economical when cruising, burning less than 6 gph at 20 mph. Jam the throttle forward, and 30 mph comes and goes in just over 7 seconds en route to a near-45 mph top speed.
High Points
- Upscale helm design features aircraft-style toggles, Garmin and Yamaha touchscreens, and a glove box with 12-volt dual USB chargers.
- Multiple USB/USB-C charging stations.
- Standard Rockford Fosgate sound system.
How We Tested
- Engine: Yamaha F300
- Drive/Prop: Outboard/Yamaha Saltwater Series II 16″ x 15½”
- Gear Ratio: 1.75:1 Fuel Load: 15 gal. Crew Weight: 155 lb.
Pricing and Specs
| Price: | $219,797 (with Yamaha 300) |
| LOA: | 25’3″ |
| Beam: | 8’6″ |
| Draft (max): | NA |
| Dry Weight: | 3,327 lb. |
| Seat/Weight Capacity: | 11/1,623 lb. |
| Fuel Capacity: | 35 gal. |
Bennington Marine – Elkhart, Indiana; benningtonmarine.com
