Beam: 7’6″
Dry Weight (approx.): 2,000 lb. (with test power)
Seating/Weight Capacity: 9/2,025 lb.
Fuel Capacity: 21 gal. More Information: stingrayboats.com Stingray Boats
Leave it to Stingray Boats to bring out an entirely new deck boat, power it with an economical Mercury 90 hp four-stroke, and get rocking performance. We beat 40 mph in our test of the 191 DC. It sipped so little fuel that the gauge almost reflected highway miles. We reflected boating smiles.
Al Fink was clever in designing this hull with a long centerline length to its 7-foot-6-inch beam. That deck-plan ratio lets it jump up on plane quickly — just under three seconds in our tests — assuring us it had the juice to yank kids up on skis, wakeboards and tubes. The Z-Plane hull, proven by Stingray, is also responsible for its crisp tracking in turns and the ability to stay on plane in hardover turns.
Deck boats are made to haul big crews in sleek comfort, and this one satisfied that check on the scorecard too. The forward seating allowed two people to stretch their legs and lean back. Four passengers could have easily sat there with their backs to the gunwales. Aft seating includes an L-shaped lounge that allows for a walk-through transom. In our test boat, the skipper and mate each got a fully adjustable swivel bucket seat. Those seats were part of the Preferred Equipment Group ($1,149) that includes a Sunbrella Bimini top you won’t want to skip and a Bluetooth-enabled stereo.
OK, seating descriptions are all pretty boilerplate in any review, but what isn’t boilerplate is how well this deck plan worked. The full windshield has a wide-opening center panel, and both the cockpit and forward deck boast floor space galore. There’s even more real estate aft with a boarding platform and recessed boarding ladder. And more noteworthy is the stability we experienced as we moved from port to starboard in this rig.
For multi-enthusiast families, the 191 DC can be equipped with a fishing package ($612) that includes a removable trolling motor mount, power plug, bow fishing seat, and two gunwale rod holders aft. You can add the trolling motor of your choice, plus an additional battery.
Every Stingray boat comes with a three-year hull-blister warranty and a five-year structural warranty against defects.
High Points
*Inexpensive stainless-steel package ($200) adds gleaming cup holders, grab handles, windshield supports and a horn cover.
*Standard stainless-steel rub rail adds protection around the dock.
*Nonskid deck looks great, even without the upgraded Seagrass mat or carpet (choice $660).
How We Tested
Engine: Mercury 90 hp
Drive/Prop: Outboard/Black Max 14.5″ x 19″ 3-blade aluminum
Gear Ratio: 2.38:1
Fuel Load: 15 gal.
Crew Weight: 240 lb.
Price
$30,825 (as tested)
Contact
Stingray Boats Hartsville, South Carolina; 843-383-4507; stingrayboats.com
