Stingray's new 205 series of bowriders and cuddies are twenty-one footers and packed with lots of great features that will
make your life on the water sporty and accommodating.
The 205C cuddy cabin comes in two configurations, the 205CS and the 205CX.
The 205CS has a passenger side back-to-back fold-down lounge seat with rear jump seats beside the motor box and it even
conveniently converts to a sundeck when the duty calls.
The 205CX that I tested recently at the Stingray's headquarters in Hartsville, South Carolina, has a passenger side
adjustable bucket seat with a full width rear seat in front of a full size sundeck. Both models offer adjustable and
comfortable helm bucket seats that can be positioned just right for optimum visibility through the windshield while underway.
All seats are covered with substantial 36-ounce, foam-backed, PreFixx treated vinyl.
Convenient features on the 205CX start with the standard, extended platform, which allows more room for multiple watersport
fun. It comes equipped with a three-step, recessed, stainless steel boarding ladder, two (non-toe-stubbing) pull-up stainless
steel cleats and a stainless grab handle.
In the cockpit is a large 46-quart, insulated cooler/storage box built right into the cockpit floor. The helm is well
designed and functional with all of the standard switches and gauges placed behind the Dino tilt wheel. Stingray is one of the
only manufacturers I know of which provides a handy accessory position on the ignition switch. A remote-capable Kenwood
AM/FM/CD player is standard as is the acrylic bimini-style top with front filler panel overhead.
Access to the adequately sized cuddy is via a bi-fold door with smoked Lexan inserts. A unique feature in here are the
moulded in compartments beneath the V-berth cushions that house a fresh water sink, butane stove in a stainless case, and
porta-potti — all neatly out of sight. Two stainless-framed, side opening port lights and a large overhead screened oval hatch
provide ventilation and natural light in the cuddy.
Power on our test boat was a V-6 Volvo Penta 4.3L GXi sterndrive with an aluminum propeller. This new 205 series rides on
Stingray's new next generation Z-plane hull bottom, a fairly new modification of its patented Z-Plane hull first introduced in 1991.
The z-plane basically extends the chine several inches past the stern and the hull bottom tapers back to the centre of the transom.
It is designed to act somewhat like trim tabs to assist the boat onto plane and to create less lean in corners. More importantly,
it seems to work well.
With one person on board and almost no gear, it took an average of 7 seconds to get onto plane. It seemed to hold plane at
a minimum of an indicated 20 to 22 mph at 2400 RPM. I found a comfortable, relaxing, relatively quiet cruising speed at an
indicated 37 mph at 3400 RPM. WOT (Wide Open Throttle) showed 58 mph at 5200 RPM.
