Stingray 201 DC Review

Deck boats have a lot of appeal with their wide-open, versatile floorplans. But being so wide-open isn’t necessarily a great thing if you live in the northern part of the world, and like to extend your boating season. Enter Hartsville, South Carolina-based Stingray Boats, who changes all that by adding a full walk-through windshield to bring added weather protection to its popular lineup of deck boats.

The company’s all-new 201 DC is loosely based on Stingray’s popular 192SC model, but with modern refinements and that big windshield for true three-season adaptability. Step aboard the large integrated rear swim platform and you’ll notice the three-step retractable boarding ladder to starboard, and a pair of lids straddling the engine well concealing storage for wet gear. Across the transom are four integrated beverage holders (of 11 in total), plus a receptacle to accept a ski pylon, which speaks to this boat’s multi-role capability. A transom pass-through to starboard allows easy entry into the main cockpit.

The overall footprint follows a fairly typical deck boat layout – a large stern seat with storage beneath wraps forward along the starboard gunnel, while to port a rear-facing companion lounger provides maximum versatility. There’s abundant storage space in each of the seat bases. Our review boat had the optional live well package, concealed beneath the central portion of the stern seat cushion.

Combined with the swiveling helm Captain’s chair, this wrap-around seating arrangement allows plenty of room for conversation or lunch, if you install the removable pedestal-mount table. The cockpit sole is fiberglass for durability and easy cleaning, although fast-drying snap-in carpet is available as an option. Overhead, a Bimini top provides welcome protection from the mid-day sun.

The passenger lounger faces aft with its backrest against the passenger console, which is topped by a pair of beverage holders and a small sink. Below, there’s a dedicated storage space for a removable 25-quart Igloo cooler.

In the floor between the passenger and helm consoles is a large storage locker that easily accommodates bulky gear like water skis, wakeboards or extra PFDs.

The helm itself provides full instrumentation – trim, fuel, speedometer, tach, volt meter, hour meter and depth finder – arranged in chrome-bezel gauges which surround a flat central panel that would be the ideal spot for a flush-mount GPS/fish finder. The stereo control head sits to the left of the chrome-on-black sport steering wheel, while in the base of the helm console a large door offers access to a cavernous storage locker.

The helm Captain’s chair on our review boat had a flip-up bolster for improved visibility when navigating tight spaces. That’s a particularly nice feature with the full walk-through windshield. With the seat in its normal position, visibility through the windshield is excellent. Flip up the bolster and you look over the glass.

Up front in the bow, dual forward-facing lounge seats surround another in-floor receptacle for the pedestal-mount table, while a step leading to the forward deck conceals a cooler/live well, with overboard drain.

Open the hatch centered on the front deck and there’s a retractable two-step boarding ladder, which is a great convenience when you beach the boat for a picnic. Below it, within the same compartment, is an anchor locker, which is served by a pop-up cleat. Equally thoughtful is a control head for the Marine Audio MA300 stereo. It’s Bluetooth-enabled, so you can stream tunes directly from a phone or tablet.

Although rated to handle outboards up to 175 horsepower, our review boat was rigged with a 140-horsepower Suzuki four-stroke. This is a good choice for the 201 DC, providing a nice combination of power and economy. Thanks to Stingray’s high performance Z-Plane hull design, the 201 DC doesn’t require maximum power to deliver quick acceleration and an enjoyable ride.

After taking a few minutes to get used to the boat, it was time to see what it could do. With a touch of negative trim, it hopped up on plane in a hair over three second and hit a top speed of 45 mph running wide-open, with the big Suzuki turning at 6,000 rpm. With the windshield closed, I sat in dead air while running at wide-open throttle, confirming its effectiveness as a windbreak while underway. Although the day of my sea trial was hot and muggy, this would be much appreciated up north on a cool autumn morning.

Stingray’s new 201 DC takes everything that’s great about deck boats and bundles it in a much more versatile package. With its snappy performance and long option list enabling one to personalize the boat as they wish, it will likely prove a strong seller this coming season.

Stingray 201 DC Specs

Length: 20; 1”
Beam: 100”
Weight: 2,800 lbs. (with engine)
Fuel capacity: 46 gal
Water capacity: 3 gal.
Passenger capacity: 10
Maximum Power: 175 hp
Information: www.stingrayboats.com