Stingray 191 DC Review

Story by Craig Ritchie Jul. 28, 2017

A deck boat for northerners

The new Stingray 191 DC, a versatile 19-foot deck boat that seats nine people in comfort with its flowing, open layout, comfortable seating and thoughtful amenities.

Boaters in the northern half of the continent still haven’t embraced pontoons and deck boats in the same way that our southern neighbors have, and to a large degree that’s due to the cooler climate. While everyone likes the open floor plans and generous seating that these boats provide, northern boaters like to make the most of the short season by getting the boat in the water as soon as the ice breaks up, and leaving it there till the snow begins to fly. Running at full throttle early or late in the season isn’t for the faint of heart, and that’s why so many boaters in the north still prefer a full windshield and the protection it provides against a 50 mph wind chill.

Now Stingray Boats wants to change all that. By adding a full walk-through windshield to its proven deck boat platform, the Hartsville, South Carolina-based company might just succeed in making deck boats as popular in the north as they are in the south.

Enter the new Stingray 191 DC, a little pocket rocket that’s fun to drive, and best of all, it has a full walk-through windshield for protection from the cold.

The dual console layout allows for the addition of a full walk-through windshield.

The interior layout of the 191 DC follows the same basic layout of other deck boat models in the Stingray lineup. The difference is the passenger console on the port side, allowing the addition of that big protective windshield. There’s a comfy stern seat across the transom with storage beneath, which wraps past a starboard-side transom walk-through leading to the rear swim platform and continues up the starboard gunnel. Amidships, the driver and companion ride on matching pedestal-mount bucket seats finished an attractive two-tone vinyl upholstery that provides just the right balance of comfort and support.

Up front in the bow, a matched pair of lounge seats with forward-facing seat backs on the console faces make the ideal spot to sprawl out and enjoy the ride. There’s cavernous storage in the seat bases, allowing the 191 DC to accommodate a vast amount of bulky gear. A pair of stereo speakers flank the lid of an integrated cooler, complete with an overboard drain.

Comfy lounge seats in the bow are the ideal spot to soak up the sun.

The cockpit liner in the main cockpit is fiberglass, with a self-draining design for easy end-of-day cleanups. Snap-in carpeting, or Sea Weave flooring are available as upgrades. There’s a large ski locker in the floor for storing bulky gear.

The dual console layout allows for the addition of a full walk-through windshield.

There’s a locking glove box in the passenger console, with an adjacent grab handle and an oversized beverage holder – one of at least nine on board, meaning a cool drink is never out of reach.

The helm is cleanly designed, with a backlit combination speedometer and fuel gauge to left of the chrome-on-black sport steering wheel, and a tach to the right. Our review boat came with Stingray’s Convenience Package, including a 25-quart Igloo removable cooler, upgraded Italian steering wheel, 12-volt dash plug-in and indirect LED cockpit lighting.

The helm console is simple and clean, with double cup holders and a comfortable foot rest for the driver.

Power on our review boat was a Mercury four-cylinder, 90 horsepower four-stroke with the Command Thrust high torque lower unit. Surrounding it was a large swim platform, with a three-step stainless steel boarding ladder on the starboard side. Riding solo and three-quarters of a tank of fuel, the Stingray popped onto plane in about 2.5 seconds and was climbing past 20 mph less than two seconds later. Wide open, the boat notched a hair under 44 mph on the GPS while turning a smooth 6,000 rpm.

It should be noted that our test boat was running the stock three-blade, 19-inch aluminum prop. While moving to a four-blade design would provide even faster planing (especially under a full load), there’s really no point, as the basic propeller works so well. Although rated to take a 115, the boat performed very well with the 90, making one question whether the extra ponies are really worth the additional expense.

With its versatile layout, great performance, excellent fuel economy and the protection of that walk-through windshield providing real three-season utility, Stingray’s 191 DC is an attractive package that should be prove popular with boaters all over the map.