TRAILER BOATS TEST BOWRIDER STINGRAY 208LR TO THE M Available only with a V-6, Stingray s new 208LR is fast and efficient, as well as a 2011 E 30 TRAILER BOATS APRIL 2011
BY JIM HENDRICKS AX xcellence in Design award winner Boats from Stingray have a reputation. Thanks to the design savvy and energy of Stingray President Al Fink and his team, the company s boats are known for being quick and efficient. Based on 14 years of testing Stingrays, I know firsthand that the patented Z-plane hulls maximize available power to produce outstanding performance, making them fun to drive. The realities of today s economy mean that fuel efficiency is more important than ever, as is value. These are two of the main thoughts that went into the design of Stingray s new 208LR. To offer even more value, this 20½-footer was designed to maximize cockpit space. Toward this endeavor, Stingray shrank the length of the engine compartment by shifting the forward bulkhead farther aft, creating eight additional linear inches in the cockpit. This resulted in more room for seating and passengers. TRADE-OFFS Yet everything comes at a price, and in this case, the bigger cockpit meant that only a smaller 4.3L V-6 engine would be able to fit in the downsized engine bay. So no optional V-8 for this sterndrivepowered bowrider. Since V-6 engines cost less than V-8s, this helped keep the price down on the Stingray. Taking that into consideration, it seemed like this runabout propelled by just 220 hp would be at a disadvantage competing in a market in which more-powerful 20-footers are readily available. Well, that s where Stingray s penchant for building efficient hulls comes into play. As it turns out, the 208LR matches up favorably against comparably sized runabouts with greater power. For example, in our June 2009 test ( Game Changer ) of a 20½foot Tracker Tahoe Q7 SSi with a 260-hp MerCruiser 5.0L V-8, we recorded a top speed of 52.8 mph. And in our July 2010 test ( Sun Goddess ) of a Sea Ray 210 Sundeck with a 300-hp MerCruiser 5.7L V-8, we achieved a top speed of 52.1 mph. Keeping in mind that testing took place at different times under different conditions with different loads, compare those to the 54.2-mph top speed of the Stingray 208LR with a 220-hp MerCruiser 4.3L V-6. AWARD-WINNER It was the complete utilization of interior space and available power that earned the 208LR a Trailer Boats 2011 Excellence in Design award for Value, as highlighted in the January 2011 issue (page 26). Yet the value does not stop there, particularly when you opt for Stingray s Convenience Package (a $3,329 upgrade), as featured on our test model. No matter how you order the 208LR, there are a host of features and improvements over the predecessor model Stingray s 205. The bow of the 208LR was designed to be wider, more akin to a deck boat than a traditional bowrider. This broader stance allows room for a companionway entrance at the forepeak with a telescoping stainless boarding ladder and an anchor locker. The ladder folds into the anchor locker, which features a nonskid lid. You also get a built-in cooler just abaft of the anchor locker, and there are recessed drink holders on both sides of the cooler. If you want to go all out, you can order an optional stereo remote and a pull-out shower hose that tucks into the anchor locker.4 APRIL 2011 TRAILER BOATS 31
TRAILER BOATS TEST BOWRIDER STINGRAY 208LR To help keep the thickly padded, 36-ounce vinyl upholstery throughout the boat looking good for years, the seating features Pre-Fixx protectant. The 208LR has a full fiberglass liner floor with a nonskid sole. As with most runabouts, snap-in carpet is an available option. Belowdeck is a generously sized watersports locker. Featuring a stainless shock-assist strut, forward-mount stainless hinges and a stainless latch, the locker is big enough to accommodate wakeboards or even some inflated watertoys. In addition, doors on the port and starboard consoles open to reveal oversized storage compartments with pass-throughs to the under-seat storage areas in the bow. The convenience package includes a removable snack table with pedestal mounting bases in the cockpit and bow. FROM THE HELM The 208LR features a bi-level dash with brushed metal panels. The upper panel features backlit instruments with a four-in-one gauge in the middle that includes indicators for fuel level, engine oil pressure, engine temperature and voltage output. Other gauges include a tachometer and an engine-hour meter. The helm s lower panel features the remote audio display and key switch, as well as rocker switches for accessories such as running lights, the bilge blower and the bilge pump. We compliment Stingray for including a Ritchie compass, as we believe no boat should venture forth without a compass on board. Our test boat also had an Italian-made steering wheel with stainless spokes and a tilt-and-lock helm, which is part of the convenience package. We appreciated the LED interior lighting for the cockpit and surrounding areas. The 208LR is equipped with two bucket seats, each with a flip-up bolster, which from the captain s point of view is great for slow-speed maneuvering around the marina. But at speed, you will want to keep your face below the wraparound windshield, which means keeping the bolster down. In the aft cockpit is a bench seat with a short settee to port and a 15-inch-wide walk-through to the integrated swim platform to starboard. Below the walkway is a built-in cooler. Atop the engine compartment is a spacious sun pad, which lifts on gas-assist struts to reveal the 4.3L power plant and service points. Dual LED lights illuminate the engine compartment. The swim platform features a nonskid sole with a fold-away stainless boarding ladder to starboard and a wet-storage compartment forward and slightly elevated from the platform. SPIRITED PERFORMANCE Our testing took place on Stingray s home waters of Lake Robinson, S.C. As indicated earlier, the V-6-powered 208LR was no slacker when it came to speed, posting an average of 54.2 mph at wide-open throttle with two adult males, test and safety gear, and ¾-tank of fuel. While we always load the boat as much as possible for our official test results, we returned to the lake afterward with just one person on board to see how the 208LR would perform. We Along with maximum utilization of interior space, Stingray s new 208LR features an integrated swim platform at the stern and a companionway entrance at the forepeak. TEST NOTES >> Maximum utilization of space and power >> Knifes smoothly through chop and waves >> Remarkable fuel efficiency >> Easy access to the engine compartment for service 32 TRAILER BOATS APRIL 2011
SPECIFICATIONS Base price (w/mercruiser 4.3 MPI/Alpha) $32,794 Price as tested $36,616 Length 20'8" Beam 8'3" Deadrise at transom 19 degrees Weight (dry) 2,825 lbs. Draft (drive down) 34" Fuel capacity 35 gals. Maximum horsepower 225 NMMA certified Yes NOTABLE STANDARD EQUIPMENT Stainless bow, spring and stern cleats, adjustable bucket seats, brush steel trim package, remote oil change system NOTABLE OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT Two-tone color stripe, Convenience Package including windshield side vents, removable table, 180-watt four-speaker stereo system, transom tilt and trim switch, electronic fuel management system, bimini top Clockwise from top left: A four-in-one gauge is centered in the dash above the tilt-and-lock helm and Ritchie compass. In the bow, Stingray offers two forward-facing lounges with well-padded upholstery and a grab handle on each gunwale. The 208LR boasts strong acceleration and a respectable top speed thanks to its 220-hp MerCruiser 4.3 MPI V-6 engine. managed to squeeze another mph out of the boat getting it up to 55.2 mph. Spinning a Mercury 23-inch-pitch stainless Laser II three-blade propeller on an Alpha One drive, the 208LR had strong acceleration. Our zero-to-30-mph times averaged 7.7 seconds. To continue our comparison of boats with greater power, the 260-hp Tahoe Q7 SSi we tested went from zero to 30 mph in 7.7 seconds, and the 300-hp Sea Ray 210 Sundeck took 9.4 seconds to reach 30 mph. When it comes to ride and handling, this boat is hard to fault. At speed, the Z-plane hull lifts cleanly with just a touch of trim, which accounts for the boat s great efficiency. It knifes through chop and waves smoothly, and takes nary a drop of water when tackling seas head on. Bringing it about at speed is an exercise in predictability. The 208LR corners cleanly and, when trimmed down properly, the drive maintains a bite while turning hard. The hull refuses to skip or trip, even when cornering across steep chop. Finally, the 2,825-pound 208LR also makes the most of its 35-gallon fuel tank, achieving a stellar 5.2 mpg at 2500 rpm and 25.1 mph. That equates to a cruising range of 164 miles, with a 10 percent fuel reserve. With a base price of $32,794, the 208LR is not the cheapest new boat you will find, but the cost is very reasonable, particularly when you consider that this boat takes everything it s got to the max. TB ENGINE AS TESTED Make MerCruiser 4.3 MPI/Alpha One Horsepower 220 Number of cylinders V-6 Displacement 4.3L (262 cid) Weight 1,021 lbs. Gear ratio 1.81:1 WOT rpm range 4400-4800 rpm Propeller Mercury Laser II 13 3 4 x 23" stainless three-blade TEST RESULTS Top speed (mph) 54.2 0-30-mph acceleration (seconds) 7.7 SOUND MEASUREMENTS (dba) Idle at transom (500 rpm) 60 Idle at helm (500 rpm) 65 Cruise at helm (3000 rpm) 84 WOT at helm (5000 rpm) 93 ENGINE/RPM SPEED/MPH FUEL/GPH FUEL/MPG RANGE/MILES 1 1000 4.8 1.2 4.0 126 1500 6.4 2.0 3.2 101 2000 9.1 3.9 2.3 72 2500 25.1 4.8 5.2 164 3000 32.9 6.4 5.1 161 3500 39.2 8.4 4.6 145 4000 43.1 10.7 4.0 126 4500 49.3 13.9 3.5 110 5000 (WOT) 54.2 16.2 3.3 104 Optimum cruising speed 1 Based on 90 percent fuel capacity ONLINE: For our in-depth video tour of the Stingray 208LR, visit Trailerboats.com. CONTACT INFORMATION Stingray Boats, Dept. TBM, 625 Railroad Ave., Hartsville, SC 29550; 843/383-4507; stingrayboats.com MerCruiser, Dept. TBM, P.O. Box 1939, Fond du Lac, WI 54936; 800/637-2879; mercurymarine.com APRIL 2011 TRAILER BOATS 33