It’s that time of year again, when the “new for 2016” banners start to appear. And Stingray Boats has a number of new models, including the new 225RX Rally, a sleek new runabout that looks great and offers decent value.

stingray 225

The new 225RX cuts a sleek profile, with simple graphics on the exterior and clean, uncluttered accents on the interior upholstery.



The 225RX Rally is available in all white for the base price of $39,170, but the boat looks best with the black hull stripe, which will run you an extra $368. One cool little detail that’s easy to miss is the bilge vent to either side. The covers are molded in the same shape of a stingray’s body. Pretty neat.

Up front, the bow area features the classic pointy end. No scallops or pickle-forks here, and it’s nice to see a boat builder sticking with traditional bow design. It’s not short on features, either, which include an anchor locker that can close when the boat’s moored, a cooler, cup holders, grab handles and a pair of speakers.

The interior of the 225RX is simple and understated, even at the helm. It’s just a French-stitched brow with Faria white-face gauges inset on a black plastic applique. The switches are located to the right of steering wheel, which to my taste is a little out of character with the rest of the interior, but to each his own.

stingray

The helm on the Stingray is straight-forward, but stylish as well.



In terms of practicality, the 225RX is fitted with a one-piece deck and floor liner, which is self draining and treated with nonskid. Stingray added little rubber step pads to the gunwales to either side of the engine hatch, so if you’re boarding from the side, you can step on the gunwale rather than the upholstery. Stingray designers also thought to offset the rear swim platform boarding ladder to the starboard side, to keep toes clear of the propeller. Parents will like that, as well as the center walk-through to the swim platform, which has upholstered covers that snap in place.

Under the hatch, Stingray production workers tucked the engine in neatly and with tidy rigging. It’s a clean and fastidious installation, with lots of room to either side for stowing gear.

In standard trim the 225RX is somewhat sparse, but for the base price of $39,170, the boat seems like a pretty good value. One of my pet peeves is when Bimini tops aren’t standard equipment, and unfortunately, a Bimini doesn’t come standard on the 225RX. What’s even more unfortunate is that a Bimini is not available as a stand-alone option. It’s only available in the “preferred equipment group,” which includes things like a larger capacity bilge pump, LED cockpit lighting, a transom tilt switch, and a tilt steering column. That’s a $1,240 upcharge. Snap-in carpeting is available as a stand-alone option and it’s $462 extra.

Overall, there’s a great deal to like about the new Stingray 225RX. It’s priced right and is built by a reputable manufacturer. Clean and uncluttered, the 225RX is a refreshing change from so many boats that are, well, a bit over-thought.

Other Choices: The Sea Ray 21 SPX is a hair shorter and carries a similar price-tag. Another bowrider in this class interested buyers may want to look at is the Bryant 210.

See Stingray 225RX listings.

For more information, visit Stingray.
Specifications
Length22'11"
Beam8'4"
Draft2'9"
Deadrise20 degrees
Displacement3,210 lbs
Fuel capacity47 gal.

Written by: Brett Becker
Brett Becker is a freelance writer and photographer who has covered the marine industry for 15 years. In addition to covering the ski boat and runabout markets for Boats.com, he regularly writes and shoots for BoatTrader.com. Based in Ventura, Calif., Becker holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s in mass communication from the University of Central Florida in Orlando.
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