2024 Bennington 23 RX Sport Swingback

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The 23 RX Sport Swingback blends classic pontoon construction materials with a modern twist. The classic comes from aluminum, naturally; the twist comes in its placement. Rather than traditional railings and panels, sleek outside cladding produces a near-seamless exterior as it wraps the boat’s lower half before giving way to an offset, interior-clad swoop of a bold accent color arching across the tapered bow and down the port and starboard sides. Overhead, a sleek sport arch mimics the flowing, uninterrupted lines below. Add a tinted ­windscreen at the helm, integrated docking lights at the bow, stainless-steel accents aft and Bennington’s logo on the bow gate to get one mean machine.

The black Phantom Package interior on our test boat really popped, and cool-touch pillow-top furniture with stitched diamond-pattern accents hinted at the cushy comforts below. As aboard most pontoons, parallel lounges are found forward. Add the optional gate-filler seat for a U-shaped lounge. Lift the seats to find storage below as well as behind the forward-facing seatbacks. Aft, a 4-inch raised helm lifted the captain above the passengers for a clear view forward. Behind, Bennington’s Deluxe Swingback features an L-shaped lounge with a removable pedestal table. The backrest pivots to form an aft-facing recliner, lies flat to form a sun bed, or ratchets up the sternmost cushions for a forward-facing recliner. A pop-up changing room waits below. An optional stainless-steel perimeter rail lets passengers use the area while running the boat.

Bennington’s ESP (Elliptical Sport Package) pairs 25-inch outer pontoons with a 32-inch elliptical tube down the middle to provide a lightning-fast time to plane and precision handling while underway. The latter showcased Bennington’s trademark hint of inside lean to inspire confidence and keep the crew planted when cornering. A 300 hp ­Yamaha proved quiet and economical when cruising, burning less than 6 gph at 20 mph. Jam the throttle forward, and 30 mph comes and goes in just over 7 seconds en route to a near-45 mph top speed.

High Points

• Upscale helm design features aircraft-style toggles, Garmin and Yamaha touchscreens, and a glove box with 12-volt dual USB chargers.
• Multiple USB/USB-C charging stations.
• Standard Rockford Fosgate sound system.

How We Tested

• Engine: Yamaha F300
• Drive/Prop: Outboard/Yamaha Saltwater Series II 16″ x 15½”
• Gear Ratio: 1.75:1 Fuel Load: 15 gal. Crew Weight: 155 lb.

Pricing and Specs

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Source: https://www.boatingmag.com/boats/2024-bennington-23-rx-sport-swingback-pbbg/