Stingray 253CC

Stingray Boats may build its products in small-town South Carolina, but the builder’s name rings out worldwide.

“We have a big presence on the East Coast and in the Great Lakes, of course,” says Drew Gantt, the company’s director of engineering, “but we have boats anywhere you can think of. We even have a few on the Nile.”

Stingray’s latest offering is the 253CC, a 25-foot center console that offers boaters a lot to like. Most Stingrays are cruising vessels first, but the 253CC is a bit different in that it was built to cruise and fish equally.

“People think of us as a builder of family boats, which we are, but you can definitely fish this model,” says Gantt.

He then proceeded to tick off a number of fishy features that would make any angler smile. The 253 has an optional trolling motor harness in the bow, twin macerated fishboxes in the cockpit sole and a 20-gallon livewell. There’s also a small bow lounge up front and flip-down seating at the transom, meaning the 253CC can comfortably carry a relatively large group of people.

Underway, the Stingray is a treat. With twin 150-hp Yamahas the boat has a 48 mph top end. And with soon-to-come 200-hp engines, she will do close to 54 mph, according to Gantt.

“We are also really proud of our fuel-burn numbers,” he says. “At 30 mph this boat burns 2.5 mpg at cruise, loaded. It’s a function of our patented hull design. We call it a Z Plane; it’s got variable deadrise with running strakes angled in a Z-type pattern that creates lift without drag.”

With fishing and cruising bona fides like these, it’s no wonder that Stingray boats find a home wherever they may roam.