Stingray 23 OCX

Stingray Boats says its new 23 OCX looks fast even sitting at the dock.

It’s tough to disagree, with its raked, closed-deck bow, sinuous curved lines and muscular bulges giving the boat a panther-like appearance. Out on the water, its high-performance Z-plane hull and ability to handle beefy outboards up to 300 hp make the 23 OCX a legitimate 70 mph boat.

“We’re really excited about this new outboard cuddy version of our 23-foot sportboat,” says Stingray’s Director of Engineering Drew Gantt. “Not only is she quick and nimble, but she also offers additional comforts with the berth and amenities down below.”

Yes, you read that right. Under that streamlined, closed bow is a full cuddy cabin, with a surprising amount of room to stretch out, relax and rest after a full day of leaving other boats behind in your wake.

The 23 OCX shares a lot of DNA with its 23 OSX twin sister, the big difference being this boat’s closed bow and cuddy cabin arrangement in place of the open bowrider design of the OSX variant. But that’s an important distinction and one which allows the new boat to effectively handle occasional overnight trips. While it’s not designed for extensive cruising, the fact that a fun sportboat can even manage weekends away at all is impressive.

As one expects from a Stingray, the list of standard features in the 23 OCX is extensive, including goodies like an upgraded Fusion RA670 audio system, a removable 25-quart Igloo cooler, dual bucket seats with bolsters, stainless retractable cleats, a stainless steel multi-step stern boarding ladder, a pressurized transom shower, Lumitec underwater lighting, electric trim tabs and even a cockpit cover.

As impressive as that list is, the option menu is even tastier, including niceties like SeaStar power assist steering, a Bimini top, a 1,400-watt Fusion stereo upgrade, a pop-up ski pole, stainless steel LED docking lights and a Garmin 743 GPS.