The LX version of this new 191 was so sporty in our tests — and so nicely equipped — that it might be the first and only boat your family will ever want.
Inside, contoured coaming pads offer comfort and good ergonomics by providing a resting spot for your throttle arm. Vinyl upholstery features sewn-in accents and piping plus an embroidered Stingray medallion. Bow seating was equally well appointed.
For water sports, it boasted platform pods on either side of the motor. One sported a three-step stainless-steel ladder easily deployed from in the water. This is to accommodate the swimmers and skiers, and if you wondered if our tester could handle riders, worry not!
Our time to plane was a tad more than four seconds, and our top speed was north of 45 mph. Yamaha gets plenty of torque out of its in-line 115, and Stingray maximizes it with its Z-plane hull. A cross-section of the hull shows the Zorro-like strakes. The design works well at speed, while attaining plane and in turns.
You could go to the base model, which sports a more Spartan interior and a 90 horse Mercury four-stroke, but entry boaters who don’t know if they want to fish or ski, should focus on the 191LX. Only it can be equipped both ways with a pylon and a fishing package.
