Looking at 1995 Stingray 606, questions

[Chevysolid]

Hey all,
I am looking at a few boats and one I ran across is a 95 Stingray 20ft. with a 4.3 Merc, only 124 hrs. They are asking a good price for it.... but I am concerned about only having a V6 for a 20ft boat....
I am interested in being able to ski, tube, etc without any issues.... I am on a smaller lake and really don't need a 20ft... but the price is right... compared to other 17-19 footers.
Anyone have any feedback it would be greatly appreciated...

Thanks

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Looking at 1995 Stingray 606, questions

Welcome to iboats!!

That V-6 will have plenty of power for skiing and tubing.

I would question the amount of LOW advertised hours based on the year.

Do some reading here and have a friend fully inspect the boat along with a water test is possible. That boat will hit almost 55 mph! Some great reviews are available on the internet.

There are hundreds of questions that will have to be answered and most of the answers are available here.

Any maintenance records or history attached?

 

[Chevysolid]

Re: Looking at 1995 Stingray 606, questions

I read that the same year with the V8 did really well... and did not know if that V6 would be enough...

The seller says that he is the original owner... and had the boat rack stored every year until last when he moved hit home from the lake....

I will ask about maint. and such....

Thanks for feedback... and anyone else that has any insight, fell free to respond...
Thanks

 

[lucky7]

Re: Looking at 1995 Stingray 606, questions

a 20 foot boat is much roomier than a 17 foot, stingrays seem do make the most of smaller motors.

 

[Chevysolid]

Re: Looking at 1995 Stingray 606, questions

I am not to worried about top end... would be happy with 50mph... specially if I have a good hole shot for skiing and not loosing speed on the turns with tubing....
Are there basic pitches...for the 4.3 that are redially defined as what the prop is designed for /speed vs. top end..
I understand the differnece in car gearing and I haven't quite got the pitch numbers down...

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Looking at 1995 Stingray 606, questions

they lower the pitch the better hole shot, lower top speed. higher pitch less hole shot, higher top speed. you also have to consider the wide open RPM's of the engine. not to contradict anyone, but i don't think that boat will see 50 mph. for water sports, i would rather go with a 5.0 or 5.7.

also look at the exhaust manifolds, if it has the bat wing manifolds, they are very expensive to replace, as they are not longer made, and will need a conversion kit.

these are bat wings.

 

[Polar_Bus]

Re: Looking at 1995 Stingray 606, questions

I am not to worried about top end... would be happy with 50mph... specially if I have a good hole shot for skiing and not loosing speed on the turns with tubing....
Are there basic pitches...for the 4.3 that are redially defined as what the prop is designed for /speed vs. top end..
I understand the differnece in car gearing and I haven't quite got the pitch numbers down...

Heres some of my relative real world mph speeds as take off my GPS.

my boat is a 1998 Stingray 220CS with a 5.7L 2bbl.

30 gallons of fuel, ideal chop, 2 adults my boat will pull about 46 mph @ 4400 rpm's. My boat is completely stock except for a SS Vengance prop (stock 21in. pitch)

I can also comment my Stingray jumps up on plane REAL quick. My longtime boating buddy is amazed at how well my Stingray performs in all types of conditions. I don't think you will see 50 mph with a 4.3, even in a smaller boat then mine, but i'd guess mid 40's is realistic, and I think you will like the great holeshot performance as well. Don't take my post as dumping on the GM 4.3 V6, those 4.3's are an awesome, reliable performing engine!

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Looking at 1995 Stingray 606, questions

i am not bashing the 4.3 either, the manifolds were a screw up on mercs part, hard and expensive to cast. so they just dropped them.

 

[Chevysolid]

Re: Looking at 1995 Stingray 606, questions

Here is a pic of the motor..... i dont see that type of manifold but it may be covered.....
These are still carbed engines right?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Looking at 1995 Stingray 606, questions

it is a carb engine, and those are the correct manifolds.

 

[Chevysolid]

Re: Looking at 1995 Stingray 606, questions

Correct as in.... not the expensive hard to replace ones??

Also......

If for say I could get this boat for 3K, and I was not able to water test it.... worse case scenario... motor is siezed or cracked.... what kind of cost is it to replace....

Thanks

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Looking at 1995 Stingray 606, questions

at 19 years old, they value is in the drivetrain, and trailer, not the hull, i would atleast start it on muffs, and run it until it comes up to temperature, shift the outdrive into forward then back to neutral let the prop stop, to reverse, repeat several times. shut the engine down and check the oil. you want good oil, no milky shake gray or white oil. the manifolds are the correct manifolds, probably in the range of $800 for the pair, plus labor.

your engine/outdrive questions best answered here.
http://forums.iboats.com/forumdisplay.php?f=21

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Looking at 1995 Stingray 606, questions

Heres some of my relative real world mph speeds as take off my GPS.

my boat is a 1998 Stingray 220CS with a 5.7L 2bbl.

30 gallons of fuel, ideal chop, 2 adults my boat will pull about 46 mph @ 4400 rpm's. My boat is completely stock except for a SS Vengance prop (stock 21in. pitch)

I can also comment my Stingray jumps up on plane REAL quick. My longtime boating buddy is amazed at how well my Stingray performs in all types of conditions. I don't think you will see 50 mph with a 4.3, even in a smaller boat then mine, but i'd guess mid 40's is realistic, and I think you will like the great holeshot performance as well. Don't take my post as dumping on the GM 4.3 V6, those 4.3's are an awesome, reliable performing engine!

I based my speed comment on this test article http://www.stingrayboats.com/products/reviews/hb6-94.html

 

[Polar_Bus]

Re: Looking at 1995 Stingray 606, questions

I based my speed comment on this test article http://www.stingrayboats.com/products/reviews/hb6-94.html

Stingray must have threw Hot Boat a sweet spiff to print those fluffed MPH #'s because I can tell you there is NO way my boat will come anywhere near 59 mph (as advertised in that Hot Boat article).

I can also tell you Stingray's advertised hp # are VERY decieving (at least in my 1998 sales brochure). Stingray advertised ALL the boats having the 5.7L engines rated at 260 hp. I ran my 5.7L VIN# and my Stingray dealer and they told me my 5.7 is rated at 215 hp. I later found out Stingray ONLY put 5.7L 260 hp Vortec's in the "SX" sport performance boats. So don't take high mph numbers as law, remember boat/car/powersport mfg's will do whatever it takes to make you think you have the best, and fastest boat/car/powersports out there..

 

[sickwilly]

Re: Looking at 1995 Stingray 606, questions

The 98 20 foot open bow, with standard engine, weighed 2659 lbs. Their website does not go back to 1995, but there is a way to submit an anonymous question stingrayboats.com

Mine weighs that and with a 23 pitch aluminum prop, 1.81 gear ratio, and a 4.3 carbed merc engine I can hit 55. I know I can top that with a stainless steel prop and if I remove my hydrofoil, but my thing is water sports, so I prop down to a 20 pitch aluminum for hole shot and planning at slow speeds. With this prop and a good load I still hit 46 mph.

My take, then, is yes it will hit 55, but you will want to prop down for water sports, or have two props, one for fast speed cruising and one for water sports.

The only other thing, I do not know, if if the 95 Merc 4.3 had the vortec heads or not -- which would make an HP difference between our boats.

Good luck with your decision.

Bottom line to me, get boating!

 

[Chevysolid]

Re: Looking at 1995 Stingray 606, questions

Well, thanks all for the great feedback... but the boat has been sold...

$2200.00 cash and from the pics I got it looked very nice...

I think it was a divorce sale, she had a couple of other things for sale too...

So I'll be back with questions about the other boats I am looking at

thanks