Do you dream of getting out on the water for some fishing? Maybe you’re thinking how great it would be to spend the day cruising around the lake or bay with some friends?
Buying a boat is a big investment, and the price tag of the purchase often puts people off from buying a new model. However, the all-new 2022 Stingray 173CC brings you an affordable center console that’s ideal for fishing, watersports, and cruising.
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2022 Stingray Boats 173CC At a Glance
| Price: | From $37,843 |
|---|---|
| Length: | 17′3″ |
| Beam: | 90″ |
| Draft: | 11.5″ |
| Dry Weight: | 2,100 lb. |
| Seating | 7 Passengers |
| Capacity: | 2,000 lb. |
| More Info: | Stingray Boats |
Design Overview
The 2022 Stingray Boats 173CC is the latest addition to the Stingray legacy. Built-in Hartsville, South Carolina, Stingray spent the last four decades building affordable, trustworthy boats that have everything you need for a fun time out on the water.
The 173CC center console offers you an exciting model featuring the legendary Z-Plane hull, plenty of storage space and seating, and an aerated live well in the vessels aft. You get all the creature comforts for your electronics, power tilt and trim, stainless steel steering wheel, rod holders, an aft ladder, cleats, and the option for a ski tow cage.
Engines
The 2022 Stingray Boats 173CC comes with a 90-HP motor offering you enough power to propel the boat through the chop in rough water conditions. The engine provides you fast time to plane, and it’s powerful enough to create a decent-sized wake for wake sports.
The 2022 Stingray Boats 173CC also features the option of adding an electric trolling motor to the bow, allowing you to fish the flats in the estuary or lake. This boat is a great choice for fishing, with a raw-water washdown feature to keep the deck clean after landing a fish.
Hull
The 2022 Stingray Boats 173CC comes with the patented Z-Plane hull. According to Stingray, the hull is 30% more efficient than other boat brands; the Z-plane hull comes with lifting strakes, acting as horizontal planing faces.
When near the surface, the outside edge of the strakes passes through the water creating no vortices or bubbles to add drag to the hull. As a result, the propeller runs efficiently, with no bite when cornering hard or during straight-line acceleration.
The hull extension underneath the swim platform provides the boat with fast planing and three points of contact at faster speeds. As a result, you get a quicker hole shot, with smooth handling complimenting the power and top speed of the watercraft.
Interior, Seating, and Deck
Stingray might be an affordable brand, but they don’t skimp on the build quality of its boats. The 2022 Stingray Boats 173CC features construction with NMMA-certified ABYC methods, offering excellent water safety, performance, and stability.
The helm features a removable plexiglass windscreen, and there’s a standard-sized aerated live well featuring an 800-gph pump to keep your bait fresh. You’ll also find a stainless-steel gunwale allowing ample rod storage in the vessels aft.
All hardware on the boat comes with stainless steel construction as standard, providing corrosion resistance and long service life. The helm and bow seating features cushions with Nano-Block stain-resistant vinyl to keep them looking good years after purchase.
The flop-back seat lets you convert the leaning post to an aft-facing position when you pull up to your fishing spot, allowing you to fish over the transom. We highly recommend going for the bow seating package (optional), turning this boat from a fisherman’s dream into a fun family cruiser.
The port and starboard seating in the bow is spacious, accommodating four to five guests. You get comfortable backrests, and you have the option of ordering the bow filler cushion to turn the bow into a comfortable lounge.
The center console design of the boat allows full access to the port and starboard sides of the vessel, with high-traction flooring running from bow to stern. It’s ideal for fighting fish on either side of the boat without losing space.
The 173 CC comes with a removable 25-QT Igloo cooler for food and drinks or storing your catch. The transom aft features a stainless steel multi-step ladder helping divers and skiers get out of the water without hauling themselves over the side of the boat.
If you’re into watersports, there’s the option for a ski tow cage to hook up your wakeboard rope for some wake-jumping fun. The bow floor features a removable lid, accessing the underfloor storage that’s ideal for packing away those wahoo when they start biting.
The deep bow and wide body design make the 173 CC safe for operating out on rough waters, and stainless steel grabrails run the length of the bow area. The boat also features a raw-water washout system allowing for easy cleaning of the deck after landing the fish and bleeding it.
The 2022 Stingray Boats 173CC comes with an optional fishing package adding a removable trolling engine mount, plug and harness, bow fishing seat, aft fish storage box, and two stainless steel aft rod holders.
You also have the option of adding a table to the bow, and the optional Bimini top is a must to keep you out of the sun on hot days. The wide beam of the 2022 Stingray Boats 173CC makes this boat feel a lot roomier in the bow, and the step-thru from the helm features non-skid flooring.
You get a freshwater sink is positioned amidship, and there’s a trash compartment in the cuddy. The helm features a low-profile dashboard with all the room you need for your Garmin and fishfinder and a sporty padded steering wheel for comfortable driving.
Pricing
The 2022 Stingray Boats 173CC offers you one of the most affordable, high-quality, entry-level center consoles available. This boat comes with an entry-level price tag of $37,843 for the base model, including a Mercury 90-HP outboard motor.
Additional Features
The 2022 Stingray Boats 173CC offers you an affordable boat. However, it’s a very basic offering, and you’ll need to spend extra money if you want to kit it out to your custom requirements. The 173CC comes with the convenience package from Stingray included in the deal.
- Aerated Livewell offering 800-gph.
- Fusion RA-60 Stereo.
- Leaning post and cushion.
- Stainless steel rod holders.
- Stainless steel aft ladder.
- Stainless steel pull-up cleats.
- Raw-wash system.
However, there are several optional extras you can add to the boat to improve your user experience – at a price.
- Yamaha Command Link Gauges
- Suzuki or Mercury digital readout.
- Garmin 742xs or 942xs and transducer.
- Blue LED PKG with underwater lighting.
- Signature speaker upgrades.
- RA670 Stereo upgrades and remote.
- Fusion 500W 4-channel amp.
- Trolling Motor Harness and mount.
- Filler cushions for cabin and bow.
- Recirculating aeration Pump.
- Ski tow-cage.
The Verdict
The 2022 Stingray Boats 173CC brings you one of the best options for an entry-level boat offering diverse use for fishing, watersports, and cruising.
While we wish the base model came with more features (a sunshade or Bimini would be nice), you have plenty of optional extras to let you customize the boat any way you want.
However, the extras can lift the price tag significantly, and the fully-kitted out 173CC will likely cost you closer to the $45,000 mark.
