2025 Bennington 26 MSBA-SPT

This new 2025 Bennington 26 MSBA-SPT, stock #4540, is the Sport edition of the M Series Swingback with an arch, finished in anthracite with metallic white, and it is a boat that rewards a close look at the details.

The interior is Mythos Grey Simtex upholstery with metallic white trim over Zebrawood Matte Slate vinyl flooring. It is a restrained, cohesive combination rather than the high-contrast schemes most pontoons use, and it is the sort of choice that still looks right in five years rather than dating quickly.

Underneath is the ESP Elliptical Sport Package with a Yamaha 300 hp V6 on DEC digital controls, fed through a Yamaha Digital Pre-Rig with Command Link Plus, on a reinforced aluminium chassis. Power hydraulic assist steering keeps the helm light. At 4,268 lbs with 300 horsepower and ESP tubes, this boat has genuine top-end speed and the cornering composure to use it.

The A in the model name is the arch, and it earns its keep: it lifts the tow point above the transom for a cleaner pull, keeps the rope clear of the swim platform, and puts the speakers overhead. Alongside it there is a curved MLUX bimini, a stainless ski tow bar and swim ladder, and an extended aft deck.

The helm carries a Garmin 743 multifunction display with GPS, sonar and depth, and audio is a Rockford Fosgate M2 speaker and amplifier upgrade with RGB lighting, matched by RGB interior lighting and LED docking lights. Rated for eighteen people on a 28-foot deck.

Worth knowing: the tank is 23.9 gallons, so heavy watersports days will include a fuel stop. For cruising and entertaining it is entirely adequate.

Why this is the right boat: ESP handling, an arch for watersports, an upgraded Garmin helm and Rockford Fosgate audio, and a genuinely elegant interior, on a prior-model-year boat that is still new and warrantied. It is one of the better value-per-feature boats on our floor.

It is at Kelly's Port, 3545 Osage Beach Pkwy. in Osage Beach, family owned on the Lake of the Ozarks since 1977, with storage, slips, fuel, and same-day service on site. Call 573.348.3888 to see stock #4540.