2024 222SD Information

[sbeassie]

I'm currently looking at a 2024 222SD. I've been reading the forums for a few months trying to gather information. I currently have a 2007 Stingray 195LR and it has been a great boat but I'm wanting something newer and a bit larger. I've always liked the layout and interior room in the Yamaha boats. My understanding is that the jet boats handle much better than a traditional inboard/outboard layout. As I'm sure you all know the Yamaha literature is very lacking on details. Does the Connext screen have navigation/maps capabilities? What about top speed of the 222 models with the 1.9L engines? My current boat can hit 52-53mph with two people aboard. I've seen some numbers quoted but can these boats reach the 50mph mark? Do they come with canvas bow and cockpit cover or overall cover? Is there LED interior lighting? Anything in particular I should be looking for or asking the dealer about the boat? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[anmut]

The 222 SD is the top of the line 22' non-wake series boat - it's very nice. I have the older version of the top line 22', the 212S, so I can help you with some of these questions.

• Does the Connext screen have navigation/maps capabilities?
  Yes. However it's a very basic Navionics-map based system.
• What about top speed of the 222 models with the 1.9L engines?
  Top speed will always depend on your load out, wind, elevation, and if you're boating in a river current. I believe you should expect 45-50 at the minimum out of the 1.9l with perfect conditions.
• My current boat can hit 52-53mph with two people aboard. I've seen some numbers quoted but can these boats reach the 50mph mark?
  Same answer as above.
• Do they come with canvas bow and cockpit cover or overall cover?
  If you buy new, the dealer may give you the shipping cover, which is worthless for trailering. The good mooring covers are extra and run ~$800 mark. But they're REALLY nice covers and I would suggest purchasing the mooring cover. Some guys install snap-ins, but then you have to drill into your fiberglass and have snaps all over your boat.
• Is there LED interior lighting?
  Yes, the boat has interior lights around the cabin that are controlled through the software.
• Anything in particular I should be looking for or asking the dealer about the boat? Any help would be greatly appreciated!
  I would do as much research on the boat model you want, and then ask "dumb questions" to see how much knowledge your salesperson knows about the boat. That will give you a level of trust, good or bad, in who you're dealing with. Be aware that, due to the way Yamaha franchises their brand, most new boats can only be purchased from dealers within X range of your location. It has become a buyers market again, so don't let the dealer tack on additional setup fees or other BS or try to tell you that "this boat has other people waiting on it if you don't buy today."

Not to discourage you from purchasing a jet, but some considerations before you do:

1. Noise level in jets, even from the new 1.9s, will be more than you're used to in v8 IO. Do a test ride first to determine if you're OK with it.
2. My 22' boat is used in pretty minimal chop. It can handle white caps and I've even done some bigger 2-3' rollers on Lake Winnebago. BUT if you're looking for something that will take heavy waves all the time, the 22' model isn't the best, and you should look for a 25' instead.

 

[sbeassie]

The 222 SD is the top of the line 22' non-wake series boat - it's very nice. I have the older version of the top line 22', the 212S, so I can help you with some of these questions.

• Does the Connext screen have navigation/maps capabilities?
  Yes. However it's a very basic Navionics-map based system.
• What about top speed of the 222 models with the 1.9L engines?
  Top speed will always depend on your load out, wind, elevation, and if you're boating in a river current. I believe you should expect 45-50 at the minimum out of the 1.9l with perfect conditions.
• My current boat can hit 52-53mph with two people aboard. I've seen some numbers quoted but can these boats reach the 50mph mark?
  Same answer as above.
• Do they come with canvas bow and cockpit cover or overall cover?
  If you buy new, the dealer may give you the shipping cover, which is worthless for trailering. The good mooring covers are extra and run ~$800 mark. But they're REALLY nice covers and I would suggest purchasing the mooring cover. Some guys install snap-ins, but then you have to drill into your fiberglass and have snaps all over your boat.
• Is there LED interior lighting?
  Yes, the boat has interior lights around the cabin that are controlled through the software.
• Anything in particular I should be looking for or asking the dealer about the boat? Any help would be greatly appreciated!
  I would do as much research on the boat model you want, and then ask "dumb questions" to see how much knowledge your salesperson knows about the boat. That will give you a level of trust, good or bad, in who you're dealing with. Be aware that, due to the way Yamaha franchises their brand, most new boats can only be purchased from dealers within X range of your location. It has become a buyers market again, so don't let the dealer tack on additional setup fees or other BS or try to tell you that "this boat has other people waiting on it if you don't buy today."

Not to discourage you from purchasing a jet, but some considerations before you do:

1. Noise level in jets, even from the new 1.9s, will be more than you're used to in v8 IO. Do a test ride first to determine if you're OK with it.
2. My 22' boat is used in pretty minimal chop. It can handle white caps and I've even done some bigger 2-3' rollers on Lake Winnebago. BUT if you're looking for something that will take heavy waves all the time, the 22' model isn't the best, and you should look for a 25' instead.

Thanks for the feedback.

I understand that load, wind, water, etc. will affect performance. I'm in south Louisiana so basically sea level with usually hot conditions. Good to know about the ability to handle light chop up to a couple of feet. My current boat is built for speed with not much freeboard and dry weight is only about 2,700 pounds. 1-2' conditions are not fun! I would certainly think a bit longer boat with more freeboard and around 4,000 pounds should handle rougher water much better.

 

[eslabaugh]

I recently purchased a 2024 Yamaha 222SD. I upgraded from a 2005 Sea Ray 180 Sport. I like the purchase but did want to share some thoughts. The boat is nice and fully up to date with a big screen. It is fast...goes nearly 50 mph at full speed. I got the cover with snaps (it was an option) and like it since it is fairly easy to put the cover on after we use the boat. I like the "patio" in the back and it is great when we are stopped and swimming. Only real negatives come from handling, noise and fuel economy. Noise is more than the sea ray...even with the extra sound buffering they added. Esp. pronounced when the Bimini is open. When going 1/2 speed or higher, tough to have a conversation. Gas consumption is high (as it revs high). I expected this but thought I would share. Last thing is on handling. We have Yamaha WaveRunners and thought handling would be similar. For me, that wasn't the case. Net, the boat is imprecise to turn...and I even installed the Cobra fins. Not sure how it would be without them as I had them installed before I took delivery. At full speed the boat sits high in the water and feels imprecise. Net, I feel like I point it vs. steer it. All that said, do I like the boat and I would buy it again. But I am still getting used to driving it.

 

[sbeassie]

I recently purchased a 2024 Yamaha 222SD. I upgraded from a 2005 Sea Ray 180 Sport. I like the purchase but did want to share some thoughts. The boat is nice and fully up to date with a big screen. It is fast...goes nearly 50 mph at full speed. I got the cover with snaps (it was an option) and like it since it is fairly easy to put the cover on after we use the boat. I like the "patio" in the back and it is great when we are stopped and swimming. Only real negatives come from handling, noise and fuel economy. Noise is more than the sea ray...even with the extra sound buffering they added. Esp. pronounced when the Bimini is open. When going 1/2 speed or higher, tough to have a conversation. Gas consumption is high (as it revs high). I expected this but thought I would share. Last thing is on handling. We have Yamaha WaveRunners and thought handling would be similar. For me, that wasn't the case. Net, the boat is imprecise to turn...and I even installed the Cobra fins. Not sure how it would be without them as I had them installed before I took delivery. At full speed the boat sits high in the water and feels imprecise. Net, I feel like I point it vs. steer it. All that said, do I like the boat and I would buy it again. But I am still getting used to driving it.

Thanks for the information. I take delivery of mine this Friday. I will let everyone know what I think after a trip or two.

 

[WiskyDan]

I have the Yamaha mooring cover and a two piece snap on set that a local canvas place made for me before the season. I started out with just the Yamaha mooring cover but trying to get that thing on when the boat is in the water was just about impossible for me. I now use the Yamaha mooring cover when it’s stored in the winter or if I’m trailering it for more than a couple miles as it provides better protection than the snap on covers. I use the snap on covers when it’s in the warehouse that it’s stored in during the season and for short trips. This combo has worked out well for me but it wasn’t cheap - then again nothing is cheap on these boats.

 

[sbeassie]

Made my first trip this past Saturday. Overall, I am very pleased with the boat. Interior room and fit and finish are very good. Lots of storage space for everything I need. The Connext screen is large and easy to use and see in direct sunlight. Bimini top is fairly large and was not difficult to put up or take down. For me as a first-time jet boat owner the Drive system is fantastic. I used it to dock several times with great results. Plenty of power. I took it easy at first but used more throttle later. Boat gets on top and accelerates fast. I did a couple of top speed runs and saw 48-49mph with 3 people, about 2/3 tank of fuel and bimini up. I haven't even used the in-water seats or table yet but look forward to doing so. As for the "negatives" that were mentioned by others:

Handling: Low speed handling is tricky. I do not have cobra fins but will be installing them. When idling through no wake zones I feel like I'm chasing the boat all over with the steering wheel. I didn't think handling on plane at higher speeds was bad. I made a run on a curvy part of the river at 35-40+ mph and found handling to be pretty sharp. Especially when adding throttle through the turns to keep speed. I did find that throttling down to idle from higher speeds to be shaky. No matter what direction the boat is pointed, or the wheel is turned the bow snapped right when pulling the throttle all the way to idle or neutral. We crossed Lake Maurepas a couple of times and it was 1-2' chop. Not the smoothest ride in those conditions but much better than my old 19.5' bowrider and very acceptable.

Noise: The twin 1.9L engines are not much louder than my old boat. I was able to have a conversation at 30mph with a passenger in the port cockpit seat with no problem and raised voices but not shouting. Full throttle is pretty loud but not unacceptable. We were able to hear the stereo clearly at speed although the system itself is a bit disappointing.

Fuel Consumption: Yes, these engines like gas! I feel like I used twice the fuel I would have in my old 4.3L Mercruiser on a similar boat outing. But I'm running a couple of extra cylinders and pushing another ton of boat at higher RPMs.


As I said the stereo is disappointing. No adjustments for bass or treble and the amp is locked down so no gain adjustment. It still sounds decent, but I will definitely be adding another amp and tower speakers/sub as a winter project.

Also, I'm very disappointed with the trailer as it has the bunk problems mentioned on the thread in this forum. Especially crappy as I asked the dealer about it before I purchased the boat.

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I am still happy I got the boat and look forward to doing some upgrades and using it for many years to come.