Boston Whaler 220 Outrage, the 22-Foot Whaler That Fixed the Ride

Boston Whaler Outrage 22 history and where the 220 fits

Search for a Boston Whaler Outrage 22 and you will find three different boats: the classic 22 Outrage that HMY dates to 1982 to 1993, the 210 and 230 Outrages that bracketed it in later decades, and the 220 Outrage covered here. Shoppers searching for a 420 Boston Whaler Outrage for sale sometimes land on this page too; that 42-foot flagship has its own guide, and the two boats share little beyond the name and the foam-filled hull.

The 220 Outrage arrived for the 2009 model year as part of Whaler's makeover of its center-console line. Sport Fishing's Dean Travis Clarke, whose brother still owned an original gull-wing 15-foot Whaler, called it possibly the smoothest and driest ride the company had ever produced in an open boat. HMY's Outrage catalog shows a 210 Outrage from 2002 to 2007 before it and a new 230 Outrage from 2017, so the 220 filled Whaler's 22-foot slot through the early 2010s.

Production years are not published by Whaler. Spec aggregators list model years 2009 through 2013, and that matches the boats we see on the brokerage market, so treat any listing outside that window with care.

A sharper hull and a drier ride than earlier small Whalers

The changes were dramatic by Whaler standards. Designers narrowed the chines and deepened the deadrise to 21 degrees at the transom for a softer ride in a head sea, and added considerably more flare to the bow to throw spray down. The result measures 22 feet 5 inches long with an 8-foot 6-inch beam, a hull draft of 1 foot 3 inches and a dry weight of 3,100 pounds without power.

Like every Whaler, the 220 is unsinkable. Whaler's Unibond process locks the deck and hull molds together and injects foam under pressure into the spaces between them, making the boat effectively one piece. That construction is the brand's core selling point and the reason older Whalers hold value so well.

Clarke noted that the 220 tracked well at trailering speeds, did not fly sideways in a crosscurrent and responded instantly to idle corrections, which made recovering it onto a trailer easy. He also welcomed Lenco trim tabs as standard equipment, where they had been optional on earlier models.

Verado 225 versus 300: the measured difference

Whaler offered a single Mercury Verado 225, 250 or 300, or twin 115 hp outboards. Sport Fishing tested several packages. With the Verado 225, the 220 reached 45.8 mph at 23.8 gph and cruised at 26.5 mph at 4,000 rpm on 8.6 gph, a respectable 3.07 mpg. The Verado 300 raised top speed to 54.2 mph at almost 30 gph, with its most efficient cruise at 29.3 mph and 4,000 rpm for 2.62 mpg; the reviewer reminded buyers that the supercharged 300 required 91-octane fuel.

The twin 115s matched the 225 almost exactly from idle to top end, and every package performed similarly below 2,500 rpm. In other words, the single 225 is the sensible choice for most owners, delivering the best economy and lowest maintenance, while twins mainly buy redundancy and the 300 buys speed.

With 115 gallons of fuel and about 3 mpg at cruise, a 225-powered 220 can cover well over 300 statute miles to a dry tank, which means a realistic offshore day with a healthy reserve.

Notched console, flush T-top legs and an adjustable leaning post

Whaler molded notches into the console corners so the optional T-top legs sit virtually flush with the console sides. That cleaned up the look, improved aerodynamics and, because the design is stronger, allowed lighter support tubing that saved weight. It also means the console looks equally finished without the top.

The helm takes two 8-inch displays alongside the engine gauges, and a knee-level tray hides a 12-volt outlet and an MP3 input, with toe space under the footrest. The leaning post adjusts for height, which the reviewer had not seen before, and the overhead life-jacket net closes with bungee and Velcro rather than a zipper that can corrode shut.

Aft, a redesigned stern seat folds away on polished stainless hardware with no support legs, and a telescoping swim ladder is integrated into the platform.

Fishing hardware and the optional fishing package

Standard equipment includes a 20-gallon livewell with a knife and pliers holder, cockpit toe rails and downrigger-ball holders. The optional fishing package adds coaming pads, a raw-water washdown, macerator pumps for the fish boxes and extra transom rod holders, and boats with it are worth more on the used market.

Whaler lengthened the cap-rail inserts and the under-gunwale rod storage so two full-size rods fit under each rail, and the T-top adds five rod holders plus optional outriggers. Stern cleats sit under the gunwale behind large hawseholes in the cap rail, each with a stainless drink holder, so fishing line never snags on a transom cleat.

Owning a 220 Outrage today

A 220 is cheap to keep for a premium-brand boat. We estimate $5,000 to $10,000 a year excluding fuel and depreciation for a trailered or rack-stored boat: insurance, Verado service, trailer maintenance, canvas and electronics. Fuel burn of about 8.6 gph at a 26 mph cruise with the 225 keeps running costs modest.

The biggest variable is the engine. Early Verados are now more than fifteen years old, and the supercharged inline-six models have specific maintenance needs. A boat that has been repowered with a modern four-stroke can be the smartest buy, even at a higher asking price.

Used 220 Outrages generally ask $42,000 to $78,000, with later boats, low-hour or repowered engines, T-tops and fishing packages at the top. Compare them with similar-age Regulators and Grady-Whites, which offer more fishing room for the money, and with a used 230 Outrage if the budget stretches.