Boat Test: 2026 Bayliner V22

Overview

Bayliner’s new V22 hits all the right targets for a safe, comfortable, versatile, and lively bowrider family boat. The modified-V hull, developed by the ace Product Development and Engineering team at Brunswick Corp.’s Boat Group Technology Center next to the Boston Whaler complex in Edgewater, Florida, pairs well with Mercury’s silky smooth, quiet, efficient 200 hp V-6 outboard. Brunswick’s long-established assembly plant in Tellico, Tennessee, lays up the parts and puts together this American-designed-and-made boat.

The V22 is also an important boat for Bayliner being part of the all-new V Series—it succeeds the VR6 Bowrider and represents a step forward in styling, interior space and equipment.

Our late summer test boat, navigating a washboard chop in the upper Chesapeake Bay, planed-off at low speed (14 mph), accelerated strongly, and ran dry to a top-end speed tickling 45 mph with a crew of four seated comfortably around the bow and cockpit. The V22 is a good example of the synergy Brunswick’s Boat Group can call on from its various divisions.

Interior and Accessories

Bayliner’s design team spent serious time thinking about how families and groups of friends would want to sit, lie down, and move around this boat. The open bow can seat four or lounge two, with a filler cushion to create a sun pad. There’s also a stanchion for a table. A clear corridor runs from the bow through the windshield, the cockpit, and a short dogleg through the starboard corner of the transom to a full-beam swim platform with telescoping swim ladder.

Upholstered seating flows along the sides and across the transom, with capacious storage underneath. Port and starboard helm seats behind the windshield are buckets that swivel 180 degrees for observing a skier in action or socializing at rest. The top of the transom is a sun pad, with large storage beneath for life jackets and compact water toys. A long, lockable compartment down the centerline between the windshields holds water skis and other large items. A jump seat aft of the helm covers a well-insulated cooler. For tow sports, Bayliner offers an attractive Proarc tower with an integrated top ($5,856) or a ski tow pylon ($719).

At the helm of the V22, Bayliner keeps the controls familiar and straightforward. Hydraulic steering makes maneuvering easy. Trim and tilt functions are integrated into the engine control, as expected, with an analog trim indicator and multifunction gauges providing the basic information needed to operate the boat without burying the driver in technology. Buyers can step up to a 7- or 9-inch Simrad ($2,263/$2,650) touchscreen display with VesselView Link, bringing navigation and engine information together on a modern multifunction screen.

On test day, we got to observe and talk with prospective buyers on demo rides. Some of these were experienced boaters and some were greener than a copper penny that had been lost in the bilge. All sat comfortably around the boat, which ran dry in spite of the washboard chop.

The V22’s admirable runs level with its forefoot just kissing the seas in a wide range of planning speeds. The hull’s 20-degree transom deadrise and sharper forefoot sliced through seas, while wide reverse chines and multiple lifting strakes knocked down spray and keep the rig stable at rest. Although our tester was an early production boat, fit and finish was solid, with no rattles and shakes. Note that Sculpted hull sides give the V22 a more athletic profile than previous-generation Bayliner bowriders, while the clean sheer and carefully integrated deck hardware create a look that should age well. It is contemporary without being overly stylized.

It was easy to picture a long day trip exploring creeks and coves around the Upper Bay, including lunch at a waterside restaurant, or a day of tow sports and a picnic anchored at a favorite sandbar. I envisioned stowing several 6-foot fishing rods in the central ski compartment for family panfishing with bait or, with that good Simrad sonar, jigging and casting for roaming stripers.

Shopping around? Stingray’s 22DC (starting at $56,665) is very similar in price, dimensions, layout, and power choices. It does offer a small freshwater system and a portable toilet, but make sure that device is in a compartment sized so that your crew will use it. One foot shorter, the Tahoe 210 is offered at $53,995 with a 150 Mercury and on a trailer.

Read Next: Bayliner V20

Boaters ask a lot of bowriders. The best boats in this category aren’t necessarily the ones with the longest options lists or the most horsepower. They’re the ones that make it easy to say, “Let’s go boating.” The Bayliner V22 OB does just that. Its combination of manageable size, generous seating, useful storage, outboard efficiency and flexible equipment makes it a particularly well-rounded family runabout. The balanced ride it delivers is just that much more to like. At 22 feet, 5 inches, Bayliner’s V22 is big enough for the crew, but small enough for the driveway. And for many boaters, that may be the most important specification of all.

How We Tested

• Engines: Single 200 hp Mercury V-6
• Drive/Props: Outboard/14.5″ x 17″ Enertia 3-blade stainless steel
• Gear Ratio: 1.75:1 Fuel Load: 10 gal. Crew Weight: 360 lb

High Points

• Strong all-around performance with Mercury’s 200 hp V-6. 
• Low bow rise on acceleration means good all-around visibility. Low minimum planing speed ensures you can dial in a smooth ride if seas kick up. 
• Small enough to trailer easily, big enough for a crew of 12 and with enough stowage for all the required gear.

Low Points

• Anchor locker in the bow seems like an afterthought: it’s too small for anchor and rode suitable for a boat this size.
• No clear path for anchor line under tension from bitter-end tie-down in bow locker over bow and down to anchor. It needs chocks and a bow-sturdy cleat.

Pricing and Specs

Speed, Efficiency, Operation