Chris-Craft Launch 22

The Chris-Craft Launch 22 is a large bowrider built in moulded fibreglass by Chris-Craft of United States, a builder trading since 1874. On our measurements it works out at roughly 22 ft 0 in (6.71 m) of hull with a beam near 9 ft 5 in (2.87 m), which places it squarely in the trailerable family bowrider class: one vehicle, one trailer, one afternoon of prep, and the boat is in the water. Heritage American styling with teak, tumblehome and unmistakable classic lines.

Layout is classic bowrider and that is the whole point of the boat. Twin lounges run forward of the windscreen with a walk-through to the anchor well, the helm and companion seats sit amidships behind a wrap screen, and a full-width lounge spans the transom for sunbathing and socialising. Around 11 people fit aboard comfortably in sheltered water. Cushions lift out, backrests fold and filler pads convert the cockpit from a conversation pit into one long sun bed in a couple of minutes.

The ride is what most owners talk about first. Deadrise through the forward sections knocks the top off bay chop, the running surface aft keeps the boat stable at rest, and the hull sits level when six people crowd one side to watch a skier. At cruise it feels like a bigger boat than it is.

Power is a 175-265 hp four-stroke outboard package, and that suits both the hull and the way these boats are used. Keeping the machinery outside the hull frees up stern storage, simplifies servicing and removes the bellows and gimbal wear items that punish neglected stern drive boats. It also lifts the swim platform clear of the exhaust.

Watersports are well covered. A tow point is standard on almost every boat in this class, and Chris-Craft owners regularly add a pylon or a folding tower for wakeboarding. A healthy outboard package pulls a slalom skier out of the water cleanly and tows children on an inflatable biscuit all day without protest. Skis, ropes and vests live in the under-floor and under-seat lockers so nothing sits underfoot while the boat is loaded.

Anglers do well out of the Launch 22. The bow converts to a casting deck once the cushions are stowed, there is room to swing a rod without hitting the screen, and lockers swallow tackle, nets and a cooler. It is not a dedicated fishing boat, but it catches fish and it still takes the family out the next morning — which is the entire argument for owning a bowrider.

Build and finish sit where you would expect for a luxury boat from United States. Chris-Craft is the oldest name in American powerboating and the only major bowrider builder that leans into retro styling as its core identity. Launch and Catalina models pair modern GRP construction with tumblehome hull sides, teak decking, chrome hardware and low, elegant sheer lines that look like nothing else on the ramp. Underneath the nostalgia the boats are thoroughly current, with deep-V hulls, contemporary Mercury or Volvo Penta power and clever seating that converts from bow lounge to sunpad. Finish quality is genuinely luxury grade, particularly the joinery and the upholstery stitching, and buyers tend to keep the boats for a long time. The trade-off is practicality: teak needs maintenance, storage volume is smaller than a boxier modern bowrider of the same length, and prices are firmly premium. For owners who want a day boat that turns heads at a waterfront restaurant and still tows a skier competently, Chris-Craft occupies a niche the volume builders cannot touch.

Options worth having on the Launch 22 are the practical ones: a bimini for shade, a decent bow and cockpit cover so the upholstery survives being stored outside, an upgraded sounder if you fish, and a stereo package that can be heard over the engine. On fibreglass, a ceramic coat or a good polish once a season keeps the gelcoat looking new and protects resale.

As a used buy, check the same things you would on any bowrider in this size band: transom firmness, stringer and floor soundness, hours and service history on the engine, steering and trim function, and the state of the upholstery seams, which are the first thing to fail on a boat that lives uncovered. Boats from this builder hold their money well, so a tidy example will not be cheap, and that is usually a sign you are buying the right one.

Our price guide for the Launch 22 is US$94,000 - US$124,000 new, which moves with engine choice, trailer, tower and how recently the boat was refreshed. Judged as a whole, it does what people buy a bowrider for: cruise, tow, swim, fish and entertain in one boat, without asking the family to compromise on any of them. Chris-Craft has been refining that formula since 1874, and the Launch 22 is a straightforward, well-judged expression of it.