Whittley Marine SL 22

The Whittley Marine SL 22 is a large bowrider built in moulded fibreglass by Whittley Marine of Australia, a builder trading since 1953. 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. Australia's longest-running family boat builder, with genuinely versatile bowriders.

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.

Underway the SL 22 behaves the way a well-sorted large bowrider should. It comes onto the plane early, holds a low tow speed without wallowing and tracks flat through a hard turn instead of skating out. The extra waterline length pays off in chop, where the bow keeps working rather than slamming.

Power is a 175-265 hp petrol stern drive package, and that suits both the hull and the way these boats are used. A stern drive keeps the transom clean and the engine low in the hull, which lowers the centre of gravity and gives that quiet, torquey feel off the mark that skiers appreciate.

Watersports are well covered. A tow point is standard on almost every boat in this class, and Whittley Marine owners regularly add a pylon or a folding tower for wakeboarding. A healthy stern drive 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 SL 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 premium boat from Australia. Whittley has been building boats in Melbourne since 1953 and is one of the few Australian brands producing both fibreglass and aluminium family boats. The CR and SL ranges include proper bowriders and the clever Sea Legend and Cruzer models that blur the line between bowrider, cuddy cabin and weekender. What Whittley does better than almost anyone is packaging: the boats are designed around Australian family boating, so there is shade, there is dry storage for a weekend's gear, there are proper handrails and there is usually a portable toilet locker and a small galley option even in trailerable sizes. Hulls are moderate deep-V designs tuned for bay and coastal use, comfortable in chop and stable at rest for swimming and fishing. Fit-out quality is high with tidy joinery and durable upholstery, and the boats are sold as complete packages with trailer and electronics. Whittley's long history means strong local parts support and dependable resale across Australia.

Options worth having on the SL 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 SL 22 is US$71,000 - US$93,000 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. Whittley Marine has been refining that formula since 1953, and the SL 22 is a straightforward, well-judged expression of it.