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Yamaha 222 FSH (2023-)

2 x 1.8L HO Yamaha Marine Engines



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Brief Summary

The Yamaha 222 FSH (Family Sports Hybrid) is not only a well-outfitted fishing boat but also comes standard with features the whole family can enjoy. A jet-powered center console is not a common combination, but Yamaha has successfully equipped this boat for a variety of activities – all in safety with a deep cockpit and jet propulsion (no props).

Test Results

RPM MPH Knots GPH MPG NMPG STAT. MILE NM dBa
1600 2 1.7 1.2 1.7 1.4 105 91.3 72
2000 4.9 4.2 1.8 2.8 2.4 175 151.8 73
2500 5.1 4.4 2 2.6 2.3 163 141.9 77
3000 6 5.2 2.4 2.5 2.2 156 135.8 78
3500 7.4 6.4 3.4 2.2 1.9 138 120.2 78
4000 7.8 6.8 4.7 1.7 1.5 106 91.9 79
4500 8.3 7.2 6.3 1.3 1.2 84 72.8 81
5000 10.3 9 8.2 1.3 1.1 80 69.2 84
5500 14.5 12.6 11 1.3 1.1 83 72.2 85
6000 28 24.3 13 2.2 1.9 136 118.4 85
6500 34.9 30.3 15.8 2.2 1.9 140 121.4 87
7000 39.5 34.3 19.9 2 1.7 125 108.9 89
7400 47 40.9 26.1 1.8 1.6 114 98.8 92
Yamaha 222 FSH, Performance Chart

Specifications

Length Overall 22'
6.7 m
Beam 8' 6"
2.6 m
Dry Weight 3,450 lbs.
1,565 kg
Draft 19"
48 cm
Deadrise/Transom 20°
Weight Capacity 2,200 lbs.
998 kg
Person Capacity 10

Acceleration Times & Conditions

0 to 30 5 Sec.
Load 3 persons, 1/3 load of fuel, no water, 50 lbs. of gear
Climate 92 deg., 87 humid.; wind: 4-7 mph; seas: slight chop

Engine Options

Tested Engine 2 x 1.8L HO Yamaha Marine Engines
Std. Power 2 x 1.8L HO Yamaha Marine Engines

Captain's Report

Yamaha 222 FSH

The redesigned hull shape gives the 22ft FSH a robust look and a cockpit depth of 31” (78 cm). 

Mission

Yamaha has designed this series of boats to be the definition of versatility on the water in a jet boat.  The Family Sport Hybrid (FSH) is first and foremost configured with the avid angler in mind, but they have also designed all major areas of the boat to easily convert to family and social areas while the poles are stowed. She is designed for fishing in the morning, snorkeling or tubing in the afternoon with kids, plus cruising and entertaining anytime. 

Major Features

  • 3 position "No Wake Mode™" Control and Cruise Assist
  • Articulating keel
  • 9-inch (22.9 cm) Simrad® display
  • Hardtop tower
  • Stainless steel hardware throughout
  • Cooler with Storage under convertible leaning Post
  • Twin 4-cylinder, 4-stroke, 1.8 Liter High Output Yamaha Engines
  • Changing compartment suitable for a portable toilet 
  • Insulated fish box and 26-gallon aerated stern livewell
  • Folding jump seats with removable backrests
  • Signature stern platform water access

Performance

Yamaha 222 FSH

The Yamaha 222 FSH Sport E was tested on a slightly breezy day with minor chop.

The Yamaha 22ft FSH Sport E has a length overall of 22 (6.7 m) and a beam of 8’6” (2.59 m). We tested with about 33% fuel and three people on board.

Top Speed. With the Twin 4-cylinder, 4-stroke, 1.8 Liter High Output Yamaha Marine Engines spun up to 7400 RPM, our speed topped out at 47 mph.  

Best cruise came in at 6500 RPM and 34.9 mph, and at that speed the 15.8 gallons per hour fuel burn translated into 2.2 miles per gallon and a range of 140 statute miles all while still holding back a 10% reserve of the boat’s 75 gallon total fuel capacity. 

Note that these numbers were taken in some slight chop on a hot and muggy afternoon in Florida when performance would be at its poorest for most boats. 

Handling

Yamaha 222 FSH

The Yamaha 222 FSH Sport E with its articulating keel tracked well through the water and was able to make sharp maneuvers without the worry of the stern spinning around. 

As for handling, this boat has a sporty feel and is intuitive to operate. There is good feedback in the steering giving one the confidence to make sharper turns.  When crossing wakes, the boat tended to ride up and over, keeping all the passengers dry. 

The higher freeboard of the 22ft series will give the operator piece of mind in adverse conditions and the articulating keel helps keep the boat in line, even at low speeds.

Yamaha 222 FSH

The metal underwater jet nozzles are coated in a combination of alumite mixed with a ceramic coating and epoxy paint to resist corrosion. 

The Bow 

Yamaha 222 FSH

The anchor locker is large and has dedicated storage for a Danforth-style anchor. 

Yamaha 222 FSH

The lid opens to the side and there is room for plenty of rode below.

Yamaha 222 FSH

The lid to the anchor locker has a cut-out so it can be closed while the anchor is deployed and a pop-up cleat is mounted on the centerline.

Yamaha 222 FSH

The bow seating area is a great place to watch the horizon.  As you can probably guess, we got rained on about 2 min after this shot.

The bow seating is relaxed and can accommodate four passengers facing inboard or two in a lounging position. Mount the table and this is a comfortable place to have afternoon snacks.  There is storage under both port and starboard seats, one of which is insulated and can function as a cooler or fishbox.  Additionally, both forward seat backrests house large storage compartments and are topped with Marine Mat.

Yamaha 222 FSH

With the bow filler platform/table in its lower position, the bow is transformed into a casting platform, or with padding, the platform becomes a sun pad. The 4 cupholders on the gunwales double as rod holders.

Yamaha 222 FSH

In-deck storage for larger items including molded-in storage for a 5-gallon bucket. Every boat should have one.

Yamaha 222 FSH

Coaming pads are used as a backrest when facing inboard. The grab handle is stainless steel, and the speakers are mounted to project sound aft toward passengers

Yamaha 222 FSH

To port, there is a large dry storage area for PFDs, towels, and other provisions. To starboard the storage compartment doubles as a fishbox or cooler.

Yamaha 222 FSH

Double doors make it easy to access these storage spaces and there are even shelves mounted inside.

Yamaha 222 FSH

Both sides have about the same amount of space behind the doors.  There is a trash bin mounted on the inside of the door on port and selves on starboard.

 Forward Console Seat

When the forward console seat is lifted, we find a changing room and storage.  There is standing headroom with the seat extended up, and there is room for a porta-potty. This feature is unusual in a 22’ boat and is one that the whole family will like.

Yamaha 222 FSH

The forward-facing bench seat in front of the console adds additional seating to the bow seating arrangement.

Yamaha 222 FSH

Lift the bench to reveal a curtained space in the 222 FSH boats that can be used for changing or an optional head. This is a more convenient way to access this space than the traditional door on the side of the console.

Yamaha 222 FSH

The Yamaha 222 FSH Sport is laid-out for easy angler movement and offers a secure, 31” (78.7 cm) gunwale height – an additional two inches at the helm and 4 inches at the bow than the 21ft model the 222 replaces.

Yamaha 222 FSH

The 222 FSH Sport E comes standard with Snap-in Teak-Style Marine Mat decking.

Helm

The helm of the 222 FSH boats come standard with a 9-inch (22.9 cm) touchscreen Simrad Electronics display that shows charts, depth contours, and Fishfinder screens. The 5-inch (12.7 cm) Connext Touchscreen controls most of the boat’s electrical features as well as displays things like fuel flow and battery levels.  To right is the Hertz Audio display connected to the Hertz Premium Sound System.  

helm, Yamaha 222 FSH

An inductive charging phone mount is nestled between the Connext and Simrad touchscreens.  

Yamaha 222 FSH

Hertz audio display allows you to control the volume in different zones of the boat

Yamaha 222 FSH

There is a padded storage shelf forward of the displays for smaller items and cupholders for captain and companion. The aft fiddle will keep things from slipping off when getting on plane, but we’d like to see fiddles to each side as well. 

Yamaha 222 FSH

The tilting stainless steel steering wheel with a built-in steering knob and 3 position "No Wake Mode™” and Cruise assist control switch.

Yamaha 222 FSH

The 5 inch Connext Touch screen might be a bit undersized.  If the compass were moved closer to eye level there might be room for a larger screen. 

The Yamaha 222 FSH Sport E features the E-series push button start/stops for both engines and all FSH boats have rocker-style switches to control the navigation lights, courtesy lights, and other accessories with their fuses directly below each switch. 

Cruise Assist allows the operator to fine-tune slower speeds by bumping the speed up or down at increments of 250 rpm up to five times.  The "No Wake Mode™” has 3 preset speeds suited for no wake zones. This control is located just to the right of the wheel. 

The location of the kill switch is in cubby to the right of the helm, hard to see from a standing position, and about as far away as possible from the operator. This will require a long lanyard. I’d like to seethe kill switch moved to a location closer to the operator’s waist, and in plane sight.  It might not look tidy – but it will certainly catch the eye, and that is what is important.

Yamaha 222 FSH

Under the control sticks are two storage areas and the kill switch with lanyard.  The tilted footrest is topped with padded Marine Mat.

T-Top and Helm Seat 

The Yamaha 222 FSH Sport E comes standard with the hard T-top, all other models in the 22ft series have a T-top with a removable canvas.  All come with aft facing rocket launcher style rod holder and cutouts in the top to allow for vertical pole storage on both sides of the console. The tower supports are sturdy and the curves and other design elements give the profile is this boat a sleek look. 

Yamaha 222 FSH

Sturdy powder-coating aluminum construction and well-placed grab rails meld the T-Top with the rest of the fiberglass console.

Yamaha 222 FSH

Aft-facing speakers and lighting complete the hard top.

Yamaha 222 FSH

The full acrylic windshield will keep the skipper dry in driving rain or spray.

The wide helm seat is on a fixed stand mounted atop the engine compartment. The backrest can be shifted forward to convert the bench to aft-facing seating ideal place to relax after your last cast or be a part of the action at the stern and in the water. 

Yamaha 222 FSH

The helm seating is mounted on the aft casting deck and is 37 inches (93.98 cm) wide.

Yamaha 222 FSH

The pull tab on the backrest makes converting the helm seat to an aft-facing bench simple.

Yamaha 222 FSH

A cooler under the double-wide captain’s chair put drinks within arm’s reach

Rod Storage

There is excellent rod storage along the length of the boat. In fact, the port and starboard rod racks are made to hold 4 rods on each side, instead of the typical three-position racks that we typically see on almost every center console boat built. The reason for this is the extraordinarily high freeboard and deep cockpit of this boat that simply has higher bulwarks than most boats in class.  

Rod holders abound around the boat, and some are integrated into some of the cup holders both forward and aft for a total of 28 rod holders on board – as many as we find on the most fishy of center consoles even several feet longer. 

Yamaha 222 FSH

Notice how the under-gunwale rod storage has padding to protect the reels against the bulwarks. This is a detail that the most expensive center consoles started just a few years ago. 

Yamaha 222 FSH

On both the port and starboard side of the console are three-rod holders for storing rods upright while underway.

Yamaha 222 FSH

There are pass-through openings in the fiberglass T-Top to accommodate the console rods. They have even added padding around the opening to keep the rods from becoming banged up. 

Yamaha 222 FSH

The Stern Platform

The aft casting deck and Yamaha signature stern platform are likely going to be the most utilized areas of the boat.  With the jump seats in their stowed position, anglers will have good visibility into the water and unobstructed (by outboard engines) casting space.  The casting platform measures 18.8 sq. ft. (1.74 sq. m)

When the weather gets hot and it’s time for a swim the stern platform provides easy access to the water and can be set up as a gathering area with a table or grill. The 222 FSH Sport E comes with a stern stereo remote to control the music from the water.

Yamaha 222 FSH

The 26-gallon (98.42 L) livewell is elevated off the platform making bait easy to grab.

Yamaha 222 FSH

The non-skid aft casting platform is 6’10” (2.08 m) wide and 33” (83.82 cm) deep.

Yamaha 222 FSH

At the stern, two flip jump seats rest in the stowed position increasing the casting platform and making it easy to move about the boat.

Yamaha 222 FSH

Yamaha’s signature stern platform is not only a good casting platform but also a great hang-out location

Yamaha 222 FSH

There is a slide-out three-step boarding ladder housed in the transom on the center line. Note the two hand holds on the transom to aid climbing aboard. This stern design caused a revolution in sportboat transoms when it was first introduced nearly 20 years ago.

All Yamahas FSH boats are equipped with a stainless steel telescopic reboarding ladder that meets ABYC standards (that means they extend at least 22”/55 cm below the water level).  There is also well-placed grab handles that aid in returning to the boat after swimming.

Safe Jet Propulsion 

The main selling point of all jet-powered fishing boats is the elimination of the danger of a spinning prop when swimmers are in the water.  There is no greater concern of parents and grandparents than an accident when children are in the water swimming around the stern of a boat. The internal, unexposed impellers of a water pump solved the problem and gives peace of mind.

When BoatTEST started testing Yamaha jet boats at the beginning of this century, it had only three models in one size and sold less than a thousand units a year.  Today, Yamaha boats come in 28 different models in four different sizes and sell 6,500 units a year.

Yamaha boats are the largest-selling sport boat on the market today.  In fact, this one brand sells just 2,000 units less than all sterndrive bowriders brands put together. We can’t think of a better testimonial of the concept. 

Skinny Water Capable. The ability to operate in extreme shallows because the drive system is virtually flush with the bottom of the boat is also a big plus. The downside is that the water pumps are susceptible to sucking up grass and lines that can gum up the impellers. 

Like all Yamaha jetboats, the 222 FSH Sport features clean-out ports that allow for the removal of debris from the jet pump without having to get in the water or swim under the boat. A safety switch will not let the motor start – or run -- until the hatch is closed, and it is safe to do so.

Yamaha 222 FSH

Under the transom seat is access to the jet cleanout ports. This area is also designed for wet storage. A kill switch button automatically turns off the engines then the hatch is opened. 

Engines

The 222 FSH Sport is powered by the company’s twin 4-cylinder, 4-stroke, 1.8 Liter High Output Yamaha Marine Engines.  They are accessed by lifting a panel under the helm seat between the two aft jump seats.  Filters, dip-sticks, and batteries are in arms reach and although it is a cramped space there is still room to reach through-hull fittings and other components mounted below or to the sides of the engines.

Wise operators will make sure they can reach all through-hulls and fluid check points. 

Yamaha 222 FSH

A gas-assisted strut makes it easy to access the engines under the helm seat. 

Yamaha 222 FSH, Engine

The 222 FSH boats are powered by twin 1.8 Liter High Output Yamaha Marine Engines.

Options to Consider

Yamaha has designed three model designations for the new 22ft line of FSH. 

The new series begins with the value-minded 220 FSH Sport powered by twin 1L TR-1 HO (High Output) engines. Moving up the line is the feature-rich 222 FSH Sport, and at the pinnacle of the series is the premium 222 FSH Sport E. Both 222 FSH models feature added performance delivered by twin 1.8L HO motors. All three models come with a fabric or fiberglass-molded T-Top with rod holders.

Observations

We are particularly impressed with the fishability of this vessel.  Yamaha has incorporated nearly all important features of the most expensive “fishing machine” center consoles on the market. At the same time, this boat is able to maximize comfortable seating for the family, and do it as well.  The changing room/head, wide bow seating, and its signature stern make the 222 FSH desirable sport boats as well. 

We also applaud Yamaha’s decision to raise the boat’s freeboard in order to make the cockpit 31” (78.7 cm) deep.  This makes its cockpit deeper than virtually any other 22’ (6.70 m) boat on the market of any type – bowrider, dual console or center console -- and, it makes it safer.