Yellowfin - Too expensive
Pathfinder fusion - small front deck and poor layout IMO
Ranger - The cayman doesnt have the open water abilities. I like the open decks of the flats boat so the bays are out

I have a common boating problem. I need three boats in one. I like to tournament bass fish a little, I like to go off a few miles and I like to fish skinny water for reds. The 22x seems like the best boat for what I want. Am I wrong?

sounds like a winner to me!

I wanted a boat for the same three applications. I went with the 23 Bay Bolt.
I think the 22x leans slightly towards the flats where the BB leans towards the open/bay use.

The Bay Bolt seems to have the least draft of any big bay boat I found- 11"

ride the shearwater and you will quickly find out the yellowfin is worth the extra coin. ive had 22 and 24 shearwaters, neither are comparable to the YF in ride, speed, fuel economy, storage, looks, dryness, finish, or resale. the YF looks better too...

No, not wrong, but merely your opinion.

I have ridden in my buddy shearwater and does pound/ get wet at times but its a bay boat. Not a Offshore CC.

What does a YF24 run? Pricewise? I have always heard that they are expensive but whats the Numbers$$?

mid 60s with 300 verado, power pole, jack plate, trailer, etc.

looking at the two boats side by side, its easy to see why the yf is more expensive- its justified. btw, i have a 24sw for sale dirt cheap...

The youngs sure do look nice, that 24 is super sweet looking!!

Is that the shearwater next to the yellowfin? Can you get any better side by side photos than that?

That price isnt as bad as what I thought. I am looking at a 22x with 250 yamaha sho, powerpole, polling platform and trolling motor for $55,000. I have heard some people say the shearwater is a wet ride but I am always curious as to what type of fishing they are doing. I will be fishing the st johns around Sisters Creek, and Tampa Bay.

yes, 24yf on the left, 24sw on the right. i can get whatever pictures you wanna see.

If anyone with a shearwater 22x or 22z could give their opinion then I would appreciate it. What do you use the boat primarily for?, best thing about the boat?, worst thing about the boat?. People have said the shearwater will wet you; have you experienced the same thing? Thanks for all the help so far. I am supposed to test drive the boat in the next week or two. I will try to give my opinion after I test drive.

I checked out the shearwater 22x at the fs show in the winter. Loved the looks and options on the boat. Standing at the helm, ergonomically it just didn't fit me. I remember walking away thinking "man if I was 5 foot 6, that would be the ticket". I am not though.... Suggest you check out the layout/standing at the helm, sitting on the leaning most..... it seemed cramped with a short console compared to the location of helm/stearing wheel. Hope this helps.

everglades 243 or andros boatworks cuda 23

Check out the 22ft Majek Extreme. I would say it a crossover between a bayboat and flatsboat. Fast and dry. Does not pound. I have had mine in some pretty choppy stuff and it rides great! It is dryer then my last boat which was a Kencraft Challenger 215 and i am not kidding!

I have a 2008 Shearwater 22x with a 300 Verado the boat draws a little more than the set up your looking at. Thats one of my complaints, but I chose the motor knowing I was going to give up some draft. I run the boat down the beach and fish inshore from Palm Baech to Ft. Pierce. I have run Pathfinders and a Yellowfin. My boat is drier than my buddy's pathfinder. It is a bay boat there are days you are going to get wet. The Yellowfin is a great boat but you are looking at $15,00.00 more with the same options. I was at the factory a month ago debaiting on buying a new boat. The day we test rode the Yellowfin it was blowing and we got wet, real wet but the wind was cranking. So do you get wet in all of them yes some more some less. The only two boats I would look IMO is the Shearwater and Yellowfin. I have had great suppport from the dealer I bought the Shearwater from and just hear great things about Yellowfin.

BDT, I am running a Z2200 SW (my 2nd one) and have operated boats for well over 30 years. Lots of very good product out there as others have posted, YF L&B, etc...
As land crab stated, some snotty days will get you wet regardless on the boat - and a poor captain can do that too :-) ..
Anyhow, the SW is really happy running nasty chop up on the pad. It is made to to that. Running 50+ in 2 ftrs is a walk in the park. Quartering seas - use the trim tabs to get the angle favorable. The SW is a lower profile boat v others, so take that into account as you look at other rigs and the type of fishing you will do.
I have a buddy that is in his 2nd X2200 SW in New Orleans. PM me if you want to contact him.
And test ride any boat before you buy one.
Bottomline: The boat has to do what YOU want, not what I might want or what someone else wants. Have some fun. Good luck.

i have a 2008 Z2200 SW w/f250 yammi, i mostly run mobile bay and mississippi sound the bay can get nasty, the boat rides great in most chop. i take it 5 - 20 miles ofshore on nice days with no problems, you will take spray on windy days in a beam sea, but i also did in my 28 Whaler. i love my shearwater and my budies YF but he has unlimited funds and i don't i got my SW new for under 40k.