Bowrider vs center console comes down to seating or fishing. A bowrider puts lounges ahead of a windshield, while a center console moves the helm to the middle so anglers can walk around it. In three same-builder pairs, the center consoles held as much fuel or more, and the bowriders carried as many people or more.
| Pair | Bowrider | Center console |
|---|
| Bayliner, about 20 ft | V20: 20' 4", 8' 4" beam, 10 people, 175 hp max, 45 gal fuel | Trophy T20CC: 20' 6", 8' beam, 8 people, 175 hp max, 55 gal fuel |
| Bayliner, about 22 ft | V22: 22' 5", 8' 4" beam, 12 people, 225 hp max, 45 gal fuel | Trophy T22CC: 22' 7", 8' 6" beam, 10 people, 300 hp max, 65 gal fuel |
| Yamaha 22 ft jet boats (2027) | 222SE: 22', 8' 6" beam, 10 people, 75 gal fuel | 222 FSH Sport: 22', 8' 6" beam, 10 people, 75 gal fuel |
Lengths, beams, person capacities, horsepower ratings and fuel capacities are the builders' published figures, read from their model pages on 16 October 2026. Both Yamaha boats use twin 1.9-liter High Output Yamaha marine engines. Bayliner lists no prices on these model pages; Yamaha's starting prices are compared further down.
Browse bowriders and center consoles for sale on Searchshop.
The comparison sets each bowrider against a center console of about the same length from the same builder, so the differences come from the layout rather than the brand. Bayliner sells its V20 and V22 bowriders alongside its Trophy T20CC and T22CC center consoles, and Yamaha builds its 222SE sport boat and its 222 FSH Sport center console at the same 22-foot length with the same engines. Every figure was read from the builders' own model pages on 16 October 2026, and a second, separate check re-read each one. Nothing here comes from test drives or sea trials. Searchshop listing prices are left out because the listing data could not be read on that day.
The difference is where the helm sits and what the rest of the deck is built for. A bowrider has its helm behind a windshield, with seating in the bow and lounges in the cockpit. Bayliner's V22 has an L-shaped lounge, twin swivel bucket seats and a sunpad, and the V20 has a wraparound windshield with an opening center panel. Yamaha's 222SE adds a walk-through bow door, a folding wakeboard tower and a ski locker.
A center console puts the helm in a console in the middle of the deck and builds the boat around fishing. Bayliner's T22CC has fore and aft casting decks, livewells, gunwale rod storage and an insulated fish box, and both Trophy center consoles have an enclosed head compartment in the console. Yamaha's 222 FSH Sport has a T-top with rod holders, a 26-gallon aerated stern livewell, an insulated fish box, a leaning post and a mount for a trolling motor.
In Bayliner's lineup the bowriders hold more people, but in Yamaha's they hold the same number. Bayliner rates the V20 for 10 people and the T20CC for 8, and the V22 for 12 people and the T22CC for 10. Yamaha rates both the 222SE and the 222 FSH Sport for 10 people.
Maximum weight capacity is higher for Bayliner's bowriders and almost equal in Yamaha's pair. The V20 is rated for 1,650 lb against 1,323 lb for the T20CC, and the V22 for 1,800 lb against 1,654 lb for the T22CC. Yamaha rates the 222SE for 2,200 lb and the 222 FSH Sport for 2,210 lb. Always check the capacity plate of the exact boat you are looking at.
The center consoles carried as much fuel or more in every pair, and as much power or more in the Bayliner pairs. The T20CC holds 55 gallons against 45 for the V20, and the T22CC holds 65 gallons against 45 for the V22. Yamaha gives both of its 22-foot boats a 75-gallon tank.
Bayliner rates the V20 and T20CC for the same 175 hp maximum, but the T22CC is rated for 300 hp against 225 hp for the V22. Yamaha uses the same twin 1.9-liter High Output engines in both of its boats, so power is not a difference in that pair.
Not in Bayliner's lineup, where the bowriders have the steeper hull angle. Bayliner lists a 20-degree deadrise for the V20 and V22 bowriders and 18 degrees for the T20CC and T22CC center consoles, even though it describes both Trophy center consoles as having a deep V-hull. If ride in chop matters to you, compare the deadrise of the exact models you are considering and ask a dealer for a sea trial in the water you plan to use.
Weight does not follow one rule, and the center consoles stand about 11 feet tall on the trailer. Bayliner lists approximate weights with the standard engine of 3,380 lb for the V20 and 3,200 lb for the T20CC, and 3,731 lb for the V22 against 4,000 lb for the T22CC. With a trailer, Bayliner lists 4,631 lb for the V22, 4,142 lb for the T20CC and 4,942 lb for the T22CC. Yamaha lists a dry weight of 3,982 lb for the 222SE and 3,631 lb for the 222 FSH Sport, and 5,195 lb and 4,820 lb on the trailer. Yamaha's dry weights and Bayliner's approximate weights with the standard engine are different measures, so compare weights within each builder rather than across them.
Height on the trailer is worth checking before you buy. Bayliner lists 11 feet with the T-top for the T20CC and 11 feet for the T22CC. Yamaha lists 11 feet fully rigged for the 222 FSH Sport, against 10' 7" for the 222SE, or 9' 5" with its tower folded. Measure your garage door and any low bridges on your route, and add the trailer, fuel and gear before you check the total against your tow vehicle's rating. The Searchshop center console buying guide covers hull sizes and outboard choices.
In Yamaha's pair the center console is the cheaper boat. Yamaha lists the 2027 222 FSH Sport starting at $75,899 and the 2027 222SE starting at $86,999, a difference of $11,100, with a California price of $94,999 for the 222SE. Yamaha's model pages do not say whether these starting prices include a trailer, freight or dealer prep, so ask the dealer for an out-the-door price. Bayliner lists no prices on its model pages and says the dealer sets the final price.
Buy for the way you will use the boat most weekends. Use these points to narrow it down:
- Mostly fishing: look at center consoles, which in these pairs came with livewells and rod holders as standard.
- Mostly cruising with family and friends: look at bowriders; Bayliner's bowriders carry two more people than its center consoles of about the same length.
- Longer runs: the center consoles held as much fuel or more in every pair, up to 20 gallons more in the T22CC.
- Garage storage: check the height on the trailer; Yamaha's center console stands 5 inches taller than its bowrider, and Bayliner lists 11 feet for both Trophy center consoles.
- Keeping the price down: in Yamaha's 22-foot pair, the 222 FSH Sport center console starts $11,100 below the 222SE.
- Ride in chop: compare deadrise model by model, because Bayliner's bowriders have the steeper hull angle.
If you are leaning toward a center console, read Center Console vs Dual Console and Best Center Console Boats. For costs, inspection and the other boat types, see the Searchshop boat buying guide. When you know which layout fits your crew, compare bowriders and center consoles for sale from dealers on Searchshop.
Common questions about bowriders and center consoles are answered below from the builders' published figures.
A center console can work as a family boat, but it may seat fewer people than a bowrider of the same length. Bayliner says families enjoy the T20CC's user-friendly design and self-bailing cockpit, and the boat has an enclosed head in its console, yet Bayliner rates it for 8 people against 10 for its V20 bowrider. Yamaha rates both its 222 FSH Sport and 222SE for 10.
You can fish from a bowrider, but the bowriders compared here are not equipped for it as standard. The standard feature lists for Bayliner's V20 and V22 and Yamaha's 222SE do not include a livewell. The center consoles do: Yamaha's 222 FSH Sport has a 26-gallon aerated livewell, and Bayliner lists livewells on its T20CC and T22CC.
Many center consoles can tow skiers and tubes, though the towing point may be optional. Bayliner offers a ski tow pylon as an option on its T20CC and T22CC center consoles. Yamaha lists a tow hook on its 222 FSH Sport, while its 222SE bowrider has an aluminum folding wakeboard tower with a tow hook.
In the Yamaha pair the center console stands taller on the trailer. Yamaha lists 11 feet fully rigged for the 222 FSH Sport and 10' 7" for the 222SE, or 9' 5" with its tower folded. Bayliner lists 11 feet with the T-top for its T20CC. Measure your garage door before you buy either type.
All figures in this article come from these builder pages, read on 16 October 2026.
