Lifting the hatch concealing the transom ladder aboard Bryant’s 220, I was pleased to see that the rich blue color of the hull had been applied to the inside of this out-of-the-way place. It’s a small thing: I wouldn’t have griped had the locker been white gel like the rest of the deck. But this detail proved itself a harbinger of a boat built with extraordinary care.
Inside, I found all deck hardware perfectly aligned and dead even fore and aft with their counterparts port and starboard. That’s because Bryant uses a five-axis router to make the plug for its molds. Look close and you can see the mounting “flats” such computer-controlled tooling provides for the windshield, rails and every cleat, so the installation isn’t close — it’s perfect.
Other details you might look at as an indication of care include the tight fit of the cockpit carpet around hatch openings; the internal rub rail that Bryant places over the hull-to-deck joint fasteners (which are bolts, by the way, not screws or rivets) so your engine room is snag-free; and the way the batteries are held down by race-style threaded rod brackets rather than a cheap webbed belt. So secured, these easily meet the ABYC requirement that batteries not budge when a load is applied from the side. I gave ’em a push with my leg to prove it.
Taking the helm, I liked the 220 even more. The wide shelf below the recessed gauge panel allowed me to stow my phone, sunscreen, car key and other stuff right where I wanted. Hitting the gas, the 220 jumped on plane in 4.0 seconds, and did so without excessive bowrise. My inclinometer never exceeded five degrees. Top speed exceeded 46 mph, and I could discern no handling glitches when I performed mock mistakes like cutting hard-over wide-open turns with the drive trimmed fully down. This boat will take care of its crew, even if your kids steal the keys. And wouldn’t they like to.
Comparable model: Sea Ray 210 Select
