G3 is a Yamaha-owned company, and few marine engineers take quality more seriously than Yamaha. G3 is cut from that cloth or they wouldn’t have made it into the Yamaha family. As in a Yamaha outboard, with G3’s Elite 22 Cruise, there’s no point in hunting through the boat for that one defining feature — it’s the fit and finish of the overall boat and the easy reliability of it when powered with a Yamaha F225 outboard that makes this performance-cruising platform so popular.
The boat rode high and dry, thanks to the triple pontoons. G3’s tubes have an oval cross section, giving them a wider flotation footprint and more surface on the water for lift. When we throttled up the F225, the boat stepped up in response hitting 20 mph, a typical planing speed for runabouts, in less than five seconds. Then it reached 30 mph in just 7.8 seconds. These are water-sports stats that show the boat can yank out a wakeboarder or water-skier without hesitation. The boat has plenty of maneuverability for tube riding too, making the tow pylon the accessory du jour when kids are on board..
An aft ladder makes reboarding easy after swimming. There’s even a pop-up changing room, and we found it to be one that functions very well, deploying and tucking away in seconds.
You could go with less horsepower on the Elite 22, and if water sports were not on the menu, we might suggest it. But with this much horsepower, all this deck space is twice the fun.
Key Note: Every G3 is equipped with Yamaha power (a brand that is a regular recipient of JD Power awards).
Standout Features
• A premium Sony marine entertainment system with kicker speakers is standard equipment.
• Power-assist steering makes controlling the Elite 22 an easy job even in tight turns.
• The helm station accommodates a Garmin GPS 430 for easy navigation on big waters.
Vital Stats
* Length Overall: 22’6″
* Beam: 8’6″
* Dry Weight: 2,960 lb.
* Seating/Weight Capacity: 14/2,800 lb.
* Fuel Capacity: 40 gal.
* Maximum HP: 225
* MSRP (w/ Yamaha F225): $50,195
* NMMA Certified: Yes
Test Drive
* Test Engine: Yamaha F225
* Test Prop: 13.75 x19, stainless, 3-blade
* Test Load: People (375 lb.); Fuel (20 gal.)
* Top Speed: 46.6 mph @ 4,800 rpm
* Time to 20 MPH: 4.9 sec.
* Time to 30 MPH: 7.8 sec.
