It would be important to define what kind of boat / use you're looking for in a 22' boat then. The Hydrostream Vegas is a 20' boat that will no doubt walk a Progression 22' (or just about anything else) with similar power - on flat water. I know, I've run (and driven) a few of them. In anything up to about a 1' chop, they kick butt. All of my friends who had them here on Lake Ontario turned them into splinters in pretty short order.

If you're looking for a small lake / river boat, the Hydrostream is a fine choice and will indeed be less expensive. But it's a different animal entirely than something built for rough water. What kind of water are you looking to run on and how fast would you like to go? Then we can offer you more correct choices.

You gotta no what you want.. otherwise you end up frownfaced on the water.
For me i love chasing rough water, i'll build my Avanti to where i like it and move onto a lil bit bigger boat, sometimes smaller is easier. my little sutphen 17 on glass with a BBC stroker and a Berkley was fun. but once the waves got bigger "2-3ft" it was a hand full.
TOO Stroked makes some great points!

Thanks for the kind words on the Avanti!
Posting Pics is on my todo list. The 25 and under Pic thread is awsome some sick boats..gotta love those old schools. By the way Good lookn Villian!!!

Ok, if we're talking a rougher water boat then I'd go with this 25 foot Powerplay...

http://www.screamandfly.com/showthre...play-Sportdeck

$18,500 without power. It looks brand new, excellent quality, ran low 80s with twin 225s, and you can buy twin low hour 300xs for $11k each, come out at $40k, and blow the doors off of that Progression in any water, have a much larger cabin, twins, etc.

Again, the Progression is a great boat, but in my eyes is $10k more than I'd pay for it.

Those old hydrostreams move out pretty good in the flat.

IF speed is what you want then a Mirage or STV, or even a lavey 20.2, or a stoker SSt will work a hydrostream and be more stable doing it, but I sure do like those old hydrostreams for fun.

While were at it a 21-22ft allison hauls coal pretty hard too but is a total driver boats and can be a real handfull when it starts "walking".

For bigger water the Lavey 21 XCS is actually a 21footer you can go to Catalina on and feel safe (in the right water) and will take a big lake like mead and treat you ok coming back in the afternoon chop. It also has better water access then the East Coast boats because of its molded in lower than a bolted on swim steps.

Like the guys say- you have to pick the compromises you are willing to make.

Uncle Dave

Donzi 22zx. Will ride better to any boat 25' or less. Rides much bigger than it really is. I personally owned one and could run wide open 62 mph in 2-3 footers with out getting beat to hell.

You know what I think buddy

Too Stroked has the best riding 22 foot boat you can still buy today. Period. Ive run a lot of them

Who do you want me to make the check out to this time? :lolhit:

Of course I do have to sort of agree with Johnny here. And I've had my butt battered by all sorts of Checkmates, Hydrostreams, Switzers, etc. over the years Hell, I used to be 6' 3" when I was younger. Now I'm only 6' 1" !

Well, it's all in what you value I guess. While we're talking about $40,000 boats, that's about what I figure my 24 is worth. Pretty sure it will run with that hypothetical 25 Powerplay with twin 300s. Exterior is mint and the interior is still pretty clean too. No way I would trade even. And I like Powerplay boats.

And Johnny, try not to make it too obvious. Discretion is part of what Tom is buying. :D

Ive run em all lol. 22 Donzis (ZX and Classic), 22 Velocities(great boat!), the ONLY one Id ever own after my Challenger (still the best) is a 22 Progression or a 23 Krypto with twins. This is of course excluding 24 foot boats.

And that ladies & gentlemen is from somebody who knows. I rest my case. (And my butt!)

One of my buddies has a magnum his roommate has a formula and i have an Avanti all similar in size, we hang out twice a week, and from the post i have read it sounds very similar to our boat War talks on which boat rides better goes faster made better! :gfight:
Glad were not the only ones!

Formula.... ;)

I dont doubt that the 22zx has a decent ride but to say it will ride better than ANY 25 foot boat is a stretch. A Powerquest 257 Legend has more weight, more transom deadrise, more freeboard than your Donzi and was OUTSTANDING in the rough stuff--2-3 footers were no problem. Granted its 25'7" but close enough. To say it will ride better than any 25 foot boat is a biased statement without any real merit.

Aren't most of us a little biased? 2-3 footers are no problem for a well set up Donzi 22 Classic either. In fact they are a lot of fun.

The bigger singles regardless of the brand seem to always be slower, I blow by them all the time an never get any action in any kind of water, guess there unsure of what your packing .....

Donzi drivers just seem to be more aggressive anyway than most, guess its the heritage of pushing the envelope that scares people off ......
It's all good .....lol..

Youve got a point!! Lol!