Lowe Victory 220

July 2014 Boat Test Monday

What You Need To Know

For those used to seeing all-aluminum boats from this manufacturer, this new Victory 220 may catch you off guard. Is it aluminum or is it fiberglass? The new sport/deck line is actually both. You get the same proven aluminum hull on the bottom with an all-new fiberglass top that gives you the “best of both worlds” approach.

The Highlights

The 22-foot Victory 220 includes an 8-foot, 6-inch beam, a 14-degree deadrise with a transom height of 20 inches. Rated for up to 1,900 pounds or 10 people, it will be easy for everyone to get comfortable on this new hybrid boat.

If you’re going to have a sporty boat that includes a large wakeboard tower then you better have a helm console that matches and in this case Lowe most certainly does. We love the look of the dash that includes a solid Gussi chrome steering wheel, large gauges with chrome bezels, toggle switches, as well as access to your Fusion stereo controls. The standard system from Fusion includes an iPod Dock and four 6-inch speakers so you can really blast those tunes. And when you combine all of these great helm features with the full wrap-around windshield, you’ve got yourself one sporty 22-footer.

There are a few different color options available for the interior and as tested we like how the green accent color in the vinyl brings life to the dark grey seat cushions. The majority of the boat is carpeted, but in the stern area is a faux wood vinyl decking. Since there’s no other wood trim onboard, a grey vinyl floor might tie in a little better with the rest of the layout, but that’s just us being picky.

Behind the full-length rear bench seat are dual insulated storage compartments that are ideal for keeping your beverage of choice on ice. Also worth noting is the large amount of storage space onboard including a 4-foot deep in-floor ski locker as well as little cubby cutouts with numerous cup holders for your passengers to store miscellaneous items.

Inspection Notes

The proven aluminum hull includes a reverse chine hull with a heavy-duty extruded keel. The aluminum and fiberglass mesh perfectly together to create a very unique exterior.

Inside, there is nearly 13 feet of usable deck space with plenty of room to walk around. From a safety standpoint, the tall black grab rails in the bow not only help tie in the optional tower, but there rails help make the boat safer as well.

This new layout does lack gates or openings in the stern, which means you’ll have to step on the seats when boarding from the back, but the tradeoff is a safer boat for smaller children.

Performance Evaluation

Rated for up to a 200hp outboard, the Mercury Verado 175hp appears to be the ideal fit from our perspective. We reached speeds well over 40 miles per hour at full throttle and we were pleased at how well this V-hull carved up the sharp turns. She’s quick, responsive and a lot of fun to drive.

Our Take

This is a quick boat, proving this Lowe definitely has the power to back up its sporty look. And the added touch of having green vinyl accents on the seats helps give this boat a little attitude as well. There’s nothing in the industry right now quite like this hybrid and we expect to see it turning a lot of heads this summer.

Number of Occupants 10

Maximum Speed 44.4 mph

Wild Ponies 175hp

No. of Gates 1

0-20 MPH 5.5 seconds

Ladder Measurement 2’ 8” deep

Why we love this boat…It looks sporty and has the performance to back it up. From the color scheme to the wakeboard tower, this boat screams fun.

Just being picky…All of the colors onboard flow well with the design except for the faux wood vinyl decking that might be worth upgrading to grey or a darker color.

NOTABLE STANDARDS

Faux wood rear decking, 28-oz carpet, aluminum hull with fiberglass fencing, vinyl rub rail, bow railing, walk-through windshield, IronClad plywood decks, boarding ladder, glove box, in-floor storage, dual fiberglass consoles with chrome bezel gauges, tilt steering, chrome accented steering wheel, Fusion Marine RA200G AM/FM stereo w/ 4 6” speakers, 12-volt, 2 bow lounges, nav and courtesy lights and bimini top with quick disconnects.

OPTIONS ON TEST BOAT

Wakeboard tower and Gussi wheel upgrade.

VITAL STATS

LOA 22’

Beam 8’ 6”

Hull Design V-hull

Dry Weight 2809 lbs.

Fuel Capacity 32 gallons

TEST DRIVE

Engine Mercury 175

Cylinder Type Inline 4-Cylinder

Cubic-inch Displacement/Horsepower 103.7ci/175hp