Whittley CR 2080 and SL22 boat test

To drive Whittley’s CR 2080 and Sea Legend 22, both with outboard power, is to be reminded that fashion is temporary and class is permanent in the boating world.

There have been cosmetic facelifts since both debuted with sterndrives a decade or so ago, and the 22-footer has sprouted a glass-enclosed hardtop, but both hulls were designed right at the time and have remained right. 

Where the Sea Legend 22 is fishing oriented with family overtures, essentially the CR 2080 is for families who want to fish occasionally. It offers excellent cockpit amenity and overnighting accommodation, while the hull has the requisite handling to fulfil cruising and watersport duties. 

A Mercury 150 outboard is the standard motor and also the hull’s maximum horsepower. Hole shot is brisk, top speed is 40 knots (74km/h) and the 2080 cruises efficiently around the 25-knot (46km/h) mark, clocking 4000rpm.

Maximum passenger load is six adults, however there are only four seats in standard guise – two padded quarter seats, along with the helm and front passenger seats. Side seats can be added.

Whittley’s space-utilisation prowess is evident with the driver’s seat lifting to reveal a moulded sink, while the passenger side harbours an induction stove and icebox. For dining, a fold-out table hinges off the transom.

You get adequate sitting headroom and a 1.8m bed inside the cabin, while an optional zipped cabin divider provides privacy for dressing or using the loo.

Whittley’s Vacationer options pack includes dual batteries with a voltage sensitive relay upgrade, underwater lights, a 12V kettle and more. Buyers can also mix-and-match accessories from the Fishing pack, including an alloy rocket launcher and Savwinch anchor winch.

The Sea Legend 22 is a step up in size and price. Yes it’s an offshore fishing platform with the obligatory bait tank, kill tank, rocket launcher, fibreglass bait board and liberal sprinkling of rod holders, but it’s softer than a full-blown battlewagon.

Compared with the 2080’s 19-degree deadrise, the SL 22 has a sharper 23 degrees, beam is wider at 2.4m, and it’s finer in the bow for wave cutting. Standard power is a 150 Mercury but the SL hull outweighs the 2080 by 400kg and has a larger fuel tank, hence the test boat ran a 200. Next step up is a 225.

Top speed was 38 knots (70.4km/h), at which noise levels remained reasonable. I must admit, the hardtop was my favourite feature on the wintry test day, and not solely for its aesthetically pleasing engineering, ventilation and visibility – it pays for itself by extending your boating season.

The SL 22’s cockpit is designed for functional efficiency at sea. You get toe-under access beneath the side shelves, padded coamings, and the outboard version has a ‘flat-back’ transom that increases working space by 30 per cent compared with the sterndrive.

Again, there were fewer seats than allowed under the 7-passenger limit, comprising removeable quarter seats, forward-facing buckets for the driver and passenger, and two rear-facing moulded seats. 

From a security viewpoint it was good to see lockable doors to close the cabin when unattended. The V-berth is narrower than the 2080’s but, at 1.8m in length, still reasonable for overnighting or arvo napping.

Really, the choice between models may depend on where you sit on the cruising-fishing usage scale as both offer a level of finish and a combination of family and fishing features that have withstood the test of time and tide. 

CR 2080 $132,000 as tested

SL22 HT $213,000 as tested

Pricing correct as of November 2024

LOA: 6.2m

Beam: 2.2m

Deadrise: 19 degrees

Towing weight: 1742kg dry

Fuel capacity: 110lt

Water capacity: 40lt

Power as tested: Mercury 150

LOA: 6.79m

Beam: 2.4m

Deadrise: 23 degrees

Towing weight: 2100kg dry

Fuel capacity: 210lt

Water capacity: 40lt

Power as tested: Mercury 200 

A FULL REVIEW OF THE WHITTLEY CR 2080 AND SL22 RAN IN THE OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2024 (VOLUME 39.5) ISSUE OF CLUB MARINE MAGAZINE. 

VISIT WHITTLEY BOATS FOR MORE INFORMATION.

CLUB MARINE TV VIDEO HERE