Hydroswift Premier 220 Open Bow

Phone rings. I answer, and a male voice asks, "Is this the Chris Caswell that just tested a Hydroswift for Trailer Boats magazine?"

"Uh-huh", I answer noncommittally, wondering where exactly this is going.

"Well, I've been looking at boats for my family, and I wonder if you can tell me if you liked the Hydroswift?"

Several scenarios flash through my mind: this is someone from Hydroswift trying to get an idea if the story will be positive; this is a competitor who wants to know how good the boat is; or it's really just a guy looking for a boat.

After a moment of silence, I decide to go with honesty, and damn the consequences. "It is," I say, "without a doubt the most remarkable boat that I've tested in the past decade".

That said, I went on to tell my caller what I'm about to tell you: that the Hydroswift Premier 220 Open Bow isn't as luxurious as some boats I've tested, nor is the styling as polished. It isn't as fast (although it's pretty quick) and it isn't as inexpensive as some.

But I have to say that this boat combines so many good qualities in one package that it has to be near the top of the short list for anyone considering a bowrider in the 22-ish foot range.

If I had to pick out one negative feature about the Hydroswift, it's that you can't really tell someone about it. You have to actually go out on the water and experience it. That's what company president Jim Davidson told me while we standing on shore and, under my breath, I did the usual "yeah, yeah" because I hear it from so many boat builders. In this case, however, Davidson was understating his case. One ride on the Hydroswift will convince you. Hydroswift is a family owned business, building boats for families, but it's one of the best-kept secrets around.

On the trailer (and even in the water), the Hydroswift isn't going to win any prizes for styling. It's a bit on the bulky side, but it has clean simple lines that won't be going out of style in a year or two either. It's high-sided and straight-sheered, at a time when many boats are headed for low and swoopy lines. But the view from on board is a whole lot better.

While the boat is still on the trailer, take a moment to bend down and look under the hull. I can guarantee that you've never seen a hull shape like this, and it's one big reason why the Hydroswift performs so well. At the bow, it looks like a deep vee, with two strakes on each side that extend to the stern. The unique part is that the chines quickly invert and then become twin channels just aft of amidships. With a downturned outer edge that acts something like the tip "winglets" on aircraft wings these unique chine/tunnels direct the flow of water and, at 25 mph, air replaces the water in these "chunnels". The result is both a soft ride, incredible handling, and quick planing ability.

But first, let's take a look around the Premier 220. Your first impression will be that the cockpit is very deep, and that's a real security factor for parents with small children, or for fishermen who want to lean comfortably against the coaming while angling. There's nothing remarkable about the bowrider layout: two back-to-back seats that convert to sunlounges, a pair of jumpseats aft, and a deep bow cockpit with wraparound bench seating. All the upholstery is high quality but simple, without many of the embossed logos or fancy stitchery found on some boats. Our test boat had white seats with twin red racing stripes, and what's not to like?

One slick feature is the engine box, which doubles as a sunpad when the two jump seats are in their upper positions. What's so neat about that, you ask? Well, unlike most boats, you don't have to remove the jump seats to hinge the lid of the engine box forward, making maintenance and the usual fluid checks a whole lot simpler. For more major surgery, you can pivot the entire box, or remove it entirely for complete access.

Davidson is quite clear about the goal of the Hydroswift Premier 220. "This is a simple boat", to which I answer, "No duh". For example, where you'd expect a sculptured dashboard, there's a mildly curved instrument panel that might best be described as Spartan. Faria gauges, white faced with black needles, are simply arranged (a steering position indicator is a nice touch), and a row of toggle switches control the various electrical systems. A tilt wheel is standard, as is the large aluminum-framed tinted windshield that is well above your head level when seated.

An oversized storage bin between the seats underlines the value of the Hydroswift as a waterski or watertoy boat, and there's ample room for skis or kneeboards under the cockpit floor. The cockpit sides are lined with padded upholstery, and large storage trays extend along both sides. More storage is in carpeted bins under the forward seats, and there's a glove box in front of the companion seat.

The Hydroswift may be simple, but she's not stripped. The footwells are finished with solid teak trim, a fiberglass swim platform is standard, and both the convertible top and bow tonneau cover are included in the base price.

When it comes to construction, the moldwork is as good as any I've seen, with a ripple-free hull (hard to achieve with such high sides) and tight-fitting joints between fiberglass pieces. The Hydroswift hull is hand-laid with layers of 24 oz. woven roving, mat, and fiberglass cloth, reinforced with solid mahogany stringers designed to flex rather than break under load. The cockpit sole is marine plywood encapsulated in resin, and the boat has a five-year warranty. Poking around, I found that Hydroswift takes pains to properly rig their boats and, under the dash, you'll see that the wiring is all neatly loomed and secured. The aluminum 60-gallon fuel tank is fully baffled, and the area under the cockpit floors is foam filled for flotation.

Standard power is what many builders offer as their top-of-the-line engine option: Volvo Penta Duoprops. The basic engine is the 5.7 Gi Duoprop of 250 hp, and other choices range down to a 4.3LT V-6 or up to a 7.4 GSi. Our test boat had the 5.7 GSi V-8, which provides a good combination of speed and economy.

As I told my caller, the Hydroswift has amazing performance. We topped out at 58 mph, but that's only a part of the story. On hard acceleration--throttle to the firewall--the bow barely rises noticeably and the boat jumps onto a plane in less than two seconds. The Hydroswift literally levitates upwards, so you never lose your forward vision and there's none of that mushing along until the bow falls onto a plane.

Davidson took a slightly perverse delight in showing me the handling of the Hydroswift, but first he warned me to hang on. Then he warned me again. Then he gave me a last warning before he cranked the wheel hard over.

The result was startling--the Hydroswift simply reversed course. In the Batman movies, you'd call it a "Bat-Turn" but, on the water, it rivaled the agility of even the most nimble jet sportboats. The turn was flat and with no sliding outward, which I have to attribute to the "bite" achieved by the sharp chine edges that serve as tracks for the hull.

It's been said that the two most dangerous words in boating are "Watch this" but, when Jim Davidson uttered them, I was ready to see his next trick. Cranking into a mild turn at planing speed, he started feeding more steering input with each circle. The result was that our wake, as viewed from above, looked like an inward spiral. We just kept turning tighter and tighter, and never slid out over our previous wake. With the Duoprop, the engine kept biting solidly, and the handling of the Hydroswift was perfectly matched to this power. Do this in a more conventional boat, and you'll be bouncing in your own wake with the drive howling from cavitation. At the end of our spins and turns, Davidson pointed out that there wasn't a drop of water on either the windshield or on the aft sunpad.

Base price is $31,900 and, with options such as the upgraded GSi engine, compass, hourmeter, ski tow and extra grab handles, the list price is $33,400, although you can expect to get a sizable discount since you're buying direct from the factory.

Now I'd like to hear from my mystery caller again. Did you buy it?

And wasn't I right?

Hydroswift Premier 220 Open Bow

Price as tested $33,400. Base price $31,900.

Hull