Sisu 22 one of the best small sea boats built

[hori]

I been reading and trying to find out as much as I can about the Sisu 22. I have read that the Sisu 22 is one of the best small sea boats built. It seems the later hard chine/spray rail boats made some improvements in stability and handling while allowing more powerful outboard engine and higher speed. I have never heard anything bad except for following seas.

Anyone have anything good or bad to add about the Sisu 22. I would like to here from former/ actual owners about these boats, in sea conditions, chop, swells, handling at speed etc..anything you can tell me

I am especially interested in the later hard chine with the integrated spray rail.

All replies/ feedback would be appreciated.
thanks

 

[DBthal]

Sisu 22

I will be interested in the feedback as well. I ordered an Eastern Sisu 22 which is being built in March for a mid-April delivery.

It seems the Rosborough SeaSkiff 22 would be closest to what Eastern is now building (same mold).

Dan

 

[BOSBoatMan]

Take a look on Cape Cod Craigslist there is one there (not sure if its the hard chine with spray rails) with a brand new ETEC 115 for like $25k. Surprised nobody's posted it here.

 

[Vlad]

Small downeast.

I'm the owner of Padebco 21 I/O diesel. It was built by Bruce Cunningham, extremely seaworthy in any condition , solid, well built small craft but little bit pricey.

 

[JimRP31]

I been reading and trying to find out as much as I can about the Sisu 22. I have read that the Sisu 22 is one of the best small sea boats built. It seems the later hard chine/spray rail boats made some improvements in stability and handling while allowing more powerful outboard engine and higher speed. I have never heard anything bad except for following seas.

Anyone have anything good or bad to add about the Sisu 22. I would like to here from former/ actual owners about these boats, in sea conditions, chop, swells, handling at speed etc..anything you can tell me

I am especially interested in the later hard chine with the integrated spray rail.

All replies/ feedback would be appreciated.
thanks

I currently own a SISU 22. Your assessment is spot on. I added lifting/spray rails to my boat and it handles very well. The hard chine boats perform a little better but I think the spray rails achieve the same result if installed correctly. I have a 115 4S which tops out at 26K and cruises comfortable at 18K. I need to slow down to 12-15 in a head sea with he family but it will take it no problem. They drift great and I do not have any problems with a following sea since adding the spray rails.

Here is the listing from Cape Cod.
22' sisu w new power 2011etec w 40hrs

 

[BOSBoatMan]

Did you get trim tabs for yours jkporter or are you still working on that? I went with the fin, personally, and if that don't work I'm gonna go with ballast forward and maybe a stern-lifting propeller...

 

[JimRP31]

Did you get trim tabs for yours jkporter or are you still working on that? I went with the fin, personally, and if that don't work I'm gonna go with ballast forward and maybe a stern-lifting propeller...

We tried a fin last summer. It was an improvement but not that dramatic. We used it.... until we caught a wave off another boat we were passing. The lifting rails wanted to go up and the fine wanted to go down (due to catching the wave). The whole think went pear shaped very fast. The fin came off that day. I have not put on trim tabs yet, mostly because they are expensive and I don't want to spend the money and find out there is little improvement. The best improvements from when we first bought the boat is the 60lbs of lead I put in the anchor locker, the lifting rails and the 4 blade prop. All of those helped the boat plane faster and run much more stable.

 

[DBthal]

Sisu 22 Prop

JK Porter-

What size & pitch 4 blade prop did you put on your 115hp 4S?

Dan

 

[hori]

going through chop

Sisu boats are known not to pound in chop unlike a Novi.
Is it due to the bow shape of the sisu ?

Also the stern from what I seen in pics looks to have a ever slight deadrise to the keel where as the novi is flat? Is that correct?

Is it true the latest ones in following sea is not as bad due to the changes in keel and the following sea was worse with inboard model not the outboard.

 

[DBthal]

Sisu

I recently measured the deadrise at 5 degrees on the Eastern Sisu.

Dan

 

[Pamlico]

I have a 79 Sisu22 with a Perkins diesel. She chuggs along at about 8 knots (not a speed demon for sure). I use her on the Pamlico Sound in NC. The sound is known for its chop due to shallow water and she handles it well. Here's the first page of the original flyer that came with the boat. I found the flyer in the boat paper work when I bought her.

 

[Eastporter]

I recently measured the deadrise at 5 degrees on the Eastern Sisu.

Dan

Congrats on the new boat. Do you happen to know the keel measurements on the Eastern/Sisu? From the pictures it looks to be much smaller than the old Sisu 22'.

 

[hori]

I recently measured the deadrise at 5 degrees on the Eastern Sisu.

Dan

good to know, glad my eyes were not playing tricks

 

[hori]

Pamlico, nice find thanks for posting

DBthal..congrats on the new Sisu

 

[Keelboater]

We tried a fin last summer. It was an improvement but not that dramatic. We used it.... until we caught a wave off another boat we were passing. The lifting rails wanted to go up and the fine wanted to go down (due to catching the wave). The whole think went pear shaped very fast. The fine came off that day. I have not put on trim tabs yet, mostly because they are expensive and I don't want to spend the money and find out there is little improvement. The best improvements from when we first bought the boat is the 60lbs of lead I put in the anchor locker, the lifting rails and the 4 blade prop. All of those helped the boat plane faster and run much more stable.

JK - are you considering the tabs for planing purposes or load adjusting purposes, or both? The reason why I ask is because it sounds as if you want them for planing more than anything else. If that is the case, you can always put a couple of manual tabs on the transom without the hydraulic or electric cylinders and related controls. You can use a turnbuckle to adjust them, then once you are happy with performance, you just set it and forget it. That is a low buck, but very functional set-up once it's dialed in to your liking.

 

[nickyp]

Sisu boats are known not to pound in chop unlike a Novi.
Is it due to the bow shape of the sisu ?

Also the stern from what I seen in pics looks to have a ever slight deadrise to the keel where as the novi is flat? Is that correct?

Is it true the latest ones in following sea is not as bad due to the changes in keel and the following sea was worse with inboard model not the outboard.

A sisu is a older school built down hull.
Older school, because newer designs tend to be beamier.
The slimmer beam and built down hull, make it rolly, but very seaworthy. A 22 sisu is very similar in underwater hull shape to the equally legendary 29 dyer.
A 22 novi is usually an outboard powered skiff. Very flat bottom, with a 1x2 for a keel.
As a result, they are easily powered, and go like hell in calm seas, but will pound in a chop. These novi skiffs are nothing like their deep keeled bigger brothers, which are very seaworthy.
Bottom line, a sisu, and a novi skiff are two different boats.

 

[aweigh again]

I own a 1983 sisu 22 bass boat ,with 115hp 4-stroke. once you learn what it does well, and not so well, you respond accordingly. after three years of running this boat, i have learned to love it. great on fuel, great into a head sea, the bow needs to be lifted higher for seas coming from the aft, but you gradually get the feel of how to handle it. I also think they are a great looking little boat.

 

[DBthal]

Here is a photo of the Eastern Sisu stern to give an idea of the deadrise & keel.

Dan

 

[DBthal]

Photos

Another:

 

[DBthal]

One More Photo