Sea-Doo Islandia 220 Specs and Review [Video]

The Islandia 220 was a jet-powered Sea-Doo deck boat built on a 22-foot platform. Manufactured from 2000 through 2009, this model was available with many different power sources like the 2-stroke V6 Mercury Sportjets or the 4-stroke Rotax 4-TEC. Its closest relative in the fleet was the flagship Challenger 230.

In this post, we’ll review the spacious Islandia and its key factory specifications.

Sea-Doo Islandia 220 Review

Hull and Capacities

Bombardier released the Islandia 220 in 2000 as the only Sea-Doo deck boat in the fleet.

As the name suggests, this model was built on a 22-foot V-hull featuring a 20-degree deadrise and a shallow, 12-inch draft.

Since the boat was available with many different engine options, its dry weight significantly varied over time.

Manufactured from 2000 through 2005, the early 2-stroke Islandias weighed 3,050 pounds, while their 4-stroke successors reached 3,400-3,450 pounds.

The claimed gross weight of these 4-stroke models was a whopping 5,183 pounds on a factory trailer.

There’s no question that the biggest advantage of the Islandia was its spacious top deck.

Rated for 12 passengers, it offered plenty of deck space and a large bow seating area. It featured a removable deck table and cushioned wraparound seating.

The cockpit also enjoyed many innovative features, including a versatile sun pad, which could be transformed into a rear bench seat by pulling up the three separate backrests.

What’s more, by rotating the double helm seat you could convert this bench into a cozy L-shaped lounge.

You could also find a fixed, rear-facing bench seat for two behind the port-side console. (Unfortunately, it didn’t provide adequate traction during the turns and aggressive accelerations.)

The latter was labeled a “convenience center,” and with good reason. It featured many convenience amenities including a little sink with a faucet, food preparation area, storage trays, and cup holders.

Beneath them, you could also find a removable cooler, a trash container, and a storage tray.

On the starboard side, the side console could be transformed into a changing room, which came standard with a porta potty.

Plenty of storage compartments, pockets, and nets were everywhere to accommodate safety equipment, watersport gear, and toys.

A nice addition was the recessed kiddie pool with a little fountain on the floor of the bow section. This unit was designed with toddlers in mind, who can’t go into deep water.

Engines

Manufactured for a decade, the 22-footer Islandia was available with many different engine options.

From 2000 through 2004 it was marketed with the 240 EFI Mercury Sportjet, replaced by the 250 Optimax in 2005. These 2-stroke, 2500cc, V6 engines delivered 240 and 250hp, respectively.

For the 2006 model year, the Islandia was upgraded with a twin naturally-aspirated Rotax 1503 4-TEC engine package. These 1494cc, SOHC, triples delivered a combined 310hp out of the box.

Unfortunately, the boat proved to be quite underpowered with these power mills. This is why Sea-Doo upgraded them with 2 x 215hp supercharged variants for 2008.

These naturally-aspirated and supercharged Rotax 1503 4-TEC engines were almost identical, except the latter was boosted with a gear-driven supercharger and external intercooler.

Simply summarized, the available engine options by year were as follows:

• ’00-’04: 1 x Merc 250 EFI (240hp)
• ’05: 1 x Merc 250 Otimax (250hp)
• ’06-’07: 2 x Rotax 1503 4-TEC NA (2x155hp)
• ’08-’09: 2 x Rotax 1503 4-TEC SC (2x215hp)

Features

According to the operator’s manual, the standard features of the Islandia 220 included a DESS key, bilge blower, bilge pump, horn, bilge drain, Bimini top, cocktail table, cooler, trash container, audio system, beverage holders, grab handles, and a recessed “kiddie pool” with fountain, and more.

The aft was fitted with a swim platform, reboarding ladder, transom door, and grab handles.

According to Wakeboardignmag, she was available in a special “SE” version.

This more featured model came with some extra bells and whistles, including a depth finder, ski pylon, stereo remote, and custom carpets

Performance

Even though the Islandia was very easy to maneuver, it proved to be underpowered with a larger crew onboard.

Neither the 2-stroke Mercuries nor the twin-155hp Rotax 4-TEC delivered enough power to easily get the fully-loaded boat on plane.

Even with a lighter load, the acceleration and top speed of the boat were very moderate. According to real-world tests, it topped out in the mid-40s with a single Mercury 240 EFI engine.

Its best cruising speed was about 26-28 mph where the 53-gallon fuel tank gave her an estimated fuel range of 100 miles.

Released in 2006, the naturally-aspirated (2x155hp) Rotax engine package slightly improved its performance.

The top speed with this power source was close to 50 mph on the speedo.

With 1-2 people onboard it could go from 0-30 mph in 5-6 seconds, but this performance started to decline very greatly as more passengers came aboard.

In contrast, the supercharged Rotax 1503 4-TEC engine package could handle heavier loads without any issues. With this 430hp power source, the Islandia could hit 60-62 mph under ideal conditions.

Thanks to its deep-V hull and heavy weight, the hull cut through both a light and moderate chop with ease, but was fairly uncomfortable in rougher conditions.

Specs Charts

For your convenience, we’ve listed the key specs of the Sea-Doo Islandia 220 (supercharged, 2009 model):

Dimensions

Overall Length	22’
Beam	8’3”
Draft	1’
Deadrise	20°
Dry weight	3450 lb.
Seating capacity	12
Load limit	1800 lb.

Dimensions On Trailer

Length	24’6”
Width	8’6”
Height	7’
Gross weight on the trailer	5183 lb

Engine Specs

Number of Engines	2
Type	Rotax 1503 4-TEC 4-stroke, SOHC
Number of Cylinders	3
Induction type	Supercharged intercooled
Displacement	1493.8 cm³ (91 cu. in.)
Lubrication oil type	XPS 10W40 -stroke oil or an equivalent approved by BRP.
Performance	2 x 215 HP
Maximum HP RPM	8000 +/- 50 RPM

Capacities

Engine oil	3.2 US qt. oil change w/filter
Engine cooling system	5.8 US qt. total
Portable water tank	20 US gal.
Fuel tank (inc. reserve)	53 US gal.

These specifications are for informational purposes only. For further information, please refer to the operator’s manual.

Takeaways

Due to a poor reputation, Sea-Doo Islandia jet boats are typically sold for as low as $3,000-$10,000.

Except for the 2008-2009 supercharged models, the 240-250hp 2-stroke and 2x155hp 4-stroke variants are known for their poor engine power.

Because of this, it’s not recommended to invest in one of these aged vessels.

If you want to own a jet boat from the 2000s, you should consider a Sea-Doo Challenger 230 or even a competitor Yamaha AR230 or SX230.

These Japanese jet boats are not only much more reliable but also came standard with a jet pump cleaning port.

It’s a game changer when you have to remove debris from the pump on open waters!

References:

Sea-Doo

Boats.com

Wakeboardingmag.com