Sea Ray Pachanga 22 Specs and Review [Video]

The Pachanga 22 was an extremely popular high-performance Sea Ray sport boat manufactured between 1987-1991 and 2009-2010. This iconic runabout enjoyed a race-inspired interior, high-quality features, and 270-330hp engines with twin-prop drive systems.

Over its lifespan, this Sea Ray went through two generations (’87-’91 and ’09-’12).

Let’s drill into the details and talk about both in detail!

First Generation (1987-1991)

Hull and Top Deck

To compete with Donzi, Formula, and other performance boat manufacturers, Sea Ray introduced their Pachanga series in 1987.

These incredible little runabouts were fast, agile, and enjoyed a race-inspired, eye-catching design.

Early models in this breed included the entry-level Pachanga 19, 22, and 23, completed with the mid-range 27 in 1988.

Each of these models shared the same style and many features utilizing different platforms and engine packages.

It’s safe to say that these were built to a higher standard than the majority of factory boats at that time.

Often referred to as the “Pachanga II,” the first generation Pachanga 22 was manufactured from 1987 through 1992 without any significant changes.

As the name suggests, she measured 22 feet 2 inches with a beam of 96 inches.

She utilized a high-strength modified deep-V “Ray-Tech” fiberglass hull and a sporty top deck.

Fitted with the standard engine, her claimed dry weight was 2,900 pounds.

Considering the weight of a full tank (63 gallons) of gas, some basic gear, and a matching trailer, you could expect her gross trailering weight to be in the neighborhood of 4,500-5,000 pounds.

Compared to her 19-foot sibling, the 22 had a much sleeker, more modern design with a curved windshield and more spacious seatings.

Under the closed bow you had a tiny cuddy cabin enclosed by a lockable bi-fold acryl cabin door.

The interior had some exciting features like a mini dry bar, mini hanging locker, aircraft-style cabin lighting, V-shaped berth, and throw pillows.

Designed for a small number of people, the race-inspired cockpit had two swivel bucket seats and a full beam aft bench seat with carpeted ski storage beneath.

Just like the sizeable aft sun deck, they were also covered with high-quality upholstery.

A deluxe AM/FM digital stereo system with 4 speakers, removable ice chest, stainless-steel cockpit grab rails, indirect cockpit lighting, cockpit carpet, cup holders, and concealed fasteners all came standard.

Storage units included side panel storage, engine compartment storage bins, a ski locker, and a lockable glovebox.

At the helm, you had a racecar-like tilt steering wheel with a power steering system and a huge dashboard nestled in a hard plastic shell.

Instrumentation included an analog tachometer, speedometer, fuel level gauge, trim gauge, oil pressure gauge, water temp., voltmeter, and a compass.

The built-in 63-gallon aluminum fuel tank had a shut-off valve, stainless-steel fuel fill, and an electric fuel level sensor.

The list of optional features included gel coat hull graphics, deck ventilation hatches, an hour meter, a Lowrance 3400 depth finder, a portable head, a storage cradle, and a WHF radio.

Engines and Performance

Over the years, Sea Ray offered the first-generation Pachanga 22 with many different sterndrive engine packages.

In 1987, the engine options included a 340 King Cobra OMC, which could be opted for a MerCruiser 350 Magnum or a 454 Magnum.

These two MerCruisers delivered 285 and 325hp, respectively.

In 1988, the standard engine was upgraded to a 5.7L SRX MerCruiser sterndrive (270hp) that could be opted for her 7.4L SRX (330hp) brother.

These engine packages remained unchanged until 1991.

Performance wise, the Pachanga 22 cruised at 30 mph and topped out in the 60-65 mph range with the MerCruiser MAG engine options.

She also offered predictable handling even at higher speeds.

Drawbacks?

Mainly her rough water performance, since the lightweight and small body of the boat bounced heavily on the chop.

Problems

Early Sea-Rays were designed with wood-based construction elements, and the Pachanga 22 was no exception.

Over the years, the wood core of these floor supports, bilge stringers, and transom started to rot, causing structural issues.

As one may expect, replacing them was enormous work, which is why many of these boats ended up in boat salvage yards.

The luckier ones who survived have undergone a complete restoration and are still kept alive by enthusiasts.

Specifications

The factory specifications of the 1987-1991 Pachanga 22 were as follows:

Overall Length (With platform)	22’ 2”
Centerline Hull Length	20’ 6”
Beam	96”
Draft (stern drive down)	32”
Draft (stern drive up)	16”
Dead Rise	20°
Dry Weight (OB model)	2,900 lb.
Fuel Capacity	63 gal.
Engine options (’87)	340 King Cobra OMC MerCruiser 350 MAG MerCruiser 454 MAG sterndrive
Engine options (’88-‘91)	MerCruiser 5.7L SRX sterndrive (270hp) MerCruiser 7.4L SRX sterndrive (330hp)

Second Generation (2009-2010)

Hull and Top Deck

After 7 years of hiatus, the Pachanga 22 made a comeback for the 2009 model year.

What’s changed?

Compared to her predecessor, the new model was almost 2 feet longer with an all-new extended swim platform. The beam was also widened by 4 inches.

Built on an all-new 21-degree deep-V hull, her dry weight also increased significantly from 2,900 to 5,200 pounds. This also caused the estimated trailering weight to increase up to 7,000-7,500 pounds.

Thanks to her larger top deck, she could accommodate 7 persons and some gear up to the load limit of 1,400 pounds.

The covered bow deck was completed with a deck hatch that also functioned as an emergency exit.

Enjoying many upgrades and improvements, the cockpit returned with a larger sun pad, refreshed bucket seats, and a new transom bench seat.

Instead of the traditional flat design, the latter was upgraded with a bolstered, three-part architecture for maximum traction.

At the helm, the instrument panel was redesigned with a sleeker, more centralized design with multifunction gauges.

Engines and Performance

The second-generation, Pachanga 22 was exclusively available with MerCruiser MAG engine packages.

Standard power was the 350 MAG MPI Bravo I DTS (300hp), which could be opted for the 496 MAG (375hp) and 496 MAG HO (425hp).

These high-end engine packages included the 8.2 MAG and 8.2 MAG HO rated at 380 and 430hp, respectively.

As a rule of thumb, each optional engine package came standard with a Bravo III twin-prop drive and digital throttle/shift (DTS) control.

Thanks to these powerful engines, the revamped Pachanga 22 offered thrilling acceleration and top speeds in the mid-60s.

Fitted with the mid-range 425hp 496 MAG HO, she got on plane in around 5 seconds and topped out at 63-64 mph.

Minimum planing speed was around 20-21 mph but captains preferred to cruise her in the 30-40 mph range.

The deep-V straked hull also ensured predictable behavior, easy handling, and perfect tracking.

Besides the sportscar-like feeling, the boat was also very easy to maneuver even at lower speeds.

To the greatest regret of many fans, Sea Ray offered this revived model for only two short years from 2009 to 2010.

Specifications

The factory specifications of the 2009-2010 Pachanga 22 were as follows:

Overall Length (w/Swim Platform)	24’ 0”
Beam	8’4”
Height – Keel to top of windshield	5’ 10”
Height – Waterline to top of windshield	4’ 0”
Height – Waterline to top of deck	2’ 11 ¾”
Draft (stern drive down)	37”
Draft (stern drive up)	22”
Dead Rise	21°
Dry Weight (OB model)	5,200 lb.
Fuel Capacity	50 gal.
Usable Fuel	45 gal.
Standard engine	350 MAG MPI DTS (300hp)
Optional engines	496 MAG DTS (375hp) 496 MAG HO DTS (425hp) 8.2 MAG DTS (380hp) 8.2 MAG HO DTS (430hp)

Takeaways

The Pachanga 22 (a.k.a. Pachanga II) was arguably the most popular model in the legendary Sea Ray Pachanga series.

This well-built sport runabout was inspired by her high-performance offshore relatives but was built on a trailerable platform.

She had a very cool design and enjoyed high-quality features and finishes.

It’s a lesser-known fact that the Pachanga 22 went through two generations.

Manufactured from 1987 through 1991, the first gen measured a 22-foot body fitted with 270-330hp engine packages.

Introduced in 2009, her second-generation successor was 2 feet longer, 4 inches wider, and enjoyed much more powerful 300-430hp MerCruiser sterndrive engine packages with Bravo III twin-prop drives.

Their reputation for durability and extreme power means Pachangas are still in demand on the used market.

If you are considering buying one, you can find many Pachanga 22s for sale on Craigslist, eBay, FB Marketplace, or boat classifieds.

Regarding asking prices, the first-gen is typically offered for $15,000-$20,000 while be prepared to pay a whopping $30,000-$40,000 for the second-gen models.

Disclaimer: Specifications in this post are for informational purposes only. For further information, please refer to the operator’s manual.