Boston Whaler 16 Sakonnet 1976 vs Boston Whaler 220 Dauntless 2006 - Boat Spec Comparison

Q: Which is the larger boat — the Boston Whaler 16 Sakonnet 1976 or the Boston Whaler 220 Dauntless 2006?

The Boston Whaler 220 Dauntless 2006 is the longer of the two at 22,0 feet overall. The Boston Whaler 16 Sakonnet 1976 comes in at 16,0 feet, making it roughly 6,0 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Q: Which boat can handle a bigger outboard?

The Boston Whaler 220 Dauntless 2006 is rated to a maximum of 225 hp, giving it the larger power ceiling. The Boston Whaler 16 Sakonnet 1976 tops out at 90 hp. Keep in mind that maximum ratings are just that — matching the motor to the actual load and usage pattern usually matters more than chasing the ceiling.

Q: How many people can each boat hold?

The Boston Whaler 16 Sakonnet 1976 is Coast Guard rated for 4 passengers, while the Boston Whaler 220 Dauntless 2006 is certified for 9. Note that legal capacity and comfortable capacity aren't always the same thing — on a full day out, most experienced boaters aim for about 80% of the rated number to keep things comfortable.

Q: Which boat is wider, and does it affect trailering?

The Boston Whaler 220 Dauntless 2006 measures 102" wide, compared to 72" for the Boston Whaler 16 Sakonnet 1976. The US standard-width towing limit is 8’6" (102") in most states — anything over that may need a wide-load permit. Confirm your specific route requirements with each state's DOT.

Q: Which boat has the larger fuel tank — the Boston Whaler 16 Sakonnet 1976 or the Boston Whaler 220 Dauntless 2006?

The Boston Whaler 16 Sakonnet 1976 has the bigger tank at 12 gallons, versus 9 gallons on the Boston Whaler 220 Dauntless 2006. That 3-gallon difference translates to roughly 9–15 nautical miles of additional range at cruising speed, depending on motor, load, and conditions.

Q: Are the Boston Whaler 16 Sakonnet 1976 and Boston Whaler 220 Dauntless 2006 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Boston Whaler 16 Sakonnet 1976 and the Boston Whaler 220 Dauntless 2006 are built by Boston Whaler. That means shared dealer networks, common parts availability, and consistent build quality across the line. The choice between them is essentially a question of how much boat you need, not which brand you trust.

Boat Comparison

Boston Whaler 16 Sakonnet 1976 vs Boston Whaler 220 Dauntless 2006

Boston Whaler

Boston Whaler 16 Sakonnet 1976

1976

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Boston Whaler

Boston Whaler 220 Dauntless 2006

2006

View full specs →

Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation

Boston Whaler 16 Sakonnet 1976 vs Boston Whaler 220 Dauntless 2006 — Same Brand, Different Boat

The Boston Whaler 16 Sakonnet 1976 vs Boston Whaler 220 Dauntless 2006 comparison sits squarely in the category of decisions where specs alone won't tell the whole story — intended use, storage, and long-term ownership costs all factor in.

The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 225 hp, the Boston Whaler 220 Dauntless 2006 has a 135-hp advantage over the Boston Whaler 16 Sakonnet 1976's 90-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads — 12 gal and 9 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Boston Whaler 220 Dauntless 2006 is rated for 9 passengers, while the Boston Whaler 16 Sakonnet 1976 caps at 4. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Boston Whaler 220 Dauntless 2006 could be the deciding factor.

Bottom line: Choose the Boston Whaler 220 Dauntless 2006 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 9 passengers and at 22,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Boston Whaler 16 Sakonnet 1976 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 4 that costs less to run day-to-day.

Measurements / Dimensions

Length overall - Detail16.00 ft

Length overall - Detail22 ft. 5 in. (6.83 m)

Length - Feet16

Length - Feet22

Length overall - Meters4.88

Length overall - Meters6.83

Length overall - Inches192

Length overall - Inches269

Beam6.00 ft

Beam8 ft. 6 in. (2.59 m)

Beam - Meters1.83

Beam - Meters2.59

Beam - Inches72

Beam - Inches102

Bridge clearance - Detailnot available

Bridge clearance - Detail5 ft. 5 in. (1.65 m) With Sun Top: 7 ft. 9 in. (2.36 m)

Bridge clearance - Metersnot available

Bridge clearance - Meters2.36

Bridge clearance - Inchesnot available

Bridge clearance - Inches93

Draft [max] - Detailnot available

Draft [max] - Detail12 in. (.30 m)

Draft [max] - Metersnot available

Draft [max] - Meters0.3

Draft [max] - Inchesnot available

Draft [max] - Inches12

Weight - Detailnot available

Weight - Detail2,580 lbs. (1,170 kg)

Weight - kgnot available

Weight - kg1170.27

Weight - lbs.not available

Weight - lbs.258

Height [transom]not available

Height [transom]25 in. (.63 m)

Length - Metersnot available

Length - Meters6.83

Length - Inchesnot available

Length - Inches5

Engine and Drivetrain

Fuel tank capacity - Gal12

Fuel tank capacity - Gal9

Fuel tank capacity - Liters45.42

Fuel tank capacity - Liters340.69

Engine makeMercury

Engine makenot available

Horsepower90 hp

Horsepowernot available

Fuel typeGas

Fuel typenot available

Drive typeoutboard

Drive typeOutboard

Engine/s standardnot available

Engine/s standard200 XL OptiMax? Mercury

Fuel tank capacity - Detailnot available

Fuel tank capacity - Detail90 gal. (340 l)

Engine maxnot available

Engine maxMaximum: 225 hp (167 kW) Minimum: 135 hp (100 kW) Maximum Engine Weight: 700 lbs. (317 kg)

Operational Info

Boat typePower

Boat typenot available

Maximum capacitynot available

Maximum capacity5,600 lbs. (2,540 kg)

Maximum peoplenot available

Maximum people9

General Boat Info

Makenot available

MakeBoston Whaler

Modelnot available

Model220 Dauntless

Model Yearnot available

Model Year2006

Boston Whaler 16 Sakonnet 1976 vs Boston Whaler 220 Dauntless 2006 — Common Questions

Which is the larger boat — the Boston Whaler 16 Sakonnet 1976 or the Boston Whaler 220 Dauntless 2006?

The Boston Whaler 220 Dauntless 2006 is the longer of the two at 22,0 feet overall. The Boston Whaler 16 Sakonnet 1976 comes in at 16,0 feet, making it roughly 6,0 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Which boat can handle a bigger outboard?

The Boston Whaler 220 Dauntless 2006 is rated to a maximum of 225 hp, giving it the larger power ceiling. The Boston Whaler 16 Sakonnet 1976 tops out at 90 hp. Keep in mind that maximum ratings are just that — matching the motor to the actual load and usage pattern usually matters more than chasing the ceiling.

How many people can each boat hold?

The Boston Whaler 16 Sakonnet 1976 is Coast Guard rated for 4 passengers, while the Boston Whaler 220 Dauntless 2006 is certified for 9. Note that legal capacity and comfortable capacity aren't always the same thing — on a full day out, most experienced boaters aim for about 80% of the rated number to keep things comfortable.

Which boat is wider, and does it affect trailering?

The Boston Whaler 220 Dauntless 2006 measures 102" wide, compared to 72" for the Boston Whaler 16 Sakonnet 1976. The US standard-width towing limit is 8’6" (102") in most states — anything over that may need a wide-load permit. Confirm your specific route requirements with each state's DOT.

Which boat has the larger fuel tank — the Boston Whaler 16 Sakonnet 1976 or the Boston Whaler 220 Dauntless 2006?

The Boston Whaler 16 Sakonnet 1976 has the bigger tank at 12 gallons, versus 9 gallons on the Boston Whaler 220 Dauntless 2006. That 3-gallon difference translates to roughly 9–15 nautical miles of additional range at cruising speed, depending on motor, load, and conditions.

Are the Boston Whaler 16 Sakonnet 1976 and Boston Whaler 220 Dauntless 2006 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Boston Whaler 16 Sakonnet 1976 and the Boston Whaler 220 Dauntless 2006 are built by Boston Whaler. That means shared dealer networks, common parts availability, and consistent build quality across the line. The choice between them is essentially a question of how much boat you need, not which brand you trust.

← Boston Whaler 16 Sakonnet 1976 full specs ← Boston Whaler 220 Dauntless 2006 full specs