Chaparral 224 Sunesta WT 2012 vs Chaparral 225 SSi WT 2013 - Boat Spec Comparison

Q: Which is the larger boat — the Chaparral 224 Sunesta WT 2012 or the Chaparral 225 SSi WT 2013?

The Chaparral 225 SSi WT 2013 is the longer of the two at 22,5 feet overall. The Chaparral 224 Sunesta WT 2012 comes in at 22,3 feet, making it roughly 0,2 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Q: Which is easier to trailer — the Chaparral 224 Sunesta WT 2012 or the Chaparral 225 SSi WT 2013?

For trailering, the Chaparral 224 Sunesta WT 2012 has the edge at 4 lbs dry weight versus 42 lbs for the Chaparral 225 SSi WT 2013. Add a motor (typically 300–500 lbs for an outboard in this class), gear, and a partial fuel load and the difference grows. Lighter is friendlier on smaller tow vehicles and on fuel economy while hauling.

Q: How many people can each boat hold?

The Chaparral 224 Sunesta WT 2012 is Coast Guard rated for 12 passengers, while the Chaparral 225 SSi WT 2013 is certified for 10. 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: Do these boats require an oversize trailer permit to tow on US highways?

Both the Chaparral 224 Sunesta WT 2012 and Chaparral 225 SSi WT 2013 share an 8 ft. 6 in. (2.59 m) beam — meaning both sit right at the 8’6" threshold that most US states use for standard-width loads. In most states you can tow at that width without a special permit, but regulations vary. Always check the rules for your state and any states you'll be passing through before your first long haul.

Q: Which boat has the larger fuel tank — the Chaparral 224 Sunesta WT 2012 or the Chaparral 225 SSi WT 2013?

The Chaparral 225 SSi WT 2013 has the bigger tank at 54 gallons, versus 5 gallons on the Chaparral 224 Sunesta WT 2012. That 49-gallon difference translates to roughly 147–245 nautical miles of additional range at cruising speed, depending on motor, load, and conditions.

Q: Are the Chaparral 224 Sunesta WT 2012 and Chaparral 225 SSi WT 2013 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Chaparral 224 Sunesta WT 2012 and the Chaparral 225 SSi WT 2013 are built by Chaparral. 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

Chaparral 224 Sunesta WT 2012 vs Chaparral 225 SSi WT 2013

Chaparral

Chaparral 224 Sunesta WT 2012

2012

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Chaparral

Chaparral 225 SSi WT 2013

2013

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Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation

Chaparral 224 Sunesta WT 2012 vs Chaparral 225 SSi WT 2013 — Same Brand, Different Boat

Matching a modified vee Chaparral 224 Sunesta WT 2012 against a deep vee Chaparral 225 SSi WT 2013 means you're likely deciding between two genuinely different on-water experiences. Hull type shapes everything from ride quality and fuel burn to dock handling and resale trajectory.

On paper these two are close siblings in the size department — Chaparral 224 Sunesta WT 2012 at 22,3 ft versus Chaparral 225 SSi WT 2013 at 22,5 ft. At 4 lbs and 42 lbs respectively, both sit in a similar weight class — either should pair comfortably with most mid-size SUVs and half-ton trucks, though always confirm your specific tow rating with the motor added.

Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling — 320 hp for the Chaparral 224 Sunesta WT 2012 and 320 hp for the Chaparral 225 SSi WT 2013. Real-world performance will come down more to which motor is actually bolted on, its load at the time, and whether it's a 4-stroke or 2-stroke setup. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Chaparral 225 SSi WT 2013 carries 54 gallons versus 5 gallons in the Chaparral 224 Sunesta WT 2012. On a lake day that's negligible, but for coastal cruising or long reservoir runs the extra range matters.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Chaparral 224 Sunesta WT 2012 is rated for 12 passengers, while the Chaparral 225 SSi WT 2013 caps at 10. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Chaparral 224 Sunesta WT 2012 could be the deciding factor.

Bottom line: Choose the Chaparral 224 Sunesta WT 2012 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 12 passengers and at 22,3 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Chaparral 225 SSi WT 2013 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 10 that costs less to run day-to-day.

General Boat Info

MakeChaparral

Model224 Sunesta WT

Model225 SSi WT

Model Year2012

Model Year2013

Measurements / Dimensions

Beam8 ft. 6 in. (2.59 m)

Beam - Meters2.59

Beam - Inches102

Bridge clearance - DetailWith Wakeboard Tower: 9 ft. 2 in. (2.79 m) Without Wakeboard Tower: 5 ft. 5 in. (1.65 m)

Bridge clearance - Detail4 ft. 10 in. (1.47 m) With Wakeboard Tower: 6 ft. 11 in. (2.11 m)

Bridge clearance - Meters2.79

Bridge clearance - Meters2.11

Bridge clearance - Inches11

Bridge clearance - Inches83

Deadrise18°

Deadrise20°

Draft [drive up] - Detail20 in. (51 cm)

Draft [drive up] - Detail16 in. (41 cm)

Draft [drive up] meters0.51

Draft [drive up] meters0.41

Draft [drive up] inches2

Draft [drive up] inches16

Draft [max] - Detail35 in. (89 cm)

Draft [max] - Detail34 in. (86 cm)

Draft [max] - Meters0.89

Draft [max] - Meters0.86

Draft [max] - Inches35

Draft [max] - Inches34

Weight - Detail4,000 lbs. (1,814 kg)

Weight - Detail4,200 lbs. (1,905 kg)

Weight - kg1814.37

Weight - kg1905.09

Weight - lbs.4

Weight - lbs.42

Length - Feet22.33

Length - Feet22.5

Length [over all with swim platform]22 ft. 4 in. (6.81 m)

Length [over all with swim platform]22 ft. 6 in. (6.86 m)

Body / Hull

Hull materialFiberglass

Hull typeModified Vee

Hull typeDeep Vee

Engine and Drivetrain

Fuel tank capacity - Detail50 gal. (189 l)

Fuel tank capacity - Detail54 gal. (204 l)

Fuel tank capacity - Liters189.27

Fuel tank capacity - Liters204.41

Fuel tank capacity - Gal5

Fuel tank capacity - Gal54

Fuel typeGas

Fuel typeGas or Diesel

Drive typeI/O

Engine max320 hp (239 kW)

Operational Info

Water capacity10 gal. (38 l)

Water capacity3 gal. (11 l)

Maximum people12 or 1,750 lbs

Maximum people10 / 1,430 lbs

Headroomnot available

HeadroomCabin: 4 ft. 4 in. (1.32 m)

Sleeping capacitynot available

Sleeping capacity2

Chaparral 224 Sunesta WT 2012 vs Chaparral 225 SSi WT 2013 — Common Questions

Which is the larger boat — the Chaparral 224 Sunesta WT 2012 or the Chaparral 225 SSi WT 2013?

The Chaparral 225 SSi WT 2013 is the longer of the two at 22,5 feet overall. The Chaparral 224 Sunesta WT 2012 comes in at 22,3 feet, making it roughly 0,2 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Which is easier to trailer — the Chaparral 224 Sunesta WT 2012 or the Chaparral 225 SSi WT 2013?

For trailering, the Chaparral 224 Sunesta WT 2012 has the edge at 4 lbs dry weight versus 42 lbs for the Chaparral 225 SSi WT 2013. Add a motor (typically 300–500 lbs for an outboard in this class), gear, and a partial fuel load and the difference grows. Lighter is friendlier on smaller tow vehicles and on fuel economy while hauling.

How many people can each boat hold?

The Chaparral 224 Sunesta WT 2012 is Coast Guard rated for 12 passengers, while the Chaparral 225 SSi WT 2013 is certified for 10. 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.

Do these boats require an oversize trailer permit to tow on US highways?

Both the Chaparral 224 Sunesta WT 2012 and Chaparral 225 SSi WT 2013 share an 8 ft. 6 in. (2.59 m) beam — meaning both sit right at the 8’6" threshold that most US states use for standard-width loads. In most states you can tow at that width without a special permit, but regulations vary. Always check the rules for your state and any states you'll be passing through before your first long haul.

Which boat has the larger fuel tank — the Chaparral 224 Sunesta WT 2012 or the Chaparral 225 SSi WT 2013?

The Chaparral 225 SSi WT 2013 has the bigger tank at 54 gallons, versus 5 gallons on the Chaparral 224 Sunesta WT 2012. That 49-gallon difference translates to roughly 147–245 nautical miles of additional range at cruising speed, depending on motor, load, and conditions.

Are the Chaparral 224 Sunesta WT 2012 and Chaparral 225 SSi WT 2013 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Chaparral 224 Sunesta WT 2012 and the Chaparral 225 SSi WT 2013 are built by Chaparral. 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.

← Chaparral 224 Sunesta WT 2012 full specs ← Chaparral 225 SSi WT 2013 full specs