Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation
Chaparral 244 Sunesta WT 2013 vs Chaparral SSi 226 2009 — Same Brand, Different Boat
Matching a deep vee Chaparral 244 Sunesta WT 2013 against a modified vee Chaparral SSi 226 2009 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 244 Sunesta WT 2013 at 24,3 ft versus Chaparral SSi 226 2009 at 22,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Chaparral SSi 226 2009 tips the scales at 395 lbs — 351 lbs less than the Chaparral 244 Sunesta WT 2013 at 44 lbs. That difference is meaningful if you're working within a half-ton or three-quarter-ton truck's tow rating, especially once you factor in a motor, gear, and fuel.
Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling — 320 hp for the Chaparral 244 Sunesta WT 2013 and 300 hp for the Chaparral SSi 226 2009. 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 244 Sunesta WT 2013 carries 63 gallons versus 55 gallons in the Chaparral SSi 226 2009. 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 244 Sunesta WT 2013 is rated for 14 passengers, while the Chaparral SSi 226 2009 caps at 12. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Chaparral 244 Sunesta WT 2013 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Chaparral 244 Sunesta WT 2013 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 14 passengers and at 24,3 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Chaparral SSi 226 2009 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 12 that costs less to run day-to-day.
General Boat Info
MakeChaparral
MakeChaparral
Model244 Sunesta WT
ModelSSi 226
Model Year2013
Model Year2009
Measurements / Dimensions
Beam8 ft. 6 in. (2.59 m)
Beam8 ft. 6 in. (2.59 m)
Beam - Meters2.59
Beam - Meters2.59
Beam - Inches102
Beam - Inches102
Bridge clearance - Detail5 ft. 4 in. (1.63 m) With Arch Tower: 9 ft. 10 in. (3 m) With Arch Tower Folded: 8 ft. 9 in. (2.67 m)
Bridge clearance - DetailWith Wakeboard Tower: 7 ft. 3 in. (2.21 m) Without Wakeboard Tower: 4 ft. 8 in. (1.43 m)
Bridge clearance - Meters3
Bridge clearance - Meters2.21
Bridge clearance - Inches118
Bridge clearance - Inches87
Deadrise20°
Deadrise20℃
Draft [drive up] - Detail17 in. (43 cm)
Draft [drive up] - Detail16 in. (41 cm)
Draft [drive up] meters0.43
Draft [drive up] meters0.41
Draft [drive up] inches17
Draft [drive up] inches16
Draft [max] - Detail33 in. (84 cm)
Draft [max] - Detail34 in. (87 cm)
Draft [max] - Meters0.84
Draft [max] - Meters0.86
Draft [max] - Inches33
Draft [max] - Inches34
Weight - Detail4,400 lbs. (1,996 kg)
Weight - Detail3,950 lbs. (1,792 kg)
Weight - kg1995.8
Weight - kg1791.69
Weight - lbs.44
Weight - lbs.395
Length - Feet24.33
Length - Feet22
Length [over all with swim platform]24 ft. 4 in. (7.42 m)
Length [over all with swim platform]22 ft. 6 in. (6.86 m)
Length - Metersnot available
Length - Meters6.86
Length - Inchesnot available
Length - Inches6
Body / Hull
Hull materialFiberglass
Hull materialFiberglass
Hull typeDeep Vee
Hull typeModified Vee
Engine and Drivetrain
Fuel tank capacity - Detail63 gal. (238 l)
Fuel tank capacity - Detail55 gal. (208 l)
Fuel tank capacity - Liters238.48
Fuel tank capacity - Liters208.2
Fuel tank capacity - Gal63
Fuel tank capacity - Gal55
Drive typeI/O
Drive typeI/O
Engine max320 hp (239 kW)
Engine max300 hp (224 kW)
Engine/s standardnot available
Engine/s standardMercruiser 5.0L MPI Alpha 260 hp
Operational Info
Water capacity10 gal. (38 l)
Water capacitynot available
Maximum people14 / 2,100 lbs
Maximum people12
Holding tank capacity - Detail3.8 gal. (14 l)
Holding tank capacity - Detailnot available
Holding tank capacity - Liters15.14
Holding tank capacity - Litersnot available
Holding tank capacity - Gal3.8
Holding tank capacity - Galnot available
Maximum capacitynot available
Maximum capacity1,650 lbs. (748.4 kg)