When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Nautica RIB 22 Jet IO 2011 and the Nautica RIB 24 Catamaran 2011 are inflatable rigid designs with fiberglass construction — the buying decision usually comes down to a handful of practical questions: how many people are you putting on the water, how far do you trailer, and what does your tow vehicle weigh?
On paper these two are close siblings in the size department — Nautica RIB 22 Jet IO 2011 at 22,0 ft versus Nautica RIB 24 Catamaran 2011 at 23,4 ft. At 217 lbs and 179 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.
The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 240 hp, the Nautica RIB 22 Jet IO 2011 has a 125-hp advantage over the Nautica RIB 24 Catamaran 2011's 115-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Nautica RIB 22 Jet IO 2011 carries 105 gallons versus 9 gallons in the Nautica RIB 24 Catamaran 2011. 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 Nautica RIB 22 Jet IO 2011 is rated for 18 passengers, while the Nautica RIB 24 Catamaran 2011 caps at 2. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Nautica RIB 22 Jet IO 2011 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Nautica RIB 22 Jet IO 2011 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 18 passengers and at 22,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Nautica RIB 24 Catamaran 2011 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 2 that costs less to run day-to-day.