Design and Construction
The Morgan 22 measures just over 21 feet overall and has an 8-foot beam. It displaces 2,700 pounds, including 1,400 pounds of lead ballast. Its solid-fiberglass construction is finished with wood trim.
The hull has a raked stem, a plumb transom, and a fixed stub keel with a retractable centerboard. With the board raised, the boat draws 1.8 feet, allowing gunkholing and trailer-style access to shallow water. Lowering the board increases the lateral plane for windward sailing and brings the draft to 4.92 feet.
A transom-hung rudder is controlled by a tiller, keeping the steering gear entirely aft and clear of the accommodations. The 51.85 ballast-to-displacement ratio and 2.3 capsize screening number describe a ballast-led, comparatively stable small hull rather than a featherweight racer. Period testers found the Morgan 22 fast, weatherly, and easy to handle, citing those qualities as good reasons for new sailors to choose it as a first cruising boat.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The Morgan 22 carries a Bermuda-rigged masthead sloop sail plan with 238 square feet of sail area. Its sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 19.64 puts it among lively small cruisers rather than sluggish pocket boats.
Its PHRF racing average handicap is 249, placing it among modest cruiser-racers of its size rather than stripped-out one-designs. The boat has a displacement-to-length ratio of 143.45 and a hull speed of 6.04 knots.
The retractable centerboard simplifies ramp launching and maneuvering in tight anchorages. Under sail, the tiller-controlled transom rudder provides direct feedback while leaving the cockpit uncluttered. An outboard motor, normally fitted astern, supplies auxiliary power without taking up cabin space.
Accommodations
The Morgan 22 sleeps four. A double V-berth fills the bow cabin, with a marine toilet centered beneath it. In the main cabin, the dinette table drops down so the settee can serve as a single berth. An aft quarter berth lies to port.
The galley is also to port, just forward of the companionway ladder. It includes a two-burner stove, a top-loading icebox, and a sink—a compact but complete working triangle for a boat of this size.
Testers praised the two-person dinette. Its removable table allows the settee to convert into a berth and also serves usefully as a chart table.
Known Issue
The one recurring weakness noted in period testing is the centerboard control pendant. Testers described it as a Rube Goldberg affair that requires periodic inspection and, almost always, eventual replacement. Buyers and owners should regard the pendant as a consumable system rather than a fit-and-forget component, since the mechanism’s complexity invites wear.
The Verdict
The Morgan 22 is a purpose-built small cruiser from the late-1960s Morgan Yachts line. For a boat just over 21 feet long, it offers flexible shoal draft, a tiller-steered transom rudder, and a surprisingly complete four-berth interior. Its documented ease of handling and weatherliness make it a credible first cruising boat, while the centerboard pendant remains the single known item to watch.
Pros
- Fast, weatherly, and easy to handle, according to period testers
- Stub keel and retractable centerboard provide a 1.8–4.92 ft draft range
- Sleeps four in a bow V-berth, convertible dinette berth, and port quarter berth
- Full galley with a two-burner stove, top-loading icebox, and sink
- Removable dinette table supports berth conversion and chart-table use
Cons
- Centerboard control pendant requires regular inspection and near-certain eventual replacement
