It has a masthead sloop rig, a raked stem, a plumb transom, a transom-hung rudder controlled by a tiller and a fixed stub keel with a retractable centerboard.
[1][3] The boat is normally fitted with a small 3 to 6 hp (2 to 4 kW) outboard motor for docking and maneuvering.
[3] In a 2010 review Steve Henkel wrote, "... the Morgan 22, Charlie Morgan's smallest racer-cruiser, compared to her comp[etitor]s is no match for space below, but on the other hand, we think she would be the clear winner in a round-the-buoys race against both the Bayfield 23 and the Montgomery 23, despite the Montgomery's 15-seconds-per-mile lower PHRF rating.
Best features: She is fast, weatherly, and easy to handle—three good reasons for new sailors to choose her as their first cruising boat.
Worst features: Her centerboard control pendant is a Rube Goldberg affair, which needs periodic inspection and—almost always—eventual replacement.