Subliminal messages made national news in the 1950s when television advertisers were accused of flashing secret codes like 'Drink Coke' or 'Geritol Cures Iron Poor Blood' in ads that were too fast for the human eye to see, but supposedly brainwashed viewers to consume gallons of both products. It turned out that subliminal brainwashing had about as much scientific merit as the theory about fluoride in drinking water being a Communist plot to take over America.

But there are definite subliminal rewards to choosing the right name. Would 'The Rock,' a wrestler and movie star, be the tough-guy idol he is now if he'd gone by his real name, Dwayne? Where would the SUV market be now if the Ford Explorer had been called Grasshopper?

In the same way, Triton ' named for Neptune's son and rhyming with 'Titan' ' gives you a strong sense of confidence. Titan, according to Merriam-Webster's dictionary, is 'one who stands out in greatness or power; or one who excels in greatness or achievement.'

While that definition might be bulking it up a bit for Triton's 2286, which Boating World tests in Stuart, Florida, the center console does exude a sense of inherent strength for its compact size, even in the choppy waters on the St. Lucie River. The 2286 is one of four 22-foot center consoles that Triton builds, and is arguably the most versatile of the four. The 220TS and 22 Seaflight are designed for fishing in shallow waters, with lower gunwales and more foredeck space for casting, and the 2200 has 'Offshore' written on its center console, so it's meant to be a bluewater machine. But the 2286 is more of an all-round angling machine, with a deck layout aimed at the plug-caster, live-liner, troller or bait fisherman. When one species doesn't happen to be biting, it's time to try another.

Alas, the fish aren't biting any way you try them today, but you have a good chance to see how the 2286 handles in rough-ish water. The two-foot chop isn't exactly stay-at-home material, but denture wearers should've lathered on the Polygrip before leaving the dock or suffered the consequences. Being a 22-footer, you don't just slice through waves. There's some pounding and wave-jumping, but minimal rattling. The impression it delivers is that of substance.

The boat feels solid, even running at its top end of 44.6 mph in the slop. It has a sharp entry foreward, with a 20-degree deadrise at the transom. The 2286 is rated to carry twin outboards up to 250 hp, but the new 200-hp Evinrude E-TEC on the back seems like the right size for this boat. It gives it a decent top end and is a fuel miser at mid-range. At trolling speed, this engine isn't as quiet as some of the big 4-strokes, but that was by design. Manufacturer BRP believes that boaters should know that the boat's running, even at idle. At other points of the power curve, the big-block E-TEC is right on par with the 4-strokes, but significantly lighter, so it doesn't weigh down the transom. The boat is also available with Mercury, Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki or Johnson power.

The 2286 is set up for fishing, with a 25-gallon transom livewell, two 95-quart fishboxes, 17-inch-wide tackle box with five drawers, four rocket launchers on the helm seat, and another pair on the gunwales. The boat also has low-profile grabrails and six pull-up 'no-snag' cleats. There's also a 233-quart storage box up front in the bow that can serve as a casting platform. The transom step-through is 12 inches wide, and there's a 19-inch-by-19-inch opening on the transom that gives you access to the oil.

Though rated for eight passengers, it's definitely more of a fishing machine than family wagon. You could squeeze a kid onto the helm seat between the driver and another passenger, and there are decent grabrails on the optional T-top, but it's not a Sunday family boat, as many center consoles claim to be. It does have a few features for the kids, though, like a walk-in console where you can keep a portable head, and a cooler built into the console. Also, a Ritchie compass, lockable dash box, self-draining anchor locker and 12-volt accessory plug are nice standard features. A raw-water washdown and courtesy lights are standard.

Even if the fish don't happen to be biting, the 2286 is a pleasure to drive down the St. Lucie River. The boat, as mentioned, has a rock-solid feel, and that's due to the titan-like construction techniques Triton builds into all its boats. The manufacturer uses wood-free composite construction through the hull and transom, so that there's no rotting or potential delamination (wood can also soften over time, which causes fasteners to pull loose).

Triton employs a unibody construction, in which the stringer, hull and deck are all chemically bonded, forming a single structural unit. That translates into less flex and a firmer ride. The hand-laid glass hull is also joined to a composite stringer system with structural beams and multiple crossmembers that provide extra strength and rigidity. The stringers are built to unusually high tolerances, so there are no gaps between the hull and stringer. The stringers are cored with flotation foam. Storage boxes, fishboxes, livewells, inner liners and hull sides are foamed for greater flotation and sound-proofing.

The transom, which is often fiberglassed plywood on many boats, is also composite, and is full-width, running all the way from port to stern. The wide transom, made of the same materials as the stringers, absorbs stress better ' which translates into the structural strength of the hull. The hull, stringers and transom carry a lifetime warranty for the original owner, and a transferable warranty of up to 10 years for the second owner. That's a good sign the company believes in its products.

The 2286 comes with a long list of options for you to choose from, including a battery of Lowrance fishfinders and GPS, T-Top with radio box, outriggers, bow cushion to cover the raised deck, and footrests. In addition to that, there are 17 colors to choose from ' black to finesse blue to yellow.

The test 2286 is the Fighting Lady Yellow, which is an eye-soothing subtle color that delivers the subliminal message that this compact boat might look pretty, but the Triton label on the side means it's a giant among center consoles.