What Kind of Boat is For You?

There are so many styles of boats to choose from. If you’re reading this article, we’ll assume you’re about to become a first-time boat owner, or you are at least at the beginning stages of exploring boat ownership. We think the best way to approach this is by answering three questions. When you’re done answering them, we know you’ll be that much closer to a boat of your own.

Where are you taking the boat?

Are you in the Southeast where you envision cruising the ocean and the brackish water of the Intracoastal? Are you really just going to be laking it? Do you want to keep your options open? Based on the bodies of water and your overall climate you’ll be frequenting, you can decide what kind of hull is best—for example, while fiberglass is the most popular, a wood hull boat won’t sustain as much wear and tear in cooler water as it does in warmer climates, but it does require more maintenance overall. Next, how powerful of a motor do you need—will you be towing inflatables and waterskiers or wakeboarders behind? Are there speed or horsepower limits in the lake where you’ll be docking your boat? Also, where you’re taking it may influence the size—a smaller powerboat might be fun and fine on a lake but get tossed around if you take it into choppier ocean waters.  

What are you doing on the boat?

Are you just wanting to take the friends or family around, maybe pull an inflatable, [anchor up] for the afternoon? Do you want to take the kids fishing? Will your son take the boat to take his friends wakeboarding after you teach him how to drive it? You’ll be happy to know that most powerboats can do all of these things, despite the activities they are ideally designed for. Mainly, though, we can categorize them in three groups: cruisers, fishing boats or watersports boats.  

When relaxing, entertaining and sunset cruises are the goals.

Designed for those who want to entertain and enjoy downtime while out on the water, these boats range from those outfitted for day cruising to boats featuring cabins and other amenities for overnight trips. Browse BoatsForSale by our “cruiser” filter, or more specifically check out these popular cruisers: Sailboats, Trawlers, Cuddy Cabins, Pontoon Boats and Bowriders.

For boaters whose main focus is trolling for the fresh catch of the day.

Ranging from fairly simple, affordable aluminum boats with and outboard motor you can hand-steer with a tiller, to larger, boats featuring cabins and creature comforts for longer trips, these boats all feature open deck space at the bow (front of the boat) to leave ample room for fishing. Browse some fishing boats available right now to see the range available to anglers seeking their first boat of their own. Use our high-level “Fishing” filter, or search for these specific types of fishing boats for sale right now: Bass Boats, Center Consoles, Inshore Fishing Boats and Offshore Fishing Boats

Higher speeds, louder music, and all eyes on what’s behind the boat.

Specifically designed to accommodate water skiers and wake boarders, these boats have towing capabilities and offer a faster, more thrilling ride. The design, amenities and outboard motors outfitted on these boats are all geared towards offering a faster, ride full of thrills and fun, with towing and entertainment at the forefront. Check out some watersports boats for sale right now using these filters: Ski & Wakeboard, Personal Watercraft (PWC) and Jetboat. 

Who will be aboard with you?

Now that you’ve narrowed down the boat type, what size do you want? Larger boats mean more guests can enjoy the ride, but they generally use more fuel, more upkeep and are more expensive. Think about the average crew you’ll take aboard, and plan to have slightly more capacity than that, so everyone’s not packed in. Set filters in our search tool by length and price to hone in the perfect sized boat of your dreams, then connect with our seller to make the deal. Once you’re ready to finance and provide coverage for that boat with an extended marine contract, we’ll be right here to assist with the transactions to get you in the water.