What are the types of recreational boats and how do they compare?
Whether it’s for offshore fishing or making the perfect wake while towing a water skier, today recreational boats are built to meet a boater’s passion and needs while also having added features that will appeal to family and friends. Check out our list below!
Center Console Boats
Center consoles are versatile boats and are equally fun for fishing or spending time on the water with family and friends. Designed with helm consoles in the middle, joined by side decks that provide 360° fishing capabilities, these boats have seating that ranges from leaning posts to adjustable seats with armrests and bolsters. Boat sizes can measure from 15 to 65 feet and vary in price. Center console boats are generally designed with characteristics to create a smoother and dryer ride when traveling offshore. These boats are made to run at 30-knots or more and can offer comfort and many features, making them more enjoyable when simply cruising around.
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Dual Console Boats
Now regaining popularity, dual console boats have a helm console, usually on the starboard side, and a companion console on the other side. This type of boat is family-friendly, comfortable, and can come with a wide range of fishing features. Most have the same hull design as their center console counterpart to help promote a smooth, dry ride. Many dual console boat manufacturers include cushioned seating, stereo systems, USB ports, cup holders, and more. Larger dual console boats can have cabin space under each console, complete with a berth, galley, entertainment centers, air conditioning, and dinette.
More About Center Console BoatsCenter Console vs. Dual Console
If the goal is to fish offshore, a deep-V hull is essential to cut through the chop on the way to the bite. Center consoles have been the choice of serious offshore fishing enthusiasts due to their ability to fight pelagic predators from basically everywhere on the boat. Most center console boats feature a head within the console, and some larger models may even have a cabin like EdgeWater’s 370CC models. In contrast, dual console offshore fishing boats are becoming increasingly popular. The seating and windshield keep the operator and those seated more comfortable and drier. Dual console boats tend to have more features to accommodate your dogs. When available, heads are usually offered below the companion side console. Models such as EdgeWater’s 280CX have a cabin with a berth under one console and a head under the other. EdgeWater has their Center Console models ranging from 23 feet to 42 feet and their Vantage dual console line of boats from 23 feet to 37 feet. While other brands like Boston Whaler, Grady-White, Pursuit, Everglades, Blackfin, Robalo and Scout offer both center console models as well as dual console models, ONLY EdgeWater pioneered the game-changing boatbuilding process using Single-Piece Infusion (SPI) and its boats are unsinkable by design.
Deck Boats and Bowriders
Deck boats, also known as Bowriders can be some of the best for day cruising and having fun with family and friends on the water. These boats are designed with a sport boat layout that widens the bow seating area offering lots of space and comfort for passengers to enjoy an adventure out on the water.
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Pontoon Boats
There are different types of pontoon boats, and boaters recognize that these boats are stable platforms that can offer multiple-use packages. These packages can feature fishing amenities such as rod-holders, special seating, fish-finders, and live bait wells. Pontoon boats can also double as a stable platform for many different adventures with amenities such as lighting upgrades, entertainment systems, summer kitchens, wet bars, upper decks, and even water slides. A pontoon boat can be an ideal all-around boat that the whole family can enjoy.
More About Pontoon BoatsDeck Boats vs. Pontoons
Deck boats, Bowriders and Pontoon boats have evolved tremendously in the last few decades. What a deck boat is varies by manufacturer. Traditional deck boats like the Cobalt R4 still offer a flat platform with gates and upholstered furniture like a traditional pontoon boat. In a deck boat, the hull is made from molded fiberglass and typically has sponsors on each side for stability. Pontoon boats have also evolved with companies like Crest Pontoons, incorporating a myriad of comfort features, including fiberglass superstructures on their pontoon and tri-toon models. Deck boats tend to provide a sportier and more traditional ride, whereas a pontoon boat can accommodate more passengers and offer a stable platform to play on the water. Bowriders and Pontoon boats now offer powerful Outboard Engines from brands like Yamaha , Suzuki, Mercury and Honda.
Ski and Surf Boats
Ski boats, also known as surf or wake boats, are some of the most specialized crafts on the market. These inboard shaft-driven vessels have many systems which allow them to produce different sized and shaped wakes. The increasing popularity of wake-surfing has driven manufacturers to develop wave-shaping capabilities that create variable waves. Today’s wake boats, like Cobalt Surf models have electronic control systems that can be preset for specific speeds and wave shapes for all types of tow sports, and some even offer controls for the surfer to carry that allow them to control the wave size and shape.
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Lake Boats
If you are looking for a lake boat to make memories and enjoy adventures on the water, there are plenty of choices from Manitou Pontoons and Crest Pontoons. A boat for a lake can range from all-purpose freshwater fishing vessels to small center consoles and pontoons and more. To determine which model is best for you and your crew, consider where and how you plan to use your boat, including the type of features you desire and the size of the lake you would like to boat on. If you still can’t decide, a Causeway Marine consultant will gladly assist!
Inshore Boats
Inshore boats are operated on bodies of water close to the shore and are designed to manage the protected waters of bays and backwaters. These boats fall into three categories: bay boats, runabouts, and pontoon boats.
Inshore Boats vs. Lake Boats
There can be a lot of cross-over in these two types of watercraft. For example, pontoon boats do well in waters close to shore and make great lake boats on Lake Hopatcong in New Jersey or Lake Wallenpaupack in Pennsylvania. Perhaps you want to fish in an inshore waterway along the Jersey Shore such as Raritan Bay, Sandy Hook, Barnegat Bay or Great Bay; however, you still enjoy fishing in lakes, then a center console may be best. The primary distinction between these two vessels is less about the boats themselves and more about the location where they are being used. So, in the debate about which is best for you, it’s less about the boats themselves and more about what you plan to do on the water. If you still have questions, your local Causeway Marine store will help you to find the right boat for your on-the-water pursuits.
Saltwater Fishing Boats
Coastal fishing for saltwater species has been around since the beginning of time. Saltwater fishing boats open opportunities to explore more fishing spots, essentially endless places you and your boat can pursue looking for the day’s catch. Saltwater fishing boats offer various options, so the one you choose should depend on a few variables: what type of fish you intend to pursue, where you will primarily be fishing, and what else you’d like to do with your boat.
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Freshwater Fishing Boats
There are as many different freshwater fishing boats as there are reasons to go fishing. Before purchasing a freshwater fishing boat, take stock of where and how you plan to do most of your fishing and your needs including considering; whether will you be navigating rivers or traveling on large bodies of water with family and friends. Do you plan on only fishing on your boat, or will you be using it for other water recreation? Once you have thoroughly considered what you want from a freshwater fishing boat always test out the boat before deciding to buy.
Explore Saltwater Fishing BoatsSaltwater Fishing Boats vs. Freshwater Fishing Boats
A saltwater fishing boat can perform well in freshwater applications; however, the same cannot be said of a freshwater fishing boat in saltwater conditions. Saltwater is one of the harshest environments on Earth, and you will see major corrosion issues on your vessel if you try to take your freshwater boat into saltwater. Most saltwater fishing boats can handle much greater chop and waves than their freshwater counterparts (sans the Great Lakes), which is another reason a saltwater vessel will typically perform well in freshwater environments, but not the other way around. Feature-wise, you will find mostly the same in both vessel types: rod holders, live wells, and similar electronics.
Want to learn more about boats? Causeway Marine is your go-to resource for all things boating. Start your own Causeway Marine Experience today aboard a new boat. See our entire inventory, contact your local Causeway Marine store, or fill out the form below for more details. Additionally, for seamless Boat Service, sign up to download the Causeway Marine Boatyard App and effortlessly manage all your boating needs.
