25 Most Popular Boat Types

This type of boat is well-suited for fishing, yachting, sailing and other water sports. Also, the presence of a closed deck over the boat’s bow allows a convenient storage space and too easy navigation.

The Centre Consoles are ideal for sports fishing and work in harsh offshore waterways where there is plenty of ocean fish.

Dinghy Boats

A dinghy is a small inflatable boat usually made of rubber and comprises of cross thwarts and rowlocks that act as seats and oars, respectively.

These boats offer the luxury of living on water and provide excellent recreational and holiday accommodation facilities.Houseboats incorporate broad flooring and modern amenities such as entertainment, fine dining, and proper sleeping arrangements.

The main advantage of trawlers is that the presence of a displacement hull allows them to smoothly manoeuvre through the water bodies without exhausting much horsepower or consuming excessive fuel.

These boats are apt for relaxed sailing and include a galley and a berth. All modern comforts like heaters, air conditioners, and power generators are enclosed in the arrangement.

These long, sleek craft boast incredible power, often running a pair of high-horsepower sterndrives, inboards, or multiple outboard engines to propel them swiftly through the water. The classic high-performance boat features a long, enclosed front, or “bow”, with a relatively small main seating area.

The motor yacht has a standard length of 12m and above, with one or two diesel engines as per navigation requirement in the bigger river systems or the oceans.

Characterized by craft more similar to a snowmobile, featuring a saddle and handlebars and capable of hauling one-to-three passengers.

The movement of these open boats is controlled by a steering wheel and forward controls, as located behind a windscreen. Cabin space is not required. Runabouts are usually declared entry-level vessels for casual sports and boating activities.

The structure of a jet boat is quite similar to that of a bow-rider, as it offers a lot of seating area along with a swimming platform. The advanced propulsion system is securely enwrapped in the hull, to protect it from any external damage. The jet boats are really fast, yet easy to manage.

Ski boats also usually position the engine in the centre of the boat. This combined with the shallow deadrise allow the boat to run at a level attitude. The result is strong acceleration and minimal wake size

The inboard ski boats require a powerful range of acceleration and the shape of the engine and propeller accentuates it. Contrarily, the inboard wake boards need a V drive engine system, deep hulls, and a huge wake to set in motion. The boat’s running attitude is further altered with extra weight, also called “ballast”, or specially crafted tabs or hydrofoils, pumping those wakes up as large as possible and shaping them to create the perfect launch ramp for wakeboarders.

In emergency situations, lifeboats come to the rescue! These are mainly attached to bigger vessels like cruises and their main function is to carry passengers to a secure area if the concerned vessel is met with an accident.

Used popularly for inland waters (lakes) and small water bodies, Pontoon boats length range from 15-30 ft with a shallow draft. It consists of multiple aluminum tubes supporting the broad platform providing excellent stability. They are used for recreational activities like cruising, fishing etc.

The names come from the open deck area it provides with plenty of seating arrangements for a group of people. It consists of a V shape hull with a wide beam to accommodate more passengers than a pontoon boat. Usually 25-35 ft in length, they are provided with a stern power drive, and popularly used for recreational activities like swimming, water sports etc.

The Jon boat is another entry level boat, and a perfect choice for a novice boater as some of these boats are provided with steering consols to get the feel of a mid-segment boat. They are used in shallow waters.

Is a boat propelled partly or entirely by sails.