Finding the “One.” by DiscoverBoating.com
Discovering the perfect boat is right up there with finding your best friend.
It’s a relationship that always comes up aces when you’re together. Want to feel like a kid in a candy store? Check out our extensive list of watercraft, from PWCs to multilevel motor yachts and every vessel in between. There’s a boat to satisfy every taste and desire for your lakefront home.
Bowriders
The perfect boat if you love to live it up with friends. The open bow area makes bowriders very popular because it allows people to catch a breeze while enjoying sun and spray up front. Bowriders typically range between 16 and 28 feet in length and can carry a lot of friends. Bowriders are perfect for lakes and inland water, with ample power for most watersport activities.
Deck Boats
Kick back and hold on. Deck boats offer huge seating areas and can often carry as many passengers as pontoon boats. Deck boats are fast and maneuverable, thanks to a V-bottom hull that skims over the water. They are powerful, too, making them excellent boats for skiing, tubing and wakeboarding, or simply ideal for stirring a breeze on a long cruise.
Bass Boats
Equipped with an outboard motor on the stern (back) and a trolling motor on the stern bow (front), bass boats sit low on the water, sport a sleek profile and are dreaded by fish the world over. Built to accommodate two or three anglers on swivel chairs, bass boats range between 16 and 18 feet (longer for tournament-style boats), are usually constructed of aluminum or fiberglass, and contain recirculating water livewells to store live catch.
Inboard Wake/Ski
Welcome to the perfect “showboats.” Inboard wake and ski boats are specifically designed for towing skiers and boarders. However, there’s an important difference between the two. An inboard ski boat’s hull shape, configuration and placement of the engine, propeller and drive shaft cause these boats to throw a very slight wake, making it easy for the skier to cross. Inboard wake boats’ V-drive engines and deep, wide hulls cause them to carve a steep, large wake that riders love to launch off of. The similarity? Both provide spacious room, ample power and hours upon hours of enjoyment.
Performance Boats
Time to haul hull. Performance boats are the cheetahs of the water, offering breakneck speeds and on-the-dime handling to boaters who prefer their thrills full throttle. Big-time muscle coupled with gorgeous lines allow these boats to be comfortable almost anywhere. Cranking offshore or simply relaxing in a cove, performance boats deliver lots of smiles per hour.
Jet Boat
Just saying “jet boat” sounds cool. Most jet boats have spacious seating in front and back with a swim platform in the rear. However, it’s the mode of propulsion that differentiates these boats and gives them their name. Jet boats use water-jet drives to propel the vessel rather than the traditional propeller system used on most other vessels. The drives are almost completely enclosed inside the hull, reducing the risk of damage from impact with obstacles or the bottom. They are fast, maneuverable and offer an exciting ride and a fun tubing platform.
Pontoons
Pontoons are the “Kings of Comfort.” With living-room-like couches, lounges, swivel seats, and spacious, flat platforms, they beg you to take it easy and enjoy. Pontoons are also the platypus of the boat world. They’re a little different from everything else around, but still really cool. Pontoons don’t have a traditional hull; their deck rests upon two or three floats rather than the water’s surface, a unique design that makes them incredibly stable. They are usually outfitted with smaller engines, but can be equipped with higher-horsepower engines for skiing and tubing. Pontoons offer everything from relaxation to power in one simple, yet oddly shaped, package.
PWCs
Lightweight and maneuverable, personal watercraft are the perfect option for boaters looking for an exciting escape and enjoyable time on the water. PWCs offer state-of-the-art features that allow you to safely and comfortably explore the waterways. Whether you’re riding solo or taking your family on an adventure, PWC owners can enjoy a variety of activities, ranging from touring rides to watersports activities such as tubing, waterskiing, and fishing. PWCs are easy to store, maintain and transport, and are quite affordable.
Those are just a few of the many types of boats that might be the perfect fit for you. Want to see more options before you set out on the world of water? We can help. Visit Discover Boating’s Boat Selector, an interactive boat tool that allows you to compare boat types by activity, size and propulsion.
View full original article with video’s at DiscoverBoating.com
By Scott Freerksen “The Lake Guy”