If you are looking to buy a boat, you have probably already been swamped with all the names of so many different types and styles of boats. Deck boats, skiffs, pontoons – there are so many out there!
But which one is the right one for you?
Here, we will be looking at deck boats – what they are, what they are used for, how you can spot one in a harbor. This way, you can work out if a deck boat is the right kind of boat for you and save you a lot of time and effort researching deck boats.
We can let you know if a deck boat is the right kind of boat for enjoying water sports or if they are better suited for a quiet little cruise with someone special.
If you want to learn more about deck boats, then dive right in with us!
What Is A Deck Boat?
With deck boats, the clue is in the name – deck boat.
A deck boat is a type of vessel that is designed to have a lot of deck space. They are really big when compared to some other types of boats and have a lot of room to move about. This means you can take quite a few people on board with you when you set out onto the water, and they are really versatile.
All that space memes you can use a deck boat for pretty much any purpose!
They are also fast and smooth, with their size not being an issue when it comes to speed and control. Some deck boats can reach up to speeds of 70 mph (miles per hour). In the USA, some of the largest deck boat manufacturers include MasterCraft and Chaparral Boats.
A deck boat can cost between $20,000 and $50,000 on average, so they’re not exactly cheap but you can probably find one for a lower cost second-hand.
They also typically weigh between 2,500 and 3,500 pounds and some can carry up to 12 passengers – however, this all depends on the design and manufacturer.
So what do they look like?
Well, deck boats closely resemble a bowrider boat but stretched out for more deck space. They are typically around 24 feet long, with rectangular decks (some with built in seating for passengers) and a V-shaped hull.
This V shaped hull is what helps a deck boat travel so fast They typically look very sleek and sporty, however this again is down to the manufacturer. They are motor powered, so they don’t have any sails or rigging.
Due to their popularity as party boats, you can probably find a good number of these types of boats docked in your closest harbor.
What Are Deck Boats Used For
Due to their fair size and capacity of up to 12 passengers, deck boats are a popular type of boat to be picked up by families and individuals to use for a bunch of purposes. Deck boats are very versatile, due to their speed and size, but most manufacturers design their deck boats with fishing in mind.
A deck boat makes for a handy boat to take out fishing as the deck space means that you have plenty of space to store your gear. You can take everything you need with you – poles, bait, nets – and still have plenty of room to keep all your catches.
Although deck boats are not designed for deep sea saltwater fishing, you can still take deck boats to smaller bodies of water to fish. However, if you want to go far and fish for long periods of time, you are probably better off looking elsewhere for a proper fishing vessel.
Another reason why deck boats are so popular is because a lot of families use them for entertainment. With all that space, you can fit the whole family on board and head on out to the water.
Some people even have parties on a deck boat because you can have so many people on board with all that space and still have enough room to bring food and refreshments.
Also, you can customize them too with any features and decorations you want to add, so they also make neat little projects for you to work on and maintain.
But the main reason why a lot of people like these boats is because they are great for recreational water sports. Deck boats have the capability to move fast for such a small vessel and you can go skimming over calm water super fast!
They are great to cruise in, and you can even water ski or wakeboard from the back so deck boats make for great fun when it comes to sports.
All in all, deck boats can be used for pretty much anything. If you are looking for a boat to fish in or to take the family water skiing in or even a mixture of all kinds of activities, it is seriously worth considering purchasing a deck boat.
Should I Just Get A Pontoon Instead?
Deck boats and pontoons are often compared to one another because they both are similar sizes and have a lot of deck space. Pontons also have a lot of seating to carry a lot of passengers, and are also capable of offering fast rides.
So it is no surprise that when you are looking for a deck boat, someone may suggest getting a pontoon instead.
But what makes a deck boat different from a pontoon?
Well, pontoon boats can be bought for as little as $15 000 but prices for boats vary so much that you could possibly get a deck boat for even cheaper than that!
The main difference between a pontoon and a deck boat is that a deck boat is built on a fiberglass hull while a pontoon is built on – well, pontoons. A deck boat has a more traditional hull that offers a smoother ride in rougher waters as you can softly reenter the water after hitting a wave.
A deck boat can cut through the water smoothly with little spray, while a pontoon boat’s performance is a little more choppy due to the multiple pontoons it has serving as a hull.
If a smooth and responsive performance is something you are looking for in a boat, then you should choose a deck boat over a pontoon.
Should I Just Get A Speedboat Instead?
If it is speed and speed, and even more speed you are looking for – then it makes sense to get a speedboat. Those things are literally built to cut through water faster than anything else.
To get speedboats to travel so fast, they are usually built to be narrower to reduce drag. This means that by getting a speedboat, you will be sacrificing all of that deck space.
You won’t be able to bring more people along on a single journey, you will probably have to leave some finishing gear behind, and that picnic you planned with your significant other is going to be a bit of a squeeze.
This means it is way less likely you are going to be able to fit the whole family onto a speed boat than on a deck boat. So who do you bring – maybe just half the family? Or how about just you, your favorite cousin and a sibling? Or just one or two of your friends?
How exactly are you going to choose between all those people? Well, with a deck boat, you don’t have to choose because you have plenty of room.
Speedboats offer a lot when it comes to speed and handling, but very little when it comes to versatility and comfort. You can go fast in a speedboat, but that’s about it. In a deck boat, you can go fast but just not as fast and you can bring everyone along and you can fit everything you will need in there too.
Overall, buying a deck boat over a speedboat means that there is a lot more you can do with your family other than just speed around the harbor for a while.
Conclusion
So should you buy a deck boat?
Deck boats are great boats if you want a vessel that can do a bit of everything. They have a lot of room onboard for you to fit a lot of passengers and gear so you can do any kind of activity out at sea.
While there are other vessels out there that are better suited for speed and fishing, that doesn’t mean that deck boats are inferior or should be counted out.
They are still really enjoyable boats that can reach high speeds and offer a smooth ride thanks to their fiberglass V shaped hull. A lot of people use deck boats for family trips to party boats and it is easy to see why – these boats are hard to beat when it comes to entertainment.
