How You'll Use It
Bowriders are the perfect choice for families, and the reason comes down to arithmetic. Everyone gets a seat, everyone gets a view, and everyone gets something to do.
Why bowriders are the best family boat: seating for seven or more, safe layouts, storage for everyone's gear and the flexibility to keep the whole family interested.
These are the bowriders our reviewers reach for when family is the priority. Every one keeps the three-zone lounge layout intact.
The world's best-selling bowrider size, in its most accessible form: light, simple and easy to tow.
US$38,000 - US$52,000 new
The refined mainstream benchmark: quiet, dry, and beautifully finished for the money.
US$72,000 - US$95,000 new
The previous-generation classic. Millions of families learned to boat in one of these.
US$8,000 - US$22,000 used
The quality yardstick of the class. Everything is heavier, quieter and better made.
US$155,000 - US$210,000 new
Australia's default family alloy bowrider: light to tow, tough on ramps, genuinely fishable.
AU$55,000 - AU$75,000 new (rig)
Premium feel at mainstream money, with a hull that holds plane at ski-tow speeds.
US$68,000 - US$88,000 new
A 20-22 ft (6.10-6.71 m) bowrider carries eight to ten people comfortably. Two in the bow lounges, two at the helm, and four to six across the cockpit and transom. Nobody sits on the floor.
Deep lockers under every seat swallow towels, jackets, snacks and toys, so the cockpit stays clear and safe underfoot.
High bow coamings, grab rails on both sides of the walkthrough and non-slip decks are standard on modern boats. Look for a boarding ladder that deploys from the water, and consider a jet-drive model like the Yamaha SX210 if young swimmers are the priority.
A tow pylon or tow eye rated for the boat, plus enough lifejacket storage for the full capacity, should be on the checklist before you buy.
The reason families keep bowriders longer than other boats is that the boat adapts. Teenagers want to be towed, grandparents want shade and a seat, one parent wants to fish at dawn. One hull does all of it.
Add a bimini for shade, a chiller box for food and drinks, and a decent stereo, and you have a boat that gets used every weekend rather than once a month.
