Brands & Models
Today's bowriders are wider, quieter and far better equipped than the boats of a decade ago. Four trends define the current generation.
What is new in the current generation of bowrider boats: outboard power, wide beams, digital helms and convertible seating.
The bowriders that come up most often when readers ask us where to start.
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
Almost every new bowrider under 26 ft (7.92 m) is now available with outboard power, and on many models it is the only option. Four-stroke refinement made it possible; simpler maintenance made it popular.
Beam is carried further forward and further aft than it used to be, which turns a 21 ft (6.40 m) boat into a ten-seater. Extended swim platforms have grown into full-width social spaces.
Glass displays, digital engine control, joystick docking on premium boats and integrated audio and lighting control are all mainstream now. On the used market, an older boat with a modern chartplotter retrofit gets most of the benefit for a fraction of the price.
Sliding backrests, reversible transom lounges, filler cushions and modular tables mean a single cockpit rearranges into four or five different layouts. It is the biggest practical improvement of the last decade.
