Apart from purchasing the right boat for you, choosing the correct size (length) boat is important. Unfortunately, it’s common for people to see how large or small a boat is and become intimidated, so they choose the wrong length boat for them. Hopefully, this article can help you to avoid that problem.
On average, 15 ft for day cruising, 20 ft for overnight cruising, 10 ft for freshwater fishing, 25 ft for offshore purposes, 15 ft for water sports, and 25 ft for sailing are the “minimum” recommended boat lengths. So, the boat length you should buy mainly depends on your boating activity.
As a general rule, experts say that buy a boat that is 2 or 3 ft greater than your needs. Because you want boating to be fun, you will want to purchase a large enough boat to meet all your needs.
But, without knowing the boat’s usage, the boat’s length is a tough choice to make because, for example, if you go boating only offshore, you probably should look for boats above 25+ ft to have a safe ride in choppy waters.
Conversely, a 15 ft boat would be a big wrong move for offshore purposes. Even in inland waters, if you go boating in big lakes or even in big rivers, you should probably look at a 20+ ft. So, depending on how you will use your boat choose the boat length accordingly from the table below.
| Activity | Manageable Boat Length | Recommended Boat Length |
| Day Cruising | 15+ ft | 20 ft – 30 ft |
| Overnight Cruising | 20+ ft | 25+ ft |
| Freshwater Fishing | 10+ ft | 15 ft – 20+ ft |
| Offshore | 25+ ft | 30+ ft |
| Water Sports | 15+ ft | 17 ft – 30 ft |
| Sailing | 25+ ft | 30+ ft |
Those are the average boat sizes for those respective boating activities. However, you can still choose a bigger boat than those recommended sizes if you want your boat to be more spacious, accommodating occasional guests onboard as well.
Note – Number of people is another deciding factor while choosing the boat length, but there are some discrepancies on the factor. And most importantly, if you are new to boating, then either take a small boat or take a big boat after completing a boating course.
If you are new to boating, a 40-foot boat may not be the best option — even though you may want one. That’s not to say you can’t buy a large boat and learn quickly to captain it well, but for the most part, it would be wise to start small and trade up as your experience grows.
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So without Without further ado, let’s see the recommended sizes for different boating activities in a detailed way.
Related Post – What Is A Good Size Family Boat? Check this article to know the perfect boat size for a family of 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12 in a detailed way.
What Length Boat Should You Buy For Day Cruising?
On average, a boat around 20 ft in length is suitable for day cruising. But the range can vary from 15 ft to 30+ ft depending on the place you will go, inland, river, offshore, etc. So, for example, a 20 ft boat is suitable for inland purposes, but 25 – 30+ ft is suitable for offshore purposes.
Typically any boat type will be good for day cruising because day cruising is like aimlessly wandering in the waters on a boat, and it has nothing to do with fishing, water sports, etc. The place you will go make a huge difference regarding what “type” and “length” of boat you should pick.
Day cruising is about enjoying one day or part of a day on the water without necessarily having a destination or a specific goal/activity in mind. That said, fishing, wake surfing, sailing, gunkholing (like a Sunday drive exploring coves and beaches), and picnicking are perfect ways to cruise on a boat, and they are fairly specific adventures.
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Here are the best boat models for Day cruising.
- Pontoon Boats
- Cabin Cruiser Boats
- Center Consoles
- Cuddy Cabin
- Jet Boats
- Bowriders
- Walkarounds
- Deck Boats
- Ski Boats/Wake Boats
As mentioned in the table at the beginning of the post, decide “where” you will go day cruising (inland, offshore, etc.) and check the length accordingly and choose a boat type from the above list, and you will be set to go.
Related post – Where Are The Best Places To Buy Boats? Check this article to know all the best places to buy a used boat, both online and offline.
What Length Boat Should You Buy For Overnight Cruising?
On average, a boat around 25+ ft in length is suitable for overnight cruising. But the range can vary from 20 ft – 30+ ft depending on the place you will go, inland, river, offshore, etc. So, for example, a 25 ft boat is suitable for inland purposes, but 30+ ft is suitable for offshore purposes.
The difference between overnight cruising from day cruising is not just the day and night. There is a lot more. For day cruising, mostly all boats are good; it depends on the location, but you definitely need a big boat for overnight cruising, and a cabin is a must for sleeping peacefully.
That’s when the cabin cruiser and cuddy cabin boats come in. Cabin cruiser boats are just like mobile mini homes that you can use to take the entire family on-water adventures. And cuddy cabins are a miniature version of cabin cruisers with small cabins inside.
Here are the best boat models for Overnight cruising.
- Cabin Cruiser Boats
- Cuddy Cabin
- Motor Yachts
- Trawlers
- Sailboats
- Power Catamarans
- Multi-hull Power Boats
As mentioned in the table at the beginning of the post, decide “where” you will go overnight cruising (inland, offshore, etc.) and check the length accordingly and choose a boat type from the above list, and you will be set to go.
What Length Boat Should You Buy For Freshwater Fishing?
On average, a boat around 15 ft in length is suitable for freshwater fishing. But the range can vary from 10 ft – 20+ ft depending on the place you will go, lake, pond, river, etc. So, for example, a 10 ft boat is suitable for small lakes, but 15 ft – 20+ ft is suitable for big lakes/rivers.
Freshwater fishing refers to a “fishing practice done in a freshwater location or any body of water that has less than a 0.05% salinity level such as lakes, rivers, and ponds,” according to Freshwater Fishing Advice. Since freshwater fishing is done in inland waters, so small boats do well.
Even a 10 ft boat is acceptable if you fish in small lakes or ponds, where water won’t turn choppy. The boat length should slightly increase if you go boating on big lakes or rivers. If you go fishing in big rivers, probably the ideal size is 15 – 20+ ft.
You can’t use all boats for fishing because it requires more space on the boat to store fishes in livewells and to store fishing-related equipment like a tackle box, gear, etc. Here are the best boat models for Freshwater Fishing.
- Bass Boats
- Pontoon Boats
- Center Consoles
- All-purpose Fishing Boats
- Walkarounds
- Bay Boats
- Aluminum Fishing Boats
- Fiberglass Fishing Boats
- Deck Boats
- Ski and Fish Boats
- Skiffs and Jon Boats
As mentioned in the table at the beginning of the post, decide “where” you will go fishing (lake, river, etc.) and check the length accordingly and choose a boat type from the above list, and you will be set to go.
Related post – Are Boats Money Pits? Check this article to know more about the overall costs of boat ownership, like costs of storage, maintenance, fuel costs, insurances, etc., per year.
What Length Boat Should You Buy For Offshore Purposes?
On average, a boat around 30 ft in length is suitable for offshore rides. But the range can vary from 25 ft – 30+ ft depending on the place you will go, coastal area, miles offshore, etc. So, for example, a 25 ft boat is suitable for coastal rides, but 25-30+ ft is suitable for miles offshore.
Offshore rides imply big boats because oceans will be choppy, and the weather can change quickly within minutes. The weather might be good at the beginning of the trip, but it can change while boating. Having a big boat makes the overall ride a bit easy in rough waters.
If you go boating in coastal water (close to the shore), you will most likely be fine with a 25 ft boat. Even a 20 ft boat will do well if the weather and everything is good. However, a 30 ft boat may sound big, but it is a perfect length boat for offshore purposes.
Here are the best boat models for Offshore Purposes.
- Center Console Boats
- Walkarounds
- Bay Boats
- Dual Console Boats
- Convertible Boats
- SportFishing Yachts
- Motor Yachts
- Multi-hull Power Boats
Center Console boats are very good for offshore purposes. Center consoles with deeper V-hulls usually offer a better ride and more range for running out through the inlet and into the open ocean.
As mentioned in the table at the beginning of the post, decide “where” you will go (coastal waters, miles offshore, etc.) and check the length accordingly and choose a boat type from the above list, and you will be set to go.
What Length Boat Should You Buy For Water Sports?
On average, a boat around 20 ft in length is suitable for water sport activities. But the range can vary from 15 – 25 ft depending on the place you will go, inland, offshore, etc. So, for example, an 18 ft boat is suitable for inland trips, but 20 – 25+ ft is suitable for offshore rides.
There are 5 sports related to water sports. Wakesurfing, Wakeboarding, Waterskiing, Kneeboarding, and Tubing, all include someone being towed by a boat. If you’re looking to get wet and go fast, you’ll find there’s no shortage of fun to be had with a boat.
The wide world of watersports offers you and your family the ultimate in thrills and high-energy adventure! However, it requires a bit bigger boats and engines to tow someone at the back of the boat. So, a 20 ft would be a perfect choice for water sports.
Here are the best boat models for Water Sports.
- Ski Boats
- Wake Boats
- Deck Boats
- Bowrider Boats
- Pontoon Boats
- PWC
As mentioned in the table at the beginning of the post, decide “where” you will go for water sports (inland, offshore, etc.) and check the length accordingly and choose a boat type from the above list, and you will be set to go.
What Length Boat Should You Buy For Sailing?
On average, a boat around 30 ft in length is suitable for sailing. But the range can vary from 25 – 30 ft depending on the place you will go sailing. So, for example, an 25 ft boat is suitable for inland sailing, but 30+ ft is suitable for offshore sailing.
Sailing is a green activity, is wind-powered, and is fulfilling for anyone at any age. If sailing is your thing, you should probably be looking at at least a 25+ ft sailboat unless if you do solo sailing. You can also get a small sailboat under 15 ft.
If you sail across oceans, the recommended boat length you should pick is no less than 30 ft. Otherwise, you will be good to go with a 25 ft sailboat unless many people are on board.
As mentioned in the table at the beginning of the post, decide “where” you will go sailing and check the length accordingly, and you will be set to go.
Related Post – The Average Cost Of Maintaining A Boat Per Year. Check this article to know all the maintenances you need to do on a boat and the overall costs of those maintenances per year.
The Key Takeaways From The Post
Boat size mostly depends on two factors: 1) how many people you want to fit on your boat comfortably and 2) how you will use your boat. There are some discrepancies on the first factor. Here are some examples of the typical sizes of a boat based on the activity:
- Offshore Fishing: 25 – 30 ft and up
- Inshore fishing: 10 – 20 ft and up
- Cruising: 15 – 30 ft and up
- Watersports: 15 – 25 ft
- Sailing: 25 – 30 ft and up
A dealer or factory rep should be able to help you determine the right size boat for your needs and budget. However, keep in mind that to a degree, you can assume that as the length of the boat increases, the price will also increase slightly.
As a general rule, experts say that buy a boat that is 2 or 3 feet greater than your needs. Because you want boating to be fun, you will want to purchase a large enough boat to meet all your needs, accommodating occasional guests onboard as well.