What Boat Type Is Best? Depends How Many Passengers You Have
Many people tend to think “bigger is always better.” But when you’re buying a boat, simply spending as much as you can for the maximum possible boat can lead to headaches. And buyer’s remorse. One factor in your buying decision should be boat passenger capacity. How many people do you plan to take out on the boat regularly?
Make a List
To select the appropriate boat for the number and type of passengers you anticipate, you need some parameters:
- What are the primary uses for your boat (e.g., fishing, watersports, entertaining)?
- Do you plan to use the boat primarily on freshwater lakes and rivers or in saltwater?
- Will you ever want to take your boat on overnight trips or longer journeys? Or just day cruises?
- How often will you take other people out with you?
Passenger Count Considerations and Boat Types
We’ll get to some specific boat types in a moment, but first, a note on passenger safety and capacity.
As the boat owner and captain, your number one priority must be passenger safety. Boat safety is closely wedded to the type of boat, where you’re taking it and when, and, crucially, the passenger count.
Designated maximum passenger capacity is not arbitrary, nor is it something you want to fudge. Your boat’s buoyancy and ability to handle adverse conditions depend on it. So take the manufacturer’s number—as well as total passenger weight—seriously.
What follows are several popular boat types and their typical passenger counts. We offer ranges here, not specific counts per boat, so do your research and know what you’re getting.
Smaller Crowds
Are you an angler who likes a little solitude? Do you have family and friends but would prefer to keep your on-the-water time limited to those closest to you? Take a peek at a couple of boat types that accommodate 10 or fewer passengers.
Bass Boats
- Maximum passengers: 5 (though most cap it at 3)
- Length: 16-22 feet
- Uses: Inshore fishing
- Waters: Inland lakes, rivers
If you’re all about catching big mouth bass and chilling with a friend or two, a bass boat might be the boat for you. They’re ideal for bass fishing—yes, you can catch other fish species—and feature trolling motors, fish finders, and built-in storage for equipment. One con is they can cost more than most other boats of similar size.
Bowriders
- Maximum passengers: 10
- Length: 16-26 feet
- Used for: watersports, fishing, day cruising
- Good for: shallow bays, lakes, ocean
Bowriders are one of the most versatile boat types and come in all sizes. Their V-shaped hull allows them to cut through the water, but you might want to avoid serious chop if you have a smaller one. They usually have the power to facilitate towed watersports, enough space for casual fishing, and room to enjoy a cocktail and some sun.
They don’t typically have space for a cuddy cabin or a galley. They’re not suited for overnighting. Some builders have stretched their bowriders to 30 feet and beyond, at which point they easily accommodate more than a dozen passengers.
Mid-sized Crowds
Is your boat a hub of summertime activity for your children and their friends and your friends? Are you happy to welcome lots of folks aboard? Maybe you’re in the market for one of the following boat types, which can easily accommodate up to about 16 people.
Deck Boats
- Maximum passengers: 14-16 (though some are yacht certified)
- Length: 16-28 feet
- Uses: Day cruising, fishing, watersports
- Waters: Lakes, protected saltwater
Deck boats are related to bowriders, offering many of the same amenities, only at a larger scale. More pontoon-like. They feature a hull design that’s flared at the top in order to provide more deck space. A few deck boats are large enough to feature kitchenettes and heads. What’s more, they can be outfitted with a dedicated fishing setup—pedestal seating and livewells—or, alternatively, a watersports setup with a tow tower.
Wake Boats
- Maximum passengers: 10-16
- Length: 16-28 feet
- Uses: Watersports, day cruising
- Waters: Lakes, protected saltwater
Do you, your children, or your friends love to do rad tricks and catch sick air? Then a dedicated wake boat might be right for you. These vessels can be optimized for wakeboarding and wakesurfing. But you can also use them to facilitate easier watersports such as kneeboarding or towing inflatable tubes. Watersports boats are designed to be smaller and faster, so you won’t likely find any that have overnight capacities, but can make decent day cruisers.
Large Crowds
Is your boat going to be a hub of activity all summer? Will every weekend be spent with everyone you know and love? Is a larger crowd going to be the rule? Good for you. We have a couple of boat types that are suitable for when a group of people becomes a crowd of people—when boat passenger capacity is a factor.
Pontoons
- Max passengers: 22
- Length: 16-30 feet
- Uses: Day cruising, fishing, watersports
- Waters: Rivers, lakes
Pontoons have a reputation for being the ultimate party boat. Given their broad, open decks, their stability on the water, and their passenger capacity, they are quite good at hosting a shindig. Seating abounds on sofas and settees that typically ring the perimeter of the boat. However, pontoons are also surprisingly versatile. Manufacturers have found ways to adapt the double- and triple-tubed boats to watersports, fishing, and more.
Cabin Cruisers
- Max passengers: Usually yacht certified
- Length: 26-60 feet
- Uses: Cruising, overnight trips, fishing
- Waters: Larger lakes, ocean
Cabin cruisers are a definite step up in size, both in length and beam. Smaller ones usually include a stateroom for the owners, maybe one for guests, and a head. Larger ones gain further staterooms and heads and can accommodate up to a dozen overnight guests, though you should consider how many people you want sharing limited head space. They also come with functional galleys. Their size and seaworthiness allow them to handle ocean excursions and even overnight trips. Plus, they have plenty of space for socializing. Cons might include their price, especially for the larger models, but they offer a lot of amenities and potential for adventure.
Prospective boat owners have a bevy of choices when it comes to a new or used vessel, not just the six presented here. To hone in on the perfect boat for you, know what your goals are. And how social you want your vessel to be. How many passengers do you anticipate hosting? How many passengers are you comfortable having aboard? That will help determine your boat passenger capacity, and the type of boat you need.
Kurt Brighton
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