Are you a leisurely cruiser or a long-distance adventurer? The answer to this question will better guide you on your way to finding the perfect cruising boat for you and your needs. Are you planning to meet up with friends at a local sandbar, or would you rather go for a few overnight visits to a new destination? Let’s go through the three types of sport cruisers and give you a more robust look at the various options each type offers. There are Day Cruising (or Social Cruising) boats, Destination Cruisers, or Long-Distance Cruisers.
Social Cruising – Day or Short Stay Cruisers
This style of boat is often referred to as cuddy cabins. A cuddy cabin is simply a boat that offers small area below deck that provides compact sleeping accommodations usually best for very short trips and only one or two people. Often boating friends meet up at a sandbar island, a dockside restaurant or simply raft-up in a scenic cove. Manufacturers have recognized this trend and have been making boat models that maximize this very social style of boating. These types of boats are generally 18 to 28 feet long with a beam (width) averaging around eight feet and usually provide no galley or head. On a cuddy cabin style boat you will find more of a basic toilet head that is right there in the sleeping quarters, they also do not usually come equipped with air conditioning, and if you do want to feel the brisk chill of the AC you’ll need something more powerful than your boat battery. Most people get a compact generator to run their AC units on deck.
.jpg)
Let’s recap some aspects of your average social cruising boat:
- 18-28’ long
- Average 8’ beam
- Basic head
- No galley on most
- Accommodates 1-2 adults comfortably
There are usually an array of options including upgraded entertainment centers, navigational systems, joystick maneuvering systems, and air conditioning. Currently trending are day cruiser models powered by outboard motors; this provides significant storage or machinery space below where the inboard engines would have been.
