Whether your goal is to comfortably cruise the scenic coves of your favorite lake, battle a lunker bass just off the shoreline, pull enthusiastic skiers and wakeboarders, host friends and family for an afternoon barbecue, or simply anchor and soak in some rays, there’s likely a specialized boat out there that’s perfect for your needs.
With so many types of boats suited for freshwater locales, it can feel overwhelming deciding what to purchase or rent. To simplify your decision, here is an in-depth guide to the 14 most popular styles of boats for enjoying lakes of all shapes and sizes.
Sailboats
From small one-person dinghies to lavish 50-foot cruisers outfitted with multiple cabins, sailboats leverage the power of the wind to silently explore any given body of water. Lakes provide an ideal landscape for these vessels, as coves and points provide temporary reprieve from temperamental winds.
Pros
- Energy-efficient
- Minimal noise pollution
- Inexpensive to operate
- Provide peaceful, relaxed experience
Cons
- Dependent on winds
- Require knowledge and skill
- Limited space/capacity
- Can‘t navigate upwind easily
If you appreciate a slower pace and the whisper quiet offered by wind power, a sailboat allows you to take in the splendor of your lake from a unique vantage point. Just be prepared to hone your sailing skills should the winds disappear.
Price Range: $3,000-$500,000+
Ideal For: Cruising, sightseeing, solitude seekers
Pontoon Boats
Sometimes referred to as "party barges," pontoons offer unmatched stability while providing extensive deck space to transport large groups of people. Most pontoons come equipped with amenities ranging from expansive lounge areas to full service bars, galleys, and heads.
Pros
- Extremely stable
- Abundant seating/living space
- Shallow draft reaches tight areas
- Easier to dock than traditional boats
Cons
- Limited towing/watersports capabilities
- Less thrilling performance
- Require wide slips/storage
When the name of the game is spending quality time with friends and family on the lake, pontoon boats are the vehicle of choice. Just don‘t expect to slalom without some tinkering.
Price Range: $15,000-$150,000
Ideal For: Cruising, Entertaining
Fishing Boats
Specifically designed with the angler in mind, fishing boats optimize the experience of tracking and catching fish on lakes both large and small. Rock solid stability, abundant storage, and accessories tailored to fishing make these versatile vessels a top choice for freshwater excursions.
Pros
- Ultimate stability for casting, landing fish
- Maximize fishing capabilities
- Durable, corrosion-resistant construction
- Models for shallow or offshore waters
Cons
- Can feel "tippy" for non-anglers
- Less comfortable for cruising
- Require regular rinsedown
For fishermen, not much tops time spent hooking your next trophy wall-hanger from the perfect fishing boat engineered just for that purpose. Just don‘t expect first-class amenities more typical of upscale cruise liners.
Price Range: $8,000-$75,000
Ideal For: Fishing (obviously), solo trips
Ski Boats/Wakeboard Boats
When hanging ten or launching off the wake is the name of the game, performance water sports boats allow you to push the limits of speed, acceleration, turning, and jumping. High-output powerplants combined with hulls designed for unsure stability help you squeeze every ounce of fun possible out of a day on the lake.
Pros
- Strong acceleration
- Engineered for tow sports
- Tuned handling/turning
- Wake shaping devices
Cons
- Noisy motors
- Require more maintenance
- Demand responsible operation
- Subpar fuel economy
Prefer screaming across the lake at 40 mph to soaking in the peaceful sunset? Step right up to the world of watersports boats engineered to wring every last drop of excitement possible out of the experience. Just take care to exercise additional safety and responsibility when piloting these high performance beasts.
Price Range: $30,000-$125,000
Ideal For: Watersports (skiing, wakeboarding etc.)
Bowriders
Combining aspects of runabouts and cabin cruisers, bowriders provide versatile, family-friendly functionality focused on value. The familiar open layout still allows for watersports and swimming, while a small cabin provides welcome refuge from the elements.
Pros
- Blend performance/comfort
- Modest cabin for storage
- Smooth-riding hulls
- Family-friendly layout
Cons
- Cramped cabin quarters
- Some compromise performance
- Often lack higher-end features
For most families and lakegoing groups, bowriders strike an admirable balance bridging affordability with functionality. Just don‘t expect the Ritz-Carlton.
Price Range: $15,000-$60,000
Ideal For: Versatile family boating
Deck Boats
Deck boats build on the bowrider blueprint but shift the emphasis toward maximum occupancy and entertaining huge groups of passengers. With abundant open seating from stem to stern surrounding vast floorplans, people packability reigns supreme.
Pros
- Accommodate large groups
- Intimate seating arrangements
- Stable, secure ride
- Optional watersports capabilities
Cons
- Cumbersome to maneuver
- Excessive open space in off hours
- Often underpowered when full
When the mission is schlepping scads of friends and family across the lake comfortably, deck boats answer the call admirably. Just be judicious packing the pizza and beer coolers lest you overwhelm an otherwise capable vessel.
Price Range: $20,000-$100,000+
Ideal For: Entertaining groups
Center Console Boats
Sometimes called walkarounds, center console boats focus their layout on unobstructed, 360-degree fishability and access. Lean, efficient designs also work well for watersports for smaller groups while offering protection from the elements.
Pros
- Ultimate casting mobility
- Streamlined performance
- Protects from sun/spray
- Unsurpassed visibility
Cons
- Exposed design less comfortable
- Very little sleeping space
- Require careful load balancing
For anglers requiring ultimate freedom of movement and families seeking performance in a simple yet effective package, center console boats fit the bill. Just pack your Dramamine on blustery days.
Price Range: $30,000 – $125,000
Ideal For: Fishing, watersports
Dual Console Boats
Dual console boats expand on the centers console format by essentially installing two independent steering stations facing opposite directions. This expanded layout blends serious fishability with accommodations for larger groups of passengers.
Pros
- Twin helm stations
- Both social and fishing friendly
- Accommodate larger groups
- Better protection than center consoles
Cons
- Jack of all trades, master of none
- Cramped sleeping quarters
- Often overpowered
- Require knowledgable operation
By essentially jamming two center consoles together in one Frankenboat, dual console boats attempt to create a sort of performance pontoon equally capable of landing lunker bass as schlepping scores of smiling skiers. Results can be mixed, but the versatility proves undeniable.
Price Range: $50,000-$250,000
Ideal For: Larger groups, fishing
Cabin Cruisers
As the name suggests, cabin cruisers focus first-and-foremost on inhabitable interior volume to transport passengers comfortably from point A to point B. Spacious living quarters replace open casting decks to create livable boats featuring most amenities found in landlocked homes.
Pros
- Provide "second home" experience
- Integrated living spaces
- Luxurious overnight stays
- Built-in amenities/appliances
Cons
- Confined open deck space
- Require expanded storage
- Often underpowered
- High operational overhead
For boaters desiring to replicate the comforts and refuge of home on the lake, cabin cruisers deliver in spades. Just don‘t expect much deck space to actually enjoy the water itself.
Price Range: $50,000 – $2,000,000+
Ideal For: Cruising, Overnighting
Houseboats
Houseboats build on the cabin cruiser theme by injecting literal houses onto hulls able to transport vacationers in remote comfort. Self-contained living quarters with sleeping berths, entertainment systems, and kitchens deliver landlocked amenities and accessibility.
Pros
- Provide full-scale floating homes
- Self-sufficient operation
- Expansive interior volume
- Unique vacation experience
Cons
- Maximum draft limits areas
- Require skilled captaining
- High operational costs
- Marina requirements may exclude
For lake lovers craving complete escape into remote paradise only accessible by water, houseboats rent or purchase allow you to realization your dreams. Just be sure to fortify your savings account accordingly first.
Price Range: $50,000 – $5,000,000+
Ideal For: Destination vacationing
Inflatable Boats
Inflatable boats feature rigid hulls surrounded by buoyant reinforced rubber tubes that allow the vessels to be deflated for storage or transport. Light, portable, and extremely affordable, "inflatables" provide versatile access for enjoying lakes on a budget.
Pros
- Lightweight, inflatable convenience
- Budget-friendly options
- Easy to transport to remote lakes
- Surprisingly rugged builds
Cons
- Modest amenities/capabilities
- Susceptible to punctures
- Require common sense operation
- Struggle in adverse conditions
For lake lovers on a tight budget or anyone prioritizing lightweight portability over bulletproof construction, inflatable boats deliver arguably the most bang for your buck. Just don‘t expect excess power or resilience battling stronger winds and waves.
Price Range: $500 – $15,000
Ideal For: Budget-focused lake access
Jet Boats
Jetboats utilize fully-integrated water jet pumps instead of exposed propellers to provide thrust executing hairpin turns and operating in extremely shallow water. The unique drives enable performance simply not achievable by traditional prop boats.
Pros
- Unmatched maneuverability
- Thrive in shallow water
- Protect swimmers/wildlife
- Lightning acceleration
Cons
- Noisy motors
- Constant spray
- High fuel consumption
- Require responsible operation
Thrill-seekers looking to carve endless figure-eights and explore remote tarns previously only accessible by canoe need look no further than the category-busting performance of jetboats. Just be prepared to pay-to-play both at the pump and dealership.
Price Range: $45,000-$125,000
Ideal For: Extreme performance, accessing ultra shallow water
Electric Boats
Electric boats trade noisy gas powerplants for quiet, emissions-free electric motors fed by high-capacity batteries seamlessly blending moderate performance with sustainable peacefulness. As battery technology continues improving, adoption grows exponentially thanks to generous tax incentives.
Pros
- Ultra quiet operation
- Zero emissions
- Reduced maintenance
- Provide sustainable boating experience
Cons
- Limited range per charge cycle
- Require extensive charging network
- High upfront costs
- Questionable resale value
For the eco-conscious lake lover unwilling to compromise enjoyment on the water just to reduce their carbon footprint, electric boats provide the ultimate compromise. Just be sure to have a backup plan should you run out of juice.
Price Range: $25,000-$500,000
Ideal For: Sustainably-minded boaters
Pedal Boats
Sometimes referred to as paddle boats, pedal boats employ foot-powered drives to propel groups of 2-5 passengers across otherwise inaccessible lakes. Compact dimensions and zero emissions make these quirky boats approachable for families and kids.
Pros
- Super easy to operate
- Encourage exercise/activity
- Extremely safe entry-level boats
- Enable exploration of small lakes
Cons
- Very limited range/speeds
- Exposed to elements
- Won‘t work well for tow sports
- Provide pretty basic experience
If curious toddlers, first-time boaters, or anyone rejecting machine noise is your constituency of choice, pedal boats grant access and connectivity free of any intimidation. Just plan to pack snacks and water to fuel the manual propulsion system.
Price Range: $800-$4,000
Ideal For: Extremely entry-level
Canoes & Kayaks
Canoes and kayaks represent the most basic manually-powered personal watercraft able to explore wild waters through the sheer force of human exertion alone. Incredibly liberating and serenely quiet, paddlecraft ranging from lightweight kayaks to expansive expedition canoes enable self-propelled adventure restricted only by your imagination, endurance, and skills.
Pros
- Provide unmatched connection with water
- Reward skillful, attentive paddling
- Access remote areas motorboats can‘t reach
- Enjoy sights/sounds impossible otherwise
Cons
- Totally dependent on physical paddling skill/endurance
- Limited capacity relative to size
- Require proper balancing of passengers/gear
Sometimes you crave adventure far from the buzzing of engines and smelly hulls of mechanical boats. Sliding through glass-smooth waters fueled only through the stroke of the paddle, kayaks and canoes represent transportation in its purest, most unadulterated form. Just remember the onus falls completely upon your own physical output sans assistance from combustion engines.
Price Range: $500-$4,000
Ideal For: Adventure paddling
So there you have it: the 14 most popular, proven boat styles for exploring and enjoying lakes across the spectrum from relaxing family cruising to hardcore fishing and watersports. Before piloting any unfamiliar boat, be sure to complete a safety course and fully understand proper operation to avoid accidents. But most of all, happy boating!
