Bowrider boats for sale

What is a Bowrider Boat?

A bowrider is a runabout boat with forward seating in the bow area of the vessel, suitable for passengers to ride in while the vessel is underway (hence the term bow “rider”). Bowriders typically have the helm station on one side of the boat (usually the starboard side) which allows a center walk-through passageway to the bow area. These types of boats are versatile and commonly used for recreational pleasure activities such as day cruising, fishing, water skiing, wakeboarding, snorkeling and diving. Bowriders do not have sleeping spaces (berths) below deck and are generally intended for short-term daytime use rather than overnight trips.

How are Bowriders built?

Bowriders are under 35 feet (typically below 30), and are usually made out of fiberglass, composite or aluminum monohulls, although they can also be trihulls or cathedral hulls. These style of boats are mass produced by a number of major boat manufacturers, including Sea Ray, Yamaha, Scarab, Malibu, Mastercraft, Stingray, Bayliner and many others. There are also a number of builders that build custom and semi-custom bowriders including Formula, Chris-Craft and Edgewater as well as specialty bowriders, such as Tigé, Supra and Heyday.

What Types of Engines Power Bowriders?

Bowriders can be powered by a number of different types of motors depending on the style, from stern-drive and inboard options to outboard propulsion. Some are set up for slower cruising while others are rigged for faster speeds and high-performance. An advantage of stern-drive bowriders are they can have bigger swim platforms and sundecks.

What Optional Equipment is Available for Bowriders?

Because bowriders are designed specifically for recreational and pleasure cruising, they have a wide variety of amenities and features available as either standard equipment or available optional upgrades. These include things like ski and wakeboard towers for towing and watersports, premium marine stereo systems, custom upholstery, integrated coolers, biminis, swim platforms, windlass anchors, motorized awnings, touch-screen controls, LED and underwater lights and more.