Find my fit

The deck / Power

Bay boat

A center-console cousin with a shallower hull for bays, flats and inshore water.

Side view drawing of a bay boat
Type 04 / 26PowerLOA 18–26 ft

Spec plate typical; models vary

Length overall
18–26 ft
Usually aboard
3–8 people
Drive
Outboard
Draft
Shallow
Where it lives
Trailer at home, Marina slip or mooring
Towing
Mid-size trailer: a large SUV or half-ton pickup
Skill to start
Some practice first
Upkeep
Moderate

Always go by the boat's own capacity plate and the builder's numbers. Towing classes are rough guides: check your vehicle's rated towing capacity.

Waters

  • Ponds, small lakes and riversMade for it
  • Big lakes, bays and soundsMade for it
  • Open ocean beyond the coastFair weather, with care

Good at

  • Shallow draft with more freeboard than a flats skiff
  • Open deck to fish all the way round
  • Handles moderate chop

Think twice

  • Not built for rough offshore runs
  • Little shade or shelter unless you add a top
  • Salt water means rinsing and flushing

Ask before you buy or rent

  1. Fresh or salt water use, and was the engine flushed?
  2. Any corrosion on the trailer?
  3. Do the trim tabs and bilge pumps work?

Crowd Tally

Would you own a bay boat?

One anonymous answer per type per day. Only the two totals are kept.

0

answers so far. A share shows from 5 answers.

Whole board →

Hullpick Pass $1.95/month or $19.50/year, or a $1.00 Shopping-Week Pass · Free during preview. Compare this type with your shortlist and print a Fit Sheet with these questions.