What could be better than getting your family and friends out on the water? If you’re looking for even more fun in the sun by the sea, buying a boat could be the perfect solution. Whether you love to fish, cruise, waterski or sunbathe, owning a boat allows for endless days of fun.
We’ve picked out some of the best family boats on the market to help you choose, focusing on space, comfort and performance to ensure you pick the model that’s right for you.
Here are our top picks for best family boat:
Westport Pilot 4 - priced between £5,000 - £13,000
The Pilot 4 may be the cheapest model on our list but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t live up to the high standards. This boat is an excellent allrounder, offering maximum versatility - whether you want to fish, water-ski, dive or sunbathe, the Pilot 4 has got you covered.
This model has been designed with seaworthiness and practicality at its heart. Offering the space and feeling of a much bigger boat, she has storage space aplenty and more than sufficient seating arrangements.
The layout is simple and practical, with the steering console and helm seat positioned cleverly so as to keep the deck open and versatile.
In terms of performance, the Pilot 4 can cut between slow displacement speeds for fishing to the performance you’d expect from a conventional sports boat when the throttle is applied. The medium V hull has a deep forefoot that slices through choppy seas.
Sea Ray 240 Sundeck - priced between £20,000 - £55,000
Though the Sea Ray 240 is a slightly older model than some of the other boats on this list, launched in 2002 but this now much more affordable boat has everything you require for a day on the water with family.
The starboard cockpit offers an entertainment center with a sink and dedicated storage while the large head has a vanity, sink, mirrored medicine cabinet as well as upper and lower storage. Am extended swim platform with a concealed ladder makes it easier to jump in for a dip.
This model has the capability to carry 12 people, making it a great space to entertain family and friends.
Bayliner VR4 Bowrider - priced between £30,000 - £45,000
The Bayliner VR4 Bowrider is the perfect family boat - it’s easy to tow, launch and store and offers everything you need for loads of fun on the water.
While this is the smallest VR series model, it still offers plenty of interior space owing to it’s BeamForward design that carries the full beam further forward. This allows for much better comfort and capacity than a traditional bow. The boat can hold 7 people.
A spacious cockpit and bow seating allows for entertaining while contoured back rests ensure seating is comfortable for longer journeys.
The engines are a 115hp XL EFI CT Mercury 4 stroke outboard and 200hp ECT 4.5L MPI Mercruiser Sterndrive.
Monterey 282 Cruiser - priced between £40,000 - £45,000
The Monterey 282 Cruiser is our mid range family boat pick - offering excellent value for money and all the bells and whistles you’d expect from a boat of this size.
Whether you’re looking to fish or simply cruise, this spacious model gives you the capability to do both. 6 berths in 2 cabins allow for plenty of room to sleep on longer journeys, while the spacious cockpit is the perfect area for entertaining with a large bench seat at the helm. You have all the amenities aboard for a longer trip as well as days spent aboard: offering a TV, fridge, microwave and toilet with holding tank.
The boat is powered by twin Mercruiser 1.7 DTI 120HP engines giving it the power it needs to offer speed as well as comfort.
Boston Whaler 320 - priced between £70,000-£86,000
The Boston Whaler 320 Outrage is designed and kitted out for every style of boater - if you’re looking to fish, head out on a long distance offshore day cruise or simply relax in the sunshine, this boat has it covered.
The standard engines with this model are twin 250hp Verado 4 strokes. This model has been created to allow you to go fast offshore in comfort and safety. The advanced hardtop has been aerodynamically designed and has an integrated windshield.
The bait prep station with livewell can be transformed into a summer kitchen by switching the livewell in favour of a grill - making it perfect for entertaining.
This boat offers a lot of innovative items as standard and gives great weather protection for both the driver and companions, making it an excellent choice for your next family boat.
Chris Craft Calypso 30 - priced between £200,000-240,000
The Chris Craft Calypso 30 has ‘all of the comforts of home’. This model is great for a day of watersports or an evening cruise, holding up to 12 people. You can adapt the space for the amount of people aboard, with fold down seating allowing you to change the space to suit the situation. The onboard kitchen offers a fridge, sink and grill which makes it easy to entertain.
This boat is perfect for activities with all of the family - with a swim platform, fishing amenities and a JL Audio Sound System to keep everyone entertained.
The Calypso 30 has an exceptional build quality and has been built with excellent attention to detail. We’re certain that if you’ve got the budget, you won’t regret this purchase.
Jeanneau NC33 - priced between £219,000 - £260,000
Jeanneau describes this boat as ‘elegant, luxurious and comfortable’. Designed for trips to the sea, all of the elements have been meticulously chosen to ensure they are perfect for ‘comfortable, harmonious cruising’. The NC33 was nominated for European Powerboat of the Year 2018 so there’s no doubt that this is a great choice.
Wide, recessed side decks and a side door to the helm station allows for free movement around the boat and makes for better handling at sea. A side access gate is a big improvement for access on board.
The interior offers a balanced distribution of space as well as 2 double berths and a head with a separate shower compartment. This makes it perfect for overnight trips as well as days out.
The boat is powered by two Volvo 2 x D3 220 engines.
