As the name suggests, cabin cruisers are the perfect boat to spend weekends cruising with family and friends. A step up from the cuddy cabin, which tends to be slightly smaller and with fewer amenities, the cabin cruiser comes with everything you need to make days on the water comfortable.
They tend to fall within the 7 to 14 metre size range and are characterised by the cabin in their bow. They can usually accommodate several people in multiple berths for overnight or weekend trips, making them hugely popular with families looking for the ideal pleasure boat. Aft cabin cruisers can have additional cabins, maximising the space and giving guests on board added privacy as they are separated from the forward cabin.
It is, however, the impressive array of facilities that are packed onto cabin cruisers that make them so comfortable and appealing. Essentials such as a small yet fully functioning galley with a dining area and a head mean it is possible to stay out on the water for longer and be self-sufficient. In addition, you will likely find hot water for showering or doing the dishes, air conditioning units or central heating and electrical power via a generator (or shore power).
Half a century ago cabin cruisers were popular river boats which pootled slowly along the waterways. Today, while they still maintain the custom of maximizing accommodation over deck space, they are fast, powerful and sleek. Underway, their deep V hull creates a hydrodynamic and comfortable ride, even when twinned with a speedy 150 4 stroke engine such as the Beneteau Flyer 650 Open(Under Offer).
It is these increasingly powerful engines which means cabin cruisers make ideal water sports boats too, with water-skiing, wake-boarding or tubing all possible. And combined with their ability to be towed with a trailer they offer plenty of scope for cruising grounds. In addition, the possibility of towing and storing on land reduces maintenance and costs, making them cost-effective too.
Cabin cruisers come in a huge range of styles, and manufacturers are pushing the boundaries all the time. Bayliner, Beneteau, Cobia, Sealine and Sea Ray are top names within this class of boats, and their used models are highly sought after. Take the Sea Ray Sundancer 330 for example. This hugely popular boat, which launched in 1992 and was in production for over 15 years, is classic cabin cruiser. Sleek, fast, fun and bursting with amenities it is a crowd-pleasing weekend boat. Likewise, the Sealine 240 Senator, with its hot water shower, gas burning stove and grill, fridge and berths for up to four people, makes for the perfect family cruising boat.
See Rightboat.com's vast range of Used and New Cabin Cruisers for Sale.