Best Center Console Boats Under 25 Feet

The most affordable center consoles are often small ones, and though they may not be intended for oceanic use or to hold a huge crowd, the best small center console boats have a number of additional advantages over their larger brethren. They’re easier to tow, easier to maintain, cost less to run, and can access some fishing grounds that larger boats dare not go for fear of running aground. What constitutes “small” is certainly debatable, but most boaters would agree that those over 25’ are on the larger side and probably don’t belong in this discussion. Still, when perusing all the different center consoles for sale, no matter how tight the budget or size constraint may be, you’ll want to know you’re buying a quality brand. Which are the very best center console boats no more than 25’? These top picks all have something special to offer.

Best Small Center Console Fishing Boats

While many center consoles are focused on fishing, some are more focused than others. If you value angling abilities above all else these brands are must-see options.

Jones Brothers

Jones Brothers Marine builds four V-hull boats that fall into the under-25-foot center console fishing boat category, from 18’ to 22’8.” They also have a lineup of four flat-bottom boats that are center consoles, as well. What all of these boats share in common is that they’re fishing machines, period. In fact, their Cape Fisherman lineup is used by professional guides up and down the East Coast. Jones Brothers Marine boats for sale. 

Jones Brothers Cape Fisherman 20

The Jones Brothers Cape Fisherman 20 sits right in the middle of this builder’s lineup, and is ideal for up to three or four anglers probing relatively protected bays and inshore waters. A long list of optional features makes it customizable, and items like additional livewells, rocket launchers, and trolling motor wiring allow an angler to outfit the Cape Fisherman 20 as he or she likes to match the style of fishing they enjoy most.

Jones Brothers Cape Fisherman 20. Jones Brothers Marine photo

Parker Boats

Parker is another builder with a well-deserved reputation for building serious fishing machines without too many frills or fancy features. In recent years, they’ve begun adding more comfort touches to several of the seven small center console boats in their lineup, but they’ve kept true to their mission and retained maximum fishability in every manner. They’re also known for being exceptionally stout boats, built to last through many years of tough service. This is another builder that is favored by guides and professional captains. Parker boats for sale. 

Parker 18SE

The Parker 18SE is the smallest boat this builder offers, and this model recently enjoyed a complete redesign. The 18SE has six inches more LOA and six inches more beam as compared to its predecessor, the 1801, and unlike the older model this is a fully liner-ed boat. That brings fit and finish up to the level of their larger, more expensive offerings. This boat is ideal for sneaking into skinny water, too, with a shallow draft modified-V hull that needs a mere nine inches of water to float.

Parker 18SE. Parker offshore photo

Sportsman

Sportsman boats may pay a bit more attention to the family aspect of owning a center console than the other builders we’ve mentioned in this section, but they do so without giving an inch on the fishing front and will be a top pick for anglers who take their spouse and kids along for the ride. They’re also standouts for the level of accessories and accouterments they include on their boats as standard features, which outshine the vast majority of their competitors. They offer six models small enough to be included here, from 20’11” to 24’4”, including both deep-V and bay boats. Sportsman boats for sale.

Sportsman Open 212

The Open 212 is not only a new Sportsman model, it’s also the smallest they currently build. With a 21’5” LOA and 8’6” beam, it’s easily trailerable, easy to run, and easy to afford, yet it comes with a slew of topnotch accessories commonly found on larger, more expensive boats. The Seakeeper Ride Vessel Attitude Control System is a standard feature, as are goodies like a Garmin Apollo RA670 stereo system and GPSMAP1243xsv MFD, Sileather silicone marine fabrics, a 10-gallon freshwater system, two onboard inductive cell phone chargers, and a full suite of angling armaments. Plus, another unusual perk—it boasts digital switching, something not often seen on boats of this size.

Sportsman Open 212. Sportsman photo

Best Aluminum Center Console Boats Under 25ft

Aluminum center console boats are a great choice for many people, especially those who want a lighter boat that’s easy to trailer and easy to handle around the docks. Aluminum boats are also lower maintenance and require less power. On the flip side of the coin, they may get tossed around a bit more in the waves and may have fewer integrated features (since they can’t be molded in, as with fiberglass), but on the whole aluminum makes for a great center console. And these builders know it.

G3

All of G3’s boats are aluminum, and they offer a lineup of six center console bay boats from 17’2” to 22’3”. They’re available with EZ Loader trailers and have extensive lists of standard features including multiple livewells, fishing rod racks, onboard tackle stowage compartments, and more. A top feature that sets them apart is performance, even with relatively small outboards. The diminutive Bay 18 GX, for example, can hit speeds of 45 mph with just 115 horsepower on the transom. G3 boats for sale. 

G3 Gator Tough 20 CC

Sportsmen who enjoy both angling and hunting will find the G3 Gator Tough 20 CC of interest, as this aluminum center console can be rigged for fishing, for hunting, or for both. Boasting a pair of livewells as well as a pair gun boxes, the 20 CC comes in Shadow Grass or Breakup camo finish on the boat itself, the seating, and on the console. Essentially a very large, well-rigged Jon boat, the 20 CC is also light, easy to trailer, and very economical when compared alongside fiberglass boats.

G3 Gator Tough 20 CC. G3 Boats photo

Xpress Boats

Xpress Boats has a selection of bay and skiff models that are all constructed of all-welded aluminum. They’re high-end for aluminum boats, too, with 0.125” gauge 5052 aluminum hulls, standard trailers, locking rodboxes, livewells, bow-mount electric trolling motors, locking rodboxes, and in one case a twin-engine option. These boats are also known for their “Hyper-Lift” hull design, which delivers a fast hole shot, excellent efficiency, and low-speed planing abilities. Remember that twin-engine option we mentioned? The pair of F150s on an X23 Bay can plane the boat at just 2500 rpm (at 24 mph) and hit a maximum speed of 60 mph. Xpress boats for sale. 

Xpress Skiff 185

One of the few aluminum-built center console skiffs designed for flats fishing, the Xpress Skiff 185 is all-welded and constructed with longitudinal ribs and “unibody” injected foam. At barely over 1,100 pounds of displacement, it will prove easy to pole through the shallows, and can be rigged with everything from pole anchors to bow-mount electric trolling motors. The 185 Skiff can be dressed up, too, with factory-available SeaDek liner, Aero-X mesh seats, and even lighted logos on the custom-matched trailer.

Xpress Skiff 185. Xpress Boats 

Best Affordable Center Console Boats Under 25ft

Affordability is in the eye of the beholder, but for most people finding an affordable boat can be challenging. These builders, however, make an affordability mark that will be tough to beat.

Bayliner

There are four center consoles in Bayliner’s model line, from 18’4” to 24’0”. These are boats that attempt—successfully by most measures—to strike a balance between fishability, comfort, and cost. As a rule you’ll find that their MSRPs significantly undercut most of their competitors (one of the traits that helped land Bayliner a spot on our list of the 10 Best Small Motor Boat Brands), while delivering a boat that looks and functions beyond expectations considering the price differential. This is in keeping with Bayliner’s long-term reputation for putting out new boats that, foot for foot, cost less than many of the comparable used boats on the market. Bayliner boats for sale. 

Bayliner T24CC

When it comes to delivering maximum space aboard for the dollar, it’ll be tough to beat the Bayliner T24CC. With 24’0” LOA and an 8’6” beam, the T24CC “makes” extra space by maximizing the forward beam, carrying additional width right up to the bow. This makes for an exceptionally large bow cockpit, with seating for five forward of the console. There’s additional seating to be found in the cockpit with a flip-down transom seat, so there’s room for a big crew to relax while wetting their lines. And on the fishing front the T24CC comes through in spades with goodies like a leaning post with a 21-gallon livewell, a second 15-gallon livewell, four rocket launchers on the hard top and four flush-mount rodholders, a raw water washdown, and twin fishboxes in the deck.

Bayliner T24CC. Bayliner photo

Carolina Skiff

There are a huge number of choices in the Carolina Skiff lineup, with 18 models that qualify as small center console fishing boats. In fact, they offer only one model that’s outside of this range. These are relatively simple, straightforward boats, which means they’re easy to maintain and tend to cost less than many competing options. Every one of them is excellent for fishing, with wide-open layouts and optional features that allow for a good level of semi-customization matching the ways you like to fish. Carolina Skiff boats for sale. 

Carolina Skiff E21 DLX Kit

If you’re willing to take on some of the labor boaters generally pay for when they buy a boat and to do the work yourself, the Carolina Skiff E21 DLX Kit provides a unique opportunity. You can buy the hull alone, or a console and/or deck to go along with it. You do all the assembling and rigging, customize the boat however you’d like, and when all is said and done you’ll have a 21’0” long, 7’9” wide fishing machine at your service.

Carolina Skiff E21 DLX Kit. Carolina Skiff photo

Starcraft

The Starcraft brand offers both fiberglass and aluminum boats of all sorts, but the standout offering they bring to the table in the aluminum center console department is the Freedom lineup. The 160 CC is one of the smallest center consoles around and is designed to be utilitarian and simple, which translates into very low cost as compared to most other center consoles. The 180 gives buyers a slightly larger option. In both cases angling necessities like livewells and fishing seats are included, but cost-adding frills are nowhere to be found. Starcraft boats for sale. 

Starcraft Freedom 160 CC

As we already mentioned, the Freedom 160 CC is a simple, straightforward boat, which minimizes the price tag. However, it can be gussied up a bit with optional features like extra fishing seats, an electric trolling motor, or a power pedestal. More importantly, this boat proves that simple and inexpensive doesn’t have to mean “cheap.” The Freedom 160 CC can handle up to 90 horses on the transom and is backed up by Starcraft’s “Lifetime +6 Warranty.” That gets you lifetime coverage on the major structure plus a six-year limited warranty on marine grade flooring, upholstery, and vinyls.

Starcraft Freedom 160 CC. Starcraft photo

Best Inshore Center Console Boats Under 25ft

By definition most of the best small center consoles will be appropriate for inshore, since they’re generally designed for saltwater use but aren’t quite large enough for regular use in offshore waters. That said, there are some targeted specifically for bay and inshore fishing including these top brands. 

Boston Whaler

Boston Whaler boats are famous for being unsinkable, thanks to a unique construction method of pumping foam under high pressure between the hull and deck liner, resulting in a fiberglass-foam-fiberglass sandwich that fills belowdecks voids. This gives them an edge in handling choppy waters as well as in safety, as the foam helps to absorb vibrations and quiet water noise. Also helping Boston Whaler secure this spot on our list, they offer a huge lineup of models appropriate for either fishing or for kicking around on the bay and inshore waters. That includes the Super Sport runabout series starting at 13’1”, the Montauk series from 15’5” to 21’4”, the Dauntless range starting at 21’3”, and the smallest of their Outrage line at 23’0”. Boston Whaler boats for sale. 

Boston Whaler 230 Outrage

If you’re looking for a center console under 25 feet’ that can handle just about any inshore waters and can even head for open offshore waters when the weather is right, Boston Whaler’s 230 Outrage belongs on your short-list. Powered with a single V10 Mercury Verado 400 you can get from hotspot to hotspot in the blink of an eye–top end is well into the upper 50s–or opt for a pair of twin 150 Four Stroke outboards and enjoy the safety margin or redundant power systems. On the fishing front the 230 Outrage has everything you’ll ever want or need (gunwale-mounted rodholders, a 16-gallon livewell, insulated fishboxes, etc.), and on this boat you also get to enjoy a measure of comfort thanks to goodies like drink holders in the hawse pipes, an integrated swim platform, and a powder-coated fore/aft convertible leaning post with flip-up bolsters.

Boston Whaler 230 Outrage. Boston Whaler photo

Mako

Mako boats has a number of offerings that fit into this mold but the Pro Skiff series will stand out for inshore anglers. These boats have Mako’s “Inverted V” hullform, which has deeper sides and a central tunnel-like depression that result in performance somewhat like that of a powercat (and also helped Mako land on our list of the overall Best Center Console Boat Brands). Additionally, the Pro Skiff lineup, which includes the 13 CC, 15 CC, 17 CC, and 19CC, comes in package form well equipped to fish including a trailer and motor at Mako’s nationally advertised “No Haggle No Hassle” pricing. Note that this pricing beats out most competitors by a longshot, and Mako could easily land in the best affordable center consoles category. Mako boats for sale. 

Mako 18 Pro Skiff Patriot Edition

If you want to fly your true colors while fishing, the 18 Pro Skiff Patriot Edition is the move. This is a model that runs on a modified-V hull as opposed to the Inverted V, is rigged to the teeth with premium features, then gets dressed up with patriotic touches like a red, white, and blue color pattern with a star on the foredeck. The deck is padded, a maximum-power 175-hp Mercury Pro XS outboard is part of the package, and the boat comes on a custom single-axle aluminum trailer. There’s no options list for this model because every extra you can think of already is included as standard equipment, right down to the Pro-Air aeration system on the livewell, lithium-ion batteries, and a 24-V Minn Kota Terrova electric trolling motor with i-Pilot.

Mako 18 Pro Skiff Patriot Edition. Mako photo

Pathfinder

Pathfinder is well known for offering inshore fishing boats that are at the top of the heap, whether you’re considering fit and finish, equipment, fishing prowess, or performance. Five of their models from 22’5” to 24’9” fit into our parameters for the best small center console boats. Each of these is highly customizable, with a huge list of optional features that allows a buyer to rig out the boat exactly as he or she likes. Each also offers eyebrow-raising performance; a 2400 Open rigged with a Yamaha F300, for example, has cruising speeds a tick over the 40 mph mark and a top-end well over 50 mph. Pathfinder boats for sale. 

Pathfinder 2400 Open

That 2400 Open has a lot more to offer than blazing-fast speeds, so we’re going to stick with it as this manufacturer’s boat to highlight. Critical to note is the boat’s construction, which is Pathfinder’s VAIRS method. This is a vacuum-infusion technique that combines the wetting-out of the transom, hull, stringers, and core materials in one fell swoop. It creates a single part, maximizing strength and rigidity while minimizing weight. The hull is stepped, too, yet another component of that hat-stripping performance.

Pathfinder 2400 Open. Pathfinder photo

Best Center Console Deep V Boats Under 25ft

While the vast majority of the small center consoles out there run on V hulls of one sort or another, few are true deep-V designs. Named one of the Top 10 Innovations that Changed the Boating World, the Deep-V is usually described as having 21 or more degrees of deadrise at the transom. These top picks all meet that mark and stand out from the crowd for additional reasons, as well.

Contender

Most of the Contender Boats fleet is too large to meet our definition of “small,” however, their 24S fits the bill and carries 22.5 degrees of transom deadrise. This allows it to slice through big waves while minimizing the pounding, and anyone who’s run a Contender knows that their reputation for smooth riding is well-deserved. Plus, the 24S has far more fuel capacity than most boats its size (130 gallons), giving anglers the ability to run far offshore on days when the weather allows. Contender boats for sale.

Contender 25T

If you can stand to violate our 25-foot cap by just three inches of LOA, the Contender 25T will be a boat to check out. It’s just about the only center console of its size to go beyond a 24-degree deep-V deadrise and attack the water with 24.5-degrees of V, and is rigged for serious offshore angling with goodies like a huge 40-gallon transom livewell, under-deck rodboxes, 76-gallon fishboxes in the deck, plus a forward 140-gallon box that can hold big game like wahoo and tuna.

Contender 25T. Contender photo

Regulator

Another case where the manufacturer’s lineup mostly exceeds our definition of a small center console, Regulator Marine does have the 23 (which is 23'5" LOA). This boat, like most in Regulator’s lineup, has an exceptionally aggressive hull—in this case, a full 24 degrees of deadrise. Regulators also stand out for their exceptional detail work, including a flawless fit and finish. Regulator boats for sale. 

Regulator 25

Yes, the Regulator 25 also breaks our ceiling at 25’2” long. But it comes so close–and is so darn impressive–we can’t help but put this one on the list. This boat is designed purely for bluewater angling, with a 24-degree deep-V deadrise hull and a topsides riddled with fishing accouterments. Sporting a whopping 160 gallons of fuel capacity and rigged with a pair of F250 Yamaha outboards, it can cruise for the canyons at speeds in the low 40s and boasts a range of over 250 miles when cruised in the low 30s.

Regulator 25. Regulator photo

Best Center Console Jet Boats Under 25ft

If you prefer a jet boat to an outboard-powered center console, your choices will be quite limited. That said, there are a handful of models that qualify, offering sporty handling and the fun prop-free ride of a jet boat.

Scarab

Every boat Scarab builds is a jet boat powered by BRP Rotax engines. Three of their offerings are center consoles; the 235 Open and 255 Open (which stretches the tape to exactly 25’0”) are both fishing-oriented, but the 235 Open Wake is a very unusual offering: a center console designed for wake sports. If you want a center console jet boat that carries wakeboard racks on the T-top rather than rod holders and can be fitted with ballast tanks and ski tow bars, this will be the pick. Scarab boats for sale. 

Scarab 235 Open SE

Anglers will likely focus on the Scarab 235 Open SE, which is built for a combination of light angling, comfort, and family fun. In addition to the center console design it has the fishing basics like rod holders and fore and aft casting decks. It has lounging perks like a four-speaker Bluetooth stereo system, an integrated cooler, and cup holders. And it has all the makings for family fun on the water, with a ski tow-eye, digital ski mode, and the must-have USB charging ports for all the kid’s gadgets.

Scarab 235 Open SE. Scarab photo

Yamaha

Yamaha has the most extensive center console jet boat lineup on the water, with eight models from 19’5” to 24’6”. These are powered by Yamaha’s HO, SVHO, and TR-1 engines and 155 mm or 160 mm high-pressure pumps spinning three-bladed stainless-steel impellers. A standout among the standouts is their newest 255 FSH Sport H, the one and only center console jet boat that offers joystick control via the Yamaha Helm Master EX system. During on-the-water testing, we found it made dockside handling easier than on any jet boat we’ve ever run. Yamaha boats for sale. 

Yamaha 190 FSH Sport

For about the average price of a new car, Yamaha’s 190 FSH Sport gets you into a fully-featured fishing center console jet boat that comes with far more perks than one might imagine. A stowage pod with integrated tackleboxes? Check. Snap-in Marine Mat flooring? Check. A “Jet Wash” raw water washdown system powered by the jet drive? Check, again. The 190 FSH Sport also includes a slew of trademark Yamaha features like “No Wake Mode” control, an articulating keel, and the Connext digital screen at the helm. Rather than offer lots of optionals, Yamaha divvies its lineup by the models, so if you want an upgrade check out the 195 FSH Sport–which gets you the 1.8L supercharged SVHO powerplant.

Yamaha 190 FSH Sport. Yamaha photo

You say you think these boats may be just a bit too small for your taste? In that case you may want to see our roundup of the best center console boat brands in the mid-sized category. Or perhaps money is no object, and the best luxury center consoles over 40 feet will be of more interest. But if economic or size constraints have you looking for a center console boat below the 25’ mark, one or more of these top brands should fit the bill.

This article was published in March 2023 and most recently updated in January 2025 by Lenny Rudow.