1 - Tender or Dinghy
Whether rowed or propelled by an outboard engine (electric or not), the dinghy is always related to a mother boat.
The dinghy can be rigid or inflatable. Its main use is to transport passengers and their belongings between the mother boat and land. They are therefore small boats that are easy to forget when you start sailing.
2 - Skiff or Jon boat
Many skiffs are found on inland waterways. They are often used for fishing or hunting. For this reason, they are flat-bottomed, so they can be sailed in little water.
Skiffs are often made of sturdy materials (aluminum, rotomolded, wood...) to stand the test of time.
3 - Bowrider
Generally small (less than 9 m), bowriders feature a cockpit at the front of the boat. Access is via the center of the boat, opening the windshield. This cockpit can often be fitted out with a table or transformed into a sundeck.
This arrangement is reassuring, as the pilot keeps an eye on his crew, a plus when sailing with children.
4 - Open boat
With its central console, an open boat offers circulation on both sides. The bulwarks are high enough and the side decks well protected. More or less equiped according to the size and use of the boat, open boats are truly multi-purpose boats, equally at home for a fishing trip or a family outing.
As they grow in size, open boats often gain a center console layout. This includes a toilet area, which can also be used for changing clothes. Always trendy, this type of boat is getting bigger and bigger, and it's not uncommon to come across boats over 10 m long.
5 - Tow boat
For water-skiing, wakeboarding and other towed sports, it's all about the wave created by the towing boat. A ski boat hull may or may not make a good wave. This type of boat also has a gantry so that the rope connecting the skier to the boat is as high as possible.
Big sound systems are also often found on this type of boat. Brightly colored hulls are also the order of the day: so much fun!
6 - Day cruiser
Day cruisers are the first to feature a cabin. Although this type of boat is mainly used for short day trips, the cabin offers shelter for a nap or an overnight stay.
Outdoor living space is still favored, with a large cockpit and exterior fittings. But the cabin, often with low headroom, leaves room for a bed and toilet. Very useful for putting on a bathing suit before swimming...
7 - Cabin cruiser (7 to 10 m)
As it grows, the day cruiser is transformed into a cabin cruiser. This time, the interior layout is complete: sleeping accommodation, bathroom, kitchen...
On this type of boat, the underside of the cockpit is often occupied by a mid-cabin, a low-ceilinged space that offers 2 additional berths. Enough to accommodate a family with two children.
8 - Open cruiser (+ 10 m)
When they don't have a flybridge, but a cockpit cover, big cruisers are classified as Sport Top. These boats have a cabin under the foredeck and a beautiful exterior layout, often with a galley and dining area to enjoy life at sea. The cockpit remains protected behind the windshield.
9 - Flybridge cruiser (10 to 20 m)
Fitting the roof of a Sport Top boat with a cockpit and a pilot station, you get a flybridge. This elevated space is very much appreciated by the pilot. With a helm station on the fly, he has a good view of the whole boat, especially during maneuvers. And if the weather turns nasty, he can always take shelter in the inside helm station.
Obviously, the larger the boat, the more complete and spacious the layout.
10 - Motoryacht (more than 20m)
With luxury yachts, we enter the category of excess. The size of the boat no longer dictates the choice of fittings. It's up to the owner's imagination. Swimming pool, helicopter pad, garage for water toys, gym...
11 - Offshore boat
Make way for speed! Offshore boats are powerful machines for going fast at sea. Like racing cars, they are capable of swallowing the waves at full engine power. Often very long, they have very few fittings, so as not to weigh them down. Sensations guaranteed.
12 - Runabout
Runabouts come from the 60s, when boats were made of wood, protected by multiple layers of varnish. The icon of this category is undoubtedly the Riva. Today, a number of boat builders are taking these timeless lines and applying them to modern hulls. Chic and elegant.
These cabinless boats are used for day trips on calm waters, so that the crew can enjoy without suffering.
13 - Pontoon boat
It comes from the Americas and is not yet widely used in Europe. The pontoon boat is a floating platform dedicated to conviviality for a day on the water. The Americans use them extensively on lakes, to explore these enclosed waters.
On board, you'll find a dining area, a sunbathing area and, above all, the essential barbecue...
14 - Jet boat
This is not really a type of boat, but rather a type of boat propulsion. By removing the propeller and replacing it with a turbine, the boat's behavior changes completely. It becomes more fun and more responsive. The jet, often used on small boats, can also be used on larger craft.
15 - Trawler
In praise of slowness. Where powerboats seek to lift off to gain speed, the trawler retains its displacement hull, which limits speed, but adds comfort and fuel economy. The trawler is the motorboat that goes slowly, but far. It conveys an image of long-distance travel. Often comfortably equipped, the trawler is designed for cruising enthusiasts.
Since slowness is hard to sell, today's boatbuilders tend to over-engine and upgrade these hulls to increase their performance. Often to the detriment of comfort. Despite the name Trawler, these boats are far from being Trawlers.
16 - Houseboats, narrow boats
Boats sailing on river, canal and lakes don't always need the same homologation as for the sea, depending on the country. A specific category covers these boats, which don't have to sail fast - speed is limited - but which must be easy to maneuver.
For river tourism, these boats generally have a layout similar to that found in caravanning, making living on board very comfortable.
17 - Fishing Cabin boat
Originating from professional fishing boats, the fishing cabin boat offers shelter to its user. They usually are small units from 5.50 m upwards. Over the years, however, they have grown in size and engine power. So have the types of sport fishing. Trolling is no longer practised to any great extent, and casting is now on the minds of anglers. Boats have therefore changed, with spaces to facilitate this kind of practice, and secure cockpits at the bow and stern.
However, thoses boats retain a sheltered cockpit and a small cabin in which to store equipment, eat and even rest.
18 - Sport fishing boat
Do you like big-game fishing? Sport fishing boats are for you. With them, you'll reach your fishing grounds quickly and comfortably. The fishing tower on the superstructure make it easy to spot the hunts. And when it's time to put the lines in the water, the numerous rod holders and fishing poles will be your best allies. Happy fishing!
19 - RIB or rigid inflatable boat
Take a rigid aluminum or polyester hull, and complete it with an inflatable float. That's what a RIB is made of. This solution creates very seaworthy boats, capable of sailing in all sea conditions.
Depending on size, they are more or less equipped with table and sunbathing area if required. Fishermen love them, even if they prefer boats with little equipment to leave beautiful fishing areas free.
20 - Maxi RIB
Increasing in size, often exceeding 10 m, RIBs are now boats in their own right. The largest models are also capable of fine cruising, thanks to their liveable cabins.
While the smallest boats just have a berth and toilet concealed in the console, the largest have a cabin that rivals that of rigid boats.
