For whom does the daycruiser fit?
Daycruiser boats are often designed for daytrips or weekend trips, either for the whole family or for 2-3 grown adults. The boats are made with the idea that a warm and pleasant cockpit is a perfect please to stay during the time on the water and that the canopy provides the shelter you need if bad weather is approaching. The daycruiser design often focuses on high freeboard (the sides of the hull) to shield from wind and make it safer for the passengers (especially with small kids). Many users of the daycruiser loves the option of spontaneous spending the night or going boating for the whole weekend, or just have cabin as a pleasant place to stay for the kids when you return to port from a full day at sea. Even though the daycruiser is a very good allrounder, its important to think through the basic needs you have for a boat and how you are going ut use it.
What do you expect from a daycruiser?
Inspiring confidence, showing steadiness and safety. Provide abundance of space and being practically designed. The demands from the daycruiser are many, and the design between boats varies substantially. In this video you can listen in to how the Noblesse 720, a 7 meter daycruiser, are meeting the needs of a family and how the needs are changing throughout life.
Design of the hull, its functions and the cockpit; what should you expect?
The hull of the daycruiser is important for its functionality and driving performance. The design of the daycruiser hulls varies from brand to brand, but they are mainly created with focus on comfortable driving performance. Ask the how the hull is designed and what you can expect from it and align it with what you need. Are you looking for more sporty driving characteristics or are you looking for more space?
Another aspect you should evaluate is the setup of the cockpit. Are you fond of an U-shaped couch, L-shaped couch or an aft couch? These all have pros and cons; U-shaped couch typically seats more people but takes up space while an L-shaped couch seats less people but improves access to the swimming platforms. Some daycruisers also have larger swimming platforms, where you can use these platforms both to take a swim but also as a recreational space.
Remember to sit down in the drivers and passenger seat to check if it feels alright, and how the windscreen suits your height. Are you well covered by the windscreen and is the view from the driver´s seat ok?
The cabin of the daycruiser
The cabin of the daycruiser often has bedspace for 2-4 persons, depending on the size of the cabin and iif there is a secondary bed. If a secondary cabin, it can vary from a 90 cm wide bed and up to 140 cm wide beds. Check the entrance, comfort and size of the secondary cabin in the boat you are evaulating to find how this meets your needs.
Daycruisers larger than 8 meters typically has a separate toilet room, while the smaller daycruisers has the toilet facilities in the main cabin. Lights and lighting conditions in the cabin are important for the general feeling and comfort. Check out the functions and lighting in the boat your are evaluating.
What to look out for when you are evaluating a daycruiser?
Distances: over how wide geographical area are you going on boat trips?
The daycruiser has the same advantage as the bowrider: a large windscreen of which you always can seek shelter from the weather. This often makes the trip more pleasant for all passengers. Its useful to think through what type of trips you are performing with the boat, if you want to travel in the inner parts of the archipelago or if you are planning to cross fjords or enter more open sea. If you are mostly travelling locally, a daycruiser of around 6 – 6,5 (19-22 feet) meters will suit you perfectly, while if you are planning to go further you could start thinking of a daycruiser of 7 meters (23 feet) and above. Larger boats will often be able to deal with two and two waves at the time, making your ride more joyful.
Daytrips vs weekend trips: how you use the daycruiser
The daycruiser is as mentioned often used as a boat for daytrips, especially if the boat is smaller. For weekend trip purposes you might look for something slightly larger, like a 7-meter. You will see the differences in available storage space, improved space in the cockpit and somewhat calmer driving in rougher seas. A good advice is to take some time in the boats you are evaluating and look for the details that will make a difference:
- How is the fridge space?
- Where do I find storage space, and how easy is it to get to the luggage, even with several passengers onboard
- How is the seating configuration and dining options?
The initial question should always be: what do I need?
Number of people: how many are you and what preferences do you have?
How are you going on boat trips, how many are you, and how old are your passengers? Its important to dig into the detail of the boat initially and look for the certifications. Start with your need, and check for maximum weight allowance, maximum number of people allowed etc. These are details you will find on the CE certification plate and in the boat documents. Daycruisers are typically made for people to spend time in the cockpit and aft part of the cockpit, and the buoyancy of the boat is designed for this. But make yourself acquainted with the buoyancy and self-draining system, and know how it works.
6,6 meter daycruiser. The Noblesse 660.
The daycruiser is a very safe and solid platform for enjoying the days at sea. It is really a family boat, being easy to prepare before going out, and close down when coming back to port. This enables you to spend more time on the water, creating memorable moments. Let yourself be inspired by this video on how the Noblesse 660 is used in Oslo, Norway.
Equipment in the daycruiser – what should you look for?
Canopy
As with the bowrider, most daycruisers have the option of canopy foer the cockpit. This is a very nice feature when you meet bad weather or need to warm up if the temperature drops. Check the design of the canopy; how easy is it to assemble and de-assemble it, how much time do I use, how is it stored, is it high enough for you to stand uprised?
Lights
The daycruiser should also be a warm and pleasant place to stay when you are docked and the darkness falls. A good tip is to take a look at how the lights on the boat is when its dark, and how it looks. Is the lights in the cabin pleasant, is the cockpit well illuminated?
Storage space
Enough storage space for luggage, while at the same time being easy to handle is important for all the storage solutions on a daycruiser. Here the designs are different. Take a close look at the solutions on the boats you are evaluating. And again think of your use; is it enough to have sufficient space for daytrips or do you need space for a longer stay at sea?
Electricity
Depending on the size of your daycruiser, you might have access to double battery setup. This is beneficial for you, as the fridge, stereo, navigation and charging outlets will use electricity from the service battery, while you save the start battery. This is a good thing if you chose to stay 2 days out on the sea.
Navigation
The modern navigation systems have made it much safer and easier to naviagate on the sea. In some daycruisers you can fit 2 screens, in others 1 screen. There are also a rapid development pace in this area, and for many boats you are now able to control the whole vessel from the screen. Try to think of how you are using the boat and the needs you have with regards to navigation screens and instrumentation.
