Your Guide to Choosing the Perfect Cruiser Boat
Cruiser boats, like that of day cruisers, weekend cruisers and cabin cruisers are designed for daytrips ,weekend trips or longer adventures at sea. It´s not uncommon to split the three categories based on the size of the boats, as the terminology differ from market to market:
- Day cruiser (or daycruiser): Boats equipped with a cabin for sleeping, often below 8 meters in size. These are often referred to in the USA as cuddy boats or cuddy cabin boats.
- Weekend cruiser (or weekendcruiser): Boats equipped with one or two cabins for sleeping, often above 8 meters in size. The design of these differ, some have a secondary berth as a part of the main cabin or have a separate cabin (like an aft cabin)
- Cabin cruiser (or cabincruiser): These are larger boats, always equipped with two cabins for sleeping. The definition of these boats are typically above 30 feet, and traditionally motorized with inboard engines. We have been experiencing a shift toward cabin cruisers motorized by outboards. This is due to the eased maintenance related to outboard engines,
In this market, scandinavian cruisers have increased in popularity, due to its driveability in combination with space and nordic design. More on that, later.
In this article, we will take you on a journey through the different types of boats you find in this segment.
The day cruiser boat (daycruiser boat)
The Day cruisers are typically from 6 to 8 meters, suitable for smaller families spending the night or for an adult couple for the weekend. It works fantastically for day cruising. Maximum allowed people onboard depends on the design of the boat, check the boat documentation for this.
The Nordic design and Scandinavian design is famous for its warm and pleasant cockpit. It is a pleasant area to stay during your time on the water and canopy solutions provides shelter during bad weather or colder nights.
Pay attention to the freeboard (height of the hull and deck), making sure that it fits your lifestyle and life stage. Immerse yourself in the design of the cockpit entrance and make a decision on what your needs are. Typical variations are mid-section entrances or side entrances (either port or starboard)
The cockpit layout is a key detail you need to consider. It´s all about the recreational space you need for flawless days at sea. Daycruisers are designed U-shaped couches, L-shaped couches or plain, straight aft couches. These all have drawbacks and benefits. The U-shaped couch seats more people but takes up space. The an L-shaped couch seats less people but improves access to the aft of the boat. Key question: how do we plan to use our boat, and how many will we be onboard.
The hull of the day cruiser 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. In general, you can split between stepped hulls and conventional V-hulls. Boats like the Nordkapp Noblesse 830 utilize an efficient conventional V-hull to decrease the planing threshold, and improve the fuel effeciency at lower speeds. The most important aspect to remember?: ask for a test drive.
Elements in the daycruiser – what should you look for?
Canopy/ sun roof/ bimini
Most daycruisers have the option of canopy, covering the full volume of the cockpit. This is a beneficial feature in bad weather or when you need to warm up. Familiarize yourself with the boat's canopy solution to ensure it meets your needs. Check assembly and de-assembly, how it´s stored, and the volume when the canopy is deployed.
Do also check if the canopy serves as a sun roof or bimini, like the ones of our Noblesse series.
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 assess its warm-dim capabilites. Key question: Are the lights in the cabin creating the atmosphere you want, and is the cockpit well illuminated? Remember, dimmable lights can do both.
Storage space
Suffucient storage space for luggage is important on a daycruiser. Familiarize yourself with the solutions on the boat you are evaluating. Is it enough to have sufficient space for daytrips or do you need space for a longer stay at sea?
Electricity
Double battery setup. This phrase is going to save you for a lot of hazzle at sea. Adding a battery will always keep your start battery working, as all consumption for the fridge, stereo, navigation and charging outlets will use the service battery. This is a good thing if you chose to stay 2 days out on the sea.
Kitchen/Pantry/ Wet bar
In smaller day cruisers or cuddy cabin boats, its harder to fit a large pantry or wet bar due to space restrictions. Some manufactures have clever solutions for this, like hidden pantrys or portable cookers. Two things you most likely will not want to live without: fridge and fresh-water-shower. Both makes like increasingly comfortable and easy onboard.
Navigation
The modern navigation systems have made it much safer and easier to navigate 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.
The cabin of the daycruiser
The daycruiser is a boat with cabin and has bedspace for 2 adults and maximum 2 children. If a secondary cabin, it can vary from a 90 cm wide bed and up to 140 cm wide beds. In boats less than 7,5 meters the toilet solutions are often in the main cabin, and not as a separate room.
The weekend cruiser (weekendcruiser) and the cabin cruiser (cabincruiser)
Moving a step up in size will take you to the weekend cruiser boat. Intuitively, these are boats providing more space, increased luxury and higher equipment levels. This has been a growing segment in the latter years, as boating has increased in popularity.
This type of boat is crafted for longer journeys and more challenging weather conditions. By increasing its size, you get a smoother ride, and will feel more shielded.
Engine sizes also increases on these boats, to provide the necessary power and fuel efficiency. Mercury supplies the most fully developed range of engines, all the way from inline-four, via V6,V8, V10 all the way up to V12. For weekend cruisers, you will experience the V8 or V10 as most viable single engine options, or sometimes V6 i twin configuration.
The hull of the weekend cruiser has seen a development in the use of stepped hull design, while many producers also remains committed to conventional V-hulls. Since many weekend cruisers move forward at slow speed for a majority of the time, the conventional V-hull can provide increased performance effeciency.
The Noblesse 830 is a weekend/ cabin cruiser from Nordkapp Boats, and the flagship of the Noblesse series. Join Emma for a thorough walkthrough and understand better what details to look our for when buying a cruiser like this.
Would you like more information on the Noblesse 830? Explore the boat here:
Elements in the weekend cruiser/ cabin cruiser
Canopy/ Sun roof/ bimini
Biminis and canopys for these larger weekend cruisers are, due to its sheer size, heavier and more demanding to fit. It is wise to test the canopy configuration on the boats you are assessing to uncover easy-to-use and difficult-to-use systems.
Electronics, navigation and lightening
Modern boats are becoming increasingly digital, with a wide array of devices at hand. Stepping into the weekend- and cabin cruiser segment, your boat changes from a means of transportation to an island on the sea. Attention should thus be given to design, colors, feel and look og both the interior but also lights on board. Dimmable lights are giving the benefits of making everything fully illuminated or providing a warm, cosy feel to the boat when dimmed down. Thus, we do recommend to focus on this when assessing a boat model.
Its also beneficial to be able to charge phones and tablets wherever you are in the boat, so check for this as well.
Most weekend cruisers and all cabin cruisers have space for 2 navigation screens, this is useful when keeping and eye on the sea map and keeping an overview of the engine data. In addition, if you utilize the radar function, these can be setup on the 2 screens. Make yourself aquainted with the system to maximize its potential in use.
Cabin and cabin layout
The cabin layout in a weekend cruiser benefits from more space than that of the daycruiser. The increase in the length of the boat typically provide a wider boat as well, giving a larger space inside. This in turn provides wider beds and most weekend cruiser are also equipped with a large secondary berth or even a secondary cabin (especially true for the cabin cruiser segment).
These boats also include a separate toilet, often including a shower option in the same room. it increases your privacy compared to the daycruiser where the shower function most of the time is found at the swimming platform (aft).
Kitchen/ pantry/ wet bar
On the weekend cruiser, the larger available space becomes a great benefit. Reviewing these type of boats, you should be looking at:
- Whats the capacity of the burner (how fast can I boil water)?
- What type of galley stove do I have?
- Is the sink sufficient in size?
- Do I have available kitchen countertop space?
- Where can I store cutlery and dishes in a practical fashion?
- Is there a 110/230V outlet close to the pantry for use of kitchen equipment?
In boats like these, the pantry is the heart of the vessel. Assess its position, capacity and flexibility to serve you and your family for a day at sea.
Storage space
The capacity if cupboards, drawers and storage compartments increases with the size of the boat. In weekend cruisers, you should be able to find sufficient space for stowing away clothes and assessories for a family of 4, for the duration of a weekend. Take a stroll around the boats you are evaluating and compare the stowing capacity and solutions of the boats to pick your favorite.
Fresh water system
We are used to surround ourselves with an increased level of comfort both at home and at sea. Providing you with both cold and warm water from the fresh water system on board, increases your ability to stay for longer trips at sea (typically with cabin cruisers) and comfort level (who does´nt like an increase luxury feeling when spending time in your boat). Check the capacity of the water tanks in the boats you are looking at, and where the outlets are.
Good luck on your adventures with the cruiser!
