Trawler, cruiser, sportfish or sailboat?

Choosing a type of boat · Power & sail

Choose the type of boat from how you'll really use it: where you'll cruise, how far, how fast, with whom, and whether you'll live aboard. Hard limits such as air draft, water draft and slip size can rule boats out before taste does.

What each type is built for

• Trawlers: efficient, roomy boats built for long-range cruising at a relaxed pace.
• Cabin cruisers and motor yachts: boats with sleeping space, a galley and a head, built for weekends and longer trips.
• Sportfishing yachts: built for offshore big-game fishing, with range, fishing gear and living space.
• Sailboats: wind-driven boats from daysailers to long-distance cruisers. They add rig upkeep, and masts must come down for some inland routes.

Living aboard and Pacific Northwest cruising

• Pacific Yachting calls older Taiwan trawlers well suited to sheltered cruising such as the Salish Sea, though most aren't bluewater boats.
• Layout matters every day. A tri-cabin or sundeck gives families separate cabins; a sedan or europa suits a couple. A europa's wide upper deck shields the windows from rain, useful in the shoulder seasons.
• Think about moving around aboard: steep companionways can be hard on knees, while layouts with a few short steps are easier.

The Great Loop

• The lowest unavoidable fixed bridge on the Loop is charted at 19.6 feet (Illinois River, mile 300.6). The boat must clear it, lowering antennas or arches if needed; most sailboats unstep the mast.
• The Loop association recommends a draft not much over 5 feet. Canada's Trent-Severn is kept at 6 feet but asks boats drawing over 5 feet to sign a waiver, and some Loopers suggest 4 feet there.
• Other limits shape the route: 15 feet of clearance for the Erie Canal to Lake Erie, 17 feet for downtown Chicago, and about 240 miles between fuel stops on one stretch.

Day use and weekends

• For day trips and the odd weekend, a smaller cruiser costs less to keep; slips, haul-outs and many fees are charged by length.
• Be honest about use. A marina chain's 2026 guide suggests renting is often cheaper for people who get out fewer than 20 to 30 days a year.

General guidance for recreational boaters, researched from the sources listed and written in our own words. Your equipment manuals, local knowledge, the Navigation Rules and a qualified instructor come first.