Best Deck Boats For Active Families

Until recently, deck boats were virtually unknown within the boats industry. But now deck boats are finally getting the attention they deserve. The best deck boats are from major boating manufacturers like Bayliner, Sea Ray, and Hurricane. 

Buying a deck boat rose in popularity when boat lovers came to one big realization: cruising, water sports, and fishing with lots of passengers is safer with a deck boat. They are more sturdy and have more amenities, like an enclosed head and wet bar, along with good performance. Deck boats combine the comforts of an open-hull pontoon with a sporty fiberglass V-hull. And at about the same price point as wakeboarding boats, deck boats might be a great fit for what you need.

Deck boats are easy to drive, easy to dock and easy to haul, so it's no wonder that they have climbed in popularity as one of the biggest boats of all time. They can pull a water skier or a tuber easily and some are designed for wakesurfing and wakeboarding, too.

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What Are Deck Boats?

Deck boats are designed to incorporate what we love about fishing boats, what we need in a wakeboarding boat and the amenities of a pontoon boat.

A deck boat has a similar hull to a runabout with the open space of a pontoon. The extra space makes socializing easier for passengers and an overall more enjoyable experience onboard. 

Speed, performance, and agility are hallmarks of deck boats. They are generally quicker than a pontoon and handle like a wakeboarding boat. 

Best Deck Boats For Families

Sea Ray SDX 250 Deck Boat

Sea Ray SDX 250 makes our list for best deck boats because of it's integration with Sea Ray's expertise and modern consumer demands. It has more family-friendly features than other boats on the market. 

Best Deck Boat Features of the Sea Ray SDX 250

• Sliding seating

• Foldaway teak table

• Under deck storage

• Enclosed head compartment with toilet 

The coolest feature is the sliding seat in the stern of the back. The L-shaped bench conveniently slides out of the way to make more deck space. It has LED lighting underneath making the aesthetics really nice. 

Another great feature is the foldaway teak table with dedicated storage space. Keep it put away while you're out on the lake doing water sports, then simply pull it out and pop it into place on the table stand for lunch. It's great for families who want the extra deck space but need a dedicated table for meals.

There is tons of storage under the deck. Yes, under the deck. The Sea Ray SDX 250 deck boat has a huge amount of in-floor storage conveniently hidden below deck. It's just so cool. There is plenty of room on this boat for whatever you want to bring on board, like life jackets, tubes, water skis, and wakeboards. 

But the best part for families just might be the head. This deck boat has a head compartment with a toilet in the bow of the boat. 

It can hold 14 passengers and is 25 feet. You'll get a Mercury outboard motor and Mercury Vessel View for a totally digital and intuitive system. 

Sea Ray has a reputation for upscale craftsmanship, distinguished premium quality upholstery, and quality. And the Sea Ray SDX 250 deck boat doesn't not disappoint. It has an innovative bow seating design, and two reclining double transom seats. The reversible dual-width convertible transom seats are stylish and make it easy to socialize in comfort. 

Other Cool Features  

• Glass dash in the cockpit

• Extending rear swim platform

• Curved bimini 

• Extending swim ladder

• Sun lounging seating throughout

• Stereo system

Hurricane SunDeck 217 I/O Deck Boat

The Hurricane SD 217 I/O is designed to combine the amenities, capacity, and performance. It has 4 unique packages and are geared towards the family who loves to go fishing. 

You'll get all the amenities your family needs for a day out on the lake plus the space you want for all your friends and gear. And it has the performance benefits of a fiberglass V-bottom hull.

Hurricane Sundeck 217 I/O focuses on quality with an elegant and simple design. It's main goal is to provide comfortable seating for up to 11 passengers, a big stern-facing sun pad, and optional fishing chairs. 

Best Deck Boat Features of the Hurricane Sundeck 217 I/O

This is one of the best deck boats for customizing and getting some really great upgrades. It has 4 packages:

• Fishing Package comes with a fishing seat, a livewell, rod storage and pre-wiring the boat for a trolling motor. 

• Deluxe Fishing Package replaces the standard fishing chair with a deluxe chair

• Hardware Upgrade Package with stainless steel speaker covers, rubrail, and stainless steel cupholders

• Preferred Option Group comes with a boat cover, stern washdown and dual battery switch

Hurricane Sundeck boats have standard features that make this deck boat really stand out. You'll get Hurricane's NextWave Electrical system with water-resistant Deutsch connectors and push-button circuit breakers. It's easy to trace shorts with the grounded key circuits. 

 This deck boat also has an enclosed head compartment in the console has a sink and you can have a portable toilet or fixed pump-out toilet added on.

Other Cool Features 

• Foredeck elevated swimming platform

• Boarding ladder

• Installed 25-quart insulated cooler

• Stereo system

• Rod holders

Bayliner DX2000 Bowrider Deck Boat

Bayliner DX2000 Bowrider is a high performance deck boat with all the features and amenities a family needs to go out on the water. But the thing we love the most about it is the wet bar and beautiful upholstery with convertible seating. The aesthetic and attention to quality and upscale craftsmanship makes this one of the best deck boats for impressing your friends. 

Best Deck Boat Features of the Bayliner DX2000 

• Convertible rear seat

• Massive sunpad

• Wet bar (with sink) and comfortable eating area

• High performance 

The Bayliner DX2000 comes with a convertible rear seat that can be adjusted for cruising or socializing. It creates a massive sunpad area designed for lounging in our warm Arizona sun. 

There is a wet bar including sink and a built in table with tons of seating in the bow of this deck boat. The swim platform is easy to access and includes a freshwater wash down.  

This deck boat is almost 20 feet and can fit up to 10 passengers. It has a Mercury 200HP outboard motor, goes as fast as 50 MPH and cruises around 30 MPH. You'll have plenty of power in this high performance boat. 

Other Cool Features

• Swim platform

• Swim ladder

• Bimini

• Foldable ladder

• Built-in table

• Ski tow package (optional)

Final Thoughts

Sea Ray, Hurricane, and Bayliner all make great boats for crusing, water sports, and fishing. They have the amenities you need for families plus the fun stuff grown ups want. 

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