The Best Bay Boat Brands
Bay boats are amazingly popular among inshore anglers, and these brands top the charts.
Bay boats are amazingly popular among inshore anglers, and these brands top the charts.
Flats skiffs may be ideal for fishing as shallow as possible, but most will beat you up and soak you down on long runs through choppy open water. Deep-V center consoles can smooth out that chop, but if you try to fish skinny waters you’ll run aground. Straddling both worlds are bay boats, which can get into fairly shallow water yet handle fairly rough conditions well, providing the best of both worlds to inshore anglers who enjoy everything from casting in the backcountry for specks and reds to trolling open waters for stripers. In recent decades more and more fishermen have gravitated towards bay boats, and every one of them has had to confront the same question during the boat-shopping experience: which bay boat brands are the best? The answer to this question will differ from one person to the next, but no matter who you are and where your priorities lie, these 10 top picks are surely worth consideration.
Bulls Bay
Bulls Bay lands on this list because they build a pair of bay boats, the 2000 and the 2300, which are no-frills fishing machines that serve their angling purpose well but cost significantly less than most of the competition. Both models feature fore and aft elevated casting decks, twin livewells and fishboxes, and vertical rodracks in the console. Neither has fancy cost-adding items like stereo systems, underwater lights, or jack plates on the standard features list (though you can opt for them). The boats are built rugged, and come backed by a 10 year structural hull warranty. If you want a straightforward, inexpensive bay boat rather than a complex, gentrified version, these belong on your must-see list.
See Bulls Bay bay boats for sale on boats.com
Caymas
Caymas is a relative newcomer to the world of bay boats and offers three models, the 26 HB, 28 HB, and 281 HB, all of which are “hybrid” bay boats which are designed to be useable both inshore and offshore (on relatively calm weather days). The 281 HB is unusual in that it’s one of the few bay boats around that carries twin engines, and with 600 hp on the transom can exceed speeds of 70 mph. And all Caymas models are unusual in that they run on the Michael Peters designed SVVT twin-stepped hull. These are exceptionally high-end fishing machines, too, with an immaculate fit and finish and plenty of comfort perks, but they don’t trade out fishability and boast huge livewells, expansive casting decks, and rodholders galore.
See Caymas bay boats for sale on boats.com.
Everglades
There’s a wide range of center consoles in the Everglades lineup, including three bay boats (the 243cc, 253cc, and 273cc) which some people might consider hybrids and others might call straight-up bay boats. Either way, one thing is for sure: these are some gorgeous boats, with a flawless fit and finish, excellent detail work, and finishing touches like powder-coated rails and slick hydraulic sliding windshields. More importantly, these boats are built with Everglade’s “RAMCAP” unsinkable construction. High-density foam is pre-molded into a core, then gets laminated between the hull and liner. The foam itself is three times stronger than the industry norm, and when all is said and done it results in a single bonded structure that reduces sound and vibration travelling through the boat.
See Everglades bay boats for sale on boats.com.
Grady-White
Famed builder Grady-White has three bay boats in their Coastal Explorer lineup, the 231 CE, 251 CE, and 281 CE. These are all extremely beefy boats (and many would consider some of these hybrids as well), and as anyone who’s been aboard a Grady-White already knows, they provide a ride much smoother than the norm thanks to the C. Raymond Hunt and Associates designed SeaV2 variable-degree deadrise hull. They also go well beyond the norm when it comes to comfort perks. On these boats you can expect to find touches like electric-actuated seatbacks, integrated three-sided windshield enclosures, freshwater systems with cockpit showers, and console compartments with heads inside.
See Grady-White bay boats for sale on boats.com.
Lowe
Most bay boats are fiberglass, but there are several brands building aluminum bay boats and Lowe is among the most popular. They offer 18, 20, and 22 Bay models which cost far less than most fiberglass bay boats, and thanks to the lightweight nature of aluminum, they require smaller tow vehicles for trailering and smaller outboards for power. They have all the must-have bay boat elements, including fore and aft casting decks, livewells, rocket launchers, and rod racks. That cost differential is huge, too, and the 22 Bay with a 115-hp outboard costs less than some fiberglass bay boats with three or four fewer LOA.
See Lowe bay boats for sale on boats.com.
NauticStar
Bay boats have always represented the core of the NauticStar line, and they currently offer one of the widest-ranging collections of models around. There are five traditional bay boats including the 194 Bay, 214 Shallow Bay, 214 Bay, 224 Bay, and 274 Bay. And in the hybrid department they offer the 191 Hybrid, 211 Hybrid, 231 Hybrid, and 251 Hybrid. A standout feature of the hybrid line is a bow similar to that of a deck boat, carrying the beam far forward to create extra space for both seating and fishing. NauticStar claims they’re America’s best-selling bay boats, and they’re backed up by a five-year component and limited lifetime hull warranty.
See NauticStar bay boats for sale on boats.com.
Pathfinder
Pathfinder is one of the rare builders to focus exclusively on bay boats, with a model line of eight choices from 22 to 27 feet including a Hybrid and two Open models in addition to the traditional bay boat designs. These are all serious fishing machines, with the high-end HPS models featuring vacuum-infused stepped hulls and just about every angling accouterment an angler could dream up. They also boast excellent fit and finish and eyebrow-raising performance; the 2600 HPS, for example, can cruise in the mid-40s and break 60 mph wide-open with a Yamaha F350 on the transom.
See Pathfinder bay boats for sale on boats.com.
Robalo
Robalo builds a wide range of boats including everything from fishing machines to more family-friendly dual consoles, and in that lineup there’s a diverse range of bay boats going by the Cayman name: the 206 Cayman, 226 Cayman, 246 Cayman, 246 Cayman SD, 266 Cayman, and 266 Cayman SD. Like all Robalos, these are known for providing a topnotch bang for the buck. While they certainly aren’t cheap, the prices are reasonable even as the boats come with long lists of standard features that most other builders would consider cost-adding options. Looking at the package deal, the Cayman line becomes very attractive.
See Robalo bay boats for sale on boats.com.
Scout
While Scout may be best known for its monster luxury center consoles, they also have a line of bay and hybrid bay boats including the 231 XB, 251 XSS, 261 XSS,281 XSS, and 281 X Signature. While these might not be as bodacious as those big center console yachts they most certainly maintain a luxury level surpassing that of most bay boats, with perks like thickly cushioned seating, bow platforms that convert into cocktail tables, three-sided tempered glass helm enclosures, and integrated stereo systems. They’re also known for their sleek, slick looks and an excellent fit and finish.
See Scout bay boats for sale on boats.com.
Sportsman
The Sportsman lineup has five bay boat and hybrid bay boat options including the Masters 227, Masters 247, Masters 247 OE, Masters 267, and Masters 267 OE. The brand as a whole is well known for delivering far more big-ticket standard features than the norm at a surprisingly reasonable price-point, and the Masters series holds true to this reputation. Even the smallest, for example, comes with the T-top (and integrated lights and stereo speakers), a complete electronics system, and the Seakeeper Ride vessel attitude control system — all included on the base-boat. The OE versions also stand out, with extended console loungers of the type we usually see only on larger deep-V center consoles that makes them a favorite among family anglers.
See Sportsman bay boats for sale on boats.com.
Which of these bay boat brands would prove ideal for you, your family, and your fishing buddies? That’s your call. But there’s no doubt that these 10 top bay boat brands are serious stand-outs in a crowded field of fishing machines.
