There are countless varieties of yachts on the market in 2024, in all different sizes, shapes and styles. In fact, there are so many variables that many yachts can fall into several different categories at the same time.
That said, most will fall into at least one of these basic categories of yacht designs:
- Aft Cabin
- Convertible and Flybridge
- Cruisers
- Downeast and Lobster Yacht
- Express
- Megayacht / Superyacht
- Motoryacht
- Motorsailer
- Pilothouse
- Pocket Yacht
- Sailing Yacht
- Trawler
Now let’s take a deeper dive into each of the above types of yachts and boat hull types.
Aft Cabin
Aft cabin yachts are exactly what the name implies: they have a cabin on the back of the boat, rather than an open cockpit. They can range in size from around 30 feet to well over 100 feet of LOA. In the past smaller versions in the 30- to 40-foot range were common, but these days most on the market are significantly larger. So if you’re looking for a relatively small aft cabin yacht, you’re likely to see more used models than new ones. The Silverton 352 is a great example, and although it isn’t built today, on the brokerage market this model is still in demand.
Convertible And Flybridge Yachts
Convertibles and flybridge yachts are essentially the same thing: they have a flying bridge over the main cabin, with full controls and a steering station up top. As a rule of thumb most sportfishing boats with bridges are called convertibles, and most cruisers that aren’t oriented to fishing are likely to be called flybridge boats. But there aren’t any hard and fast rules as to which term is applied to what boat and often manufacturers simply choose one or the other. Some use terms like “sedan bridge” or “command bridge,” as well.
