The 4 Best Boats Made In Florida & How To Pick The One For You
If you’ve been dreaming of your own boat, Florida boat builders are a good place to start. A wide variety of boats are made in Florida, one of which is sure to make your boating dreams come true.
Table of Contents
- What are some boat manufacturers in Florida?
- Florida Boat Manufacturers
- Choose Your Ideal Florida Boat
What are some boat manufacturers in Florida?
What boats are made in Florida? A wide variety of boats are made in Florida, but some of the most famous and popular are the Floral City Airboat, Crevalle Boats, Baycraft, Bertram, and Yellowfin. Between these manufacturers, you can find airboats, shallow-water skiffs, deep-water fishing boats, and luxury liveaboard yachts.
Whatever boat you’re dreaming of, the chances are you’ll find it in Florida. There are a number of superb boat manufacturers in Florida to help you meet whatever need you have. Here are some of the best boat manufacturers and a little bit of what they have to offer:
Florida Boat Manufacturers
Floral City Airboat
In the land of the Everglades, it should be no surprise that there is a great manufacturer of fan boats. After all, these are the ideal boats for traveling in the shallowest water.
Whether you’re exploring the Everglades or the coastal areas, Florida has its fair share of shallows. This company makes all kinds of boats, from small airboats for the casual fisherman to commercial and touring boats. They also sell their used airboats if you’d like a reduced price.
Here are the types of boats Floral City Airboat manufacturers:
- Ride boats
- Commercial
- Touring
- Fishing and hunting
- Search and rescue
- Law enforcement
- Ice
Best Boat For Cruising And Exploring: Floral City Airboat Aquatic Spray
This is one of Floral City Airboat’s latest boats, designed in 2021. It is a 16-foot airboat with a beam of 8 feet. An all-aluminum hull gives this airboat superb durability, even if you hit a few bumps along the way.
450hp of engine power is plenty to power you through the water. A stainless cage, exhaust system, and rigging help this boat to hold up to fresh or saltwater use. 40 gallons of fuel is plenty to keep you going all day long.
This airboat is comfortable for the ride too, with a non-skid deck floor and customized seat cushions, along with a custom Bimini top to keep you cool even on hot days. It even comes with an aluminum trailer specially made by Floral City Airboat. Optional features include a GPS and depth sounder as well as a boarding ladder.
Best Boat For Fishing Or Hunting: 2021 Floral City Airboat Fish/Hunt/Ride
If you want to do more with your airboat than cruise, this may be a superb choice for you. This boat is an excellent option for either hunting or fishing in shallow, marshy water.
It features a smooth, flat deck that is easy to cast or shoot from and also provides a superb space for a retrieving dog to jump off if you’d like to hunt waterfowl. Features like an included live well and fish box make it easy for you to start your adventure as soon as you get on board.
Crevalle Boats
Crevalle boats are designed to be equally appealing to the fishermen and their families. Sick of boats that only worked for the fisherman and left the family frustrated and bored, Crevalle started a company that appealed to both pleasure cruising and fishing audiences.
These hybrid boats have found a special niche for family fishermen. They aren’t a huge company, but they have a dedicated fan base.
Crevalle uses a unique method to create their boats, known as the Crevalle resin infusion manufacturing process. They integrate boat parts so that there is less vibration and reduced noise. That means that Crevalle boats may offer a smoother ride than the competition. Although there’s a lot of variation in Crevalle boats, each features the following:
- Space-saving design that gives you a roomier experience onboard than other boats of the same size.
- Smooth ride that splashes less often
- Cooler for fishing and a cooler for food and drinks come standard on every boat
- Notched transom to make it easier to take off even in very shallow water
- For optimal comfort, there is an optional marine misting cooling system to keep you cool on the hottest days that can be integrated into any boat.
You can choose from a number of available Crevalle models or you can build your own. You can customize everything from power to color. Boats come in 24, 26, and 33 ft lengths.
Bay Craft
Bay Craft boats is a long-standing Florida company, founded in the 1980s. You can expect to see a number of Bay Craft boats wherever you are on the water in Florida, fresh or salt.
Like most other Florida boat manufacturers, they focum on shallow water Manufacturing. Their boats are lighter than the competition, enabling them to use smaller engines to accomplish the same power and making it very easy for them to be towed even by relatively small vehicles.
Their boats are stronger while being more buoyant than most other boats of the same size. Therefore, they can make Flatboats, Skiffs, and Bay boats that outcompete most others on the market. You may be surprised by the price that you can get these great boats at. This company is much more affordable than some other high-end boats.
Baycraft makes five different models, each for use on flats and in other shallow water situations. They use a unique manufacturing process with high-impact resin and closed-cell foam to make their boats both very durable and unsinkable. They use extremely high-grade marine hardware and stainless steel and meticulously install them so that their boats hold up well to harsh weather conditions.
Here are the models that Baycraft makes:
- Bone Skiff 162. Designed for anglers that don’t want to take up too much room when the boat is in storage, this little skiff can fit in the average garage on its trailer and can be towed by almost any vehicle, but it isn’t lacking in features on the water, like a self-bailing cockpit and high-density closed-cell foam core construction.
- 175 Pro Flats. If you want to be able to handle the shallows but also want a great ride on the open water, this may be the one for you. The V-shaped hull is designed to cut through the waves without any pounding.
- 180 Tunnel Explorer. This model is highly customizable so that you can design it exactly how you want. Hydraulic jack plate and trim tabs come standard.
- Tournament 18. This model is also highly customizable, but it also comes with under-the-seat storage, hydraulic jack plate, and trim tab standard.
Bertram
If your primary goal in choosing a fishing boat is a rugged design, a Bertram might be the right boat for you. These boats are designed to be seaworthy even in rough conditions, and they are superb open-ocean fishing boats.
Unlike so many other Florida boat makers, which are focused on shallow water design, Bertrams are designed to handle the open ocean. They make a variety of boats for open ocean fishing, each of which has a lot of luxury built-in:
The CC Models
Bertram makes 4 CC models. There are three sizes, 28, 33, and 39 ft. Even the smallest, the 28-footer, can entertain as many as 12 people on a comfortable ride, thanks to the wide beam and wrap-around bow seating. Exits on both sides of the boat make it easy to get in and out.
The 35 Flybridge
This boat provides a very comfortable cabin, so you can enjoy lengthy daysail or even overnight journeys. This could even be a live-on boat for the right person. A large wet head offers hot showers and the huge cockpit provides rooms to stretch out and relax whether you’re fishing or cruising.
50 Express
This luxurious boat can’t be called anything other than a yacht. Two staterooms and heads and your choice of convertible or open design make this a great boat for long journeys and for living aboard.
If you want to spend all of your time on the open water in luxury, this is the boat for you. It is designed to live-aboard and take your friends and family with you.
Yellowfin
If you want an affordable fishing boat in your choice of models that are ideal for shallow or deep water fishing, this may be the boat manufacturer for you. Yellowfin has dozens of different versions in various sizes ranging from 17 ft to 42 ft, and gives you options for bay fishing, flat fishing, or offshore fishing.
Every aspect of these boats is customizable, from the side and bottom colors to your choice of engines to how the seating is arranged. If you want a boat that you can design every detail of for a reasonable price, this is very likely the maker for you.
Smallest Option: 17 Foot Skiff
This straightforward poling skiff is nonetheless built on the same principles as their offshore boats. Vinyl ester resin infusion wrap with kevlar gives it superb strength, and it is laid out ergonomically to suit your needs whether you’re fly fishing or using live bait.
Largest Option: 54 Ft Offshore
Every aspect of this boat is customizable, and it provides an ideal fishing platform, lots of storage, live wells to keep your bait fish in great shape, and plenty of room to move around.
Choose Your Ideal Florida Boat
These are some awesome Florida boat makers that people come to buy from surrounding states miles and miles away.
Florida is truly a land of boate people and fishermen, and that couldn’t be clearer from looking at how many quality boat manufacturers are in the state.
Whether you want a casual skiff for hour-long fishing trips or you’re looking for a live-aboard yacht, you can choose your ideal boat maker in Florida.