Yachts To Sea The Perfect Deck Boat

Deck Boat Advantage #1: ROOM

Without a doubt, the biggest advantage deck boats have over bowriders is the spaciousness of the interiors. Traditional bowriders tend to have very narrow beams. The beam is another word for width, and this makes a huge difference in the amount of room inside the boat. This is something you can feel immediately when you step inside of a boat.

If you look at specifications of many bowriders in the 18'-20' range, the beam typically measures 7'-7.5'. This narrow beam drastically limits seating capacity in a boat. Most of these boats have a bench seat in back, and it is cramped to have just 3 people sitting here. Moving forward, the walkthru to the bow is very narrow, and sometimes you even have to turn sideways to walk to the front of the boat. Not the case with the 191 Suncoast.

The 191 Suncoast measures a full 8'6" wide. That is HUGE for a 20' boat. 8'6" is the legal limit for trailerable width in most states. Just to give you an idea, the massive 27' Chaparral 267 SSX has the exact same width. Talk about bang for your buck!

Deck Boat Advantage #2: SEATING

The second advantage of deck boats over bowriders goes hand in hand with #1, and that is seating. The wide beam of the Chaparral 191 Suncoast allows for a much more open seating layout than traditional bowriders. When looking at a bowrider in this size range, you will most likely find the same layout on all boats - Dual captain's chairs, straight back bench, and side benches in the bow. There is nothing wrong with this layout at all, but it is not the best layout when more seating is a priority.

Chaparral has designed the 191 Suncoast with a much more open layout. In fact, the layout on the 191 is more similar to a pontoon boat. You will find a center walk-thru in the transom, bench seating on both sides of the cockpit, captain's chair, and wraparound bow seating. You can also add a filler cushion for the walk-thru for a full U-Shaped seating layout. This layout lends itself to several uses. If you have a large group of friends and family, you can fill the boat with the long bench seating. In fact, the Chaparral 191 Suncoast is rated for 12 passengers! That's unheard of in a 20' boat.

If you have just a few passengers with you, stretch out your legs and lean back into the wraparound backrests. You will feel like you are on your living room couch cruising down the lake.

Deck Boat Advantage #4: PRICE

One of the most important factors in buying a boat is usually price, and for 2018 the Chaparral 191 Suncoast starts at an incredible price of $29,999 including trailer! The great part about the 191 Suncoast is that you are looking at a value priced boat made by one of the most premium boat builders in the industry. Chaparral didn't skimp on quality with the 191. In fact, this boat is built with the same quality as all their other boats in many ways. Chaparral just toned down some of the bells and whistles to make this boat more affordable for many people. Great quality for a great price makes for a boat that will hold it's value better than most.

Deck Boat Advantage #5: Size-Restriction Friendly

If you boat on a smaller lake or body of water, chances are that there are limitations on the size boat you can use. This can be a problem for boaters who like to bring a large group with them. We have seen some lakes allow larger pontoon boats, but without a huge engine it's difficult to get the performance of a sport boat. The perfect answer is the Chaparral 191 Suncoast.

The 191 Suncoast has room similar to what you would find in a pontoon boat. It only measures 20' in length, so it's within the size restrictions of most lakes. It's hull design combined with a 115hp or 150hp engine makes the boat perform extremely well. You would most likely need to put a 300hp engine on a pontoon boat to compare with the performance of the 191 Suncoast with a 150hp, and at the point the pontoon would be at a much higher price point also.

Deck Boat Advantage #6: STORAGE

Another problem with small bowriders is the lack of storage space. There isn't much that can be done about this either. Most of a boat's storage comes under the seats and in the helm. This is another area which the Chaparral 191 Suncoast shines. As we mentioned earlier, the 191 Suncoast has much more seating and open space than similar sized bowriders. These extra seats mean more storage areas. Nearly all of the seats in the Suncoast open which have built in storage or coolers underneath. Chaparral makes use of every square inch possible in this boat.

Deck Boat Advantage #7: AMENITIES

As you are probably beginning to see, small bowriders are limited in so many ways. The size just doesn't allow the manufacturer to do as much as they would like. The 191 Suncoast features several things you will practically never see on a similar sized bowrider. The port side features a counter top with an optional sink. You typically don't see this on any boats smaller than 24'. The bow features a large, nonskid boarding platform with a bow ladder. This is great for boarding from a sandbar or beach. Bow ladders typically start on boats around 22'. Cooler space is always at a premium on smaller boats. The 191 Suncoast features multiple coolers. The port side features a removable cooler, and the center walk-thru features a built-in cooler area under a non-skid lid.