The numbers that matter

Length overall drives cost and berthing; beam decides interior volume and stability; draft dictates where you can go; displacement hints at build and sea-keeping. Read these together rather than fixating on length alone.

Range, tanks and speed

Fuel and water capacity, cruising versus top speed, and real-world range determine how and where you can travel. A fast planing hull and a long-range displacement hull are very different tools.

Layout and headroom

Cabin count, berth layout, crew quarters and headroom shape day-to-day life aboard far more than the spec sheet suggests. Where possible, walk the boat — and picture your actual guests and use.