When Stony Lake, Ont., cottager Dave Rishor needs to transport gear, people, or both to his island cottage, he loads up one of his two Boston Whaler centre-consoles. “It’s good to have a boat you can rely on,” he says. “I like centre-consoles because they’re stable, roomy, and easy to clean.” Dave, a long-time realtor in the Kawartha Lakes area, is hardly alone in his appreciation of the multipurpose vessels. “I have seen more centre-consoles on the water in the last five years than ever.”
Sometimes described as the Swiss Army knife of boats, centre-consoles were originally designed for saltwater fishing. Models range widely in versatility, functionality, and length—from 13-foot runabouts to 65-foot cruisers. And though smaller models can lack creature comforts, they’re popular because they’re easy to operate and care for. “Cottagers really like this for the fact that it’s very utilitarian,” says Scott Brundle, the owner of Town & Country Marine in Lakefield, Ont. “For the last decade or so, I’ve seen a significant decline in the popularity of bowriders. Centre-consoles now make up about 15 per cent of my sales,” he says, “which is notable when there are so many subsections of boats in the industry right now.”
Deciding if a centre-console is right for you comes down to your needs and preferences, especially how and where you plan to use your boat. Here are the six most important things to keep in mind.
Layout
As the name suggests, the helm is in the middle of the boat, and that open-concept layout comes with a number of advantages. Because the driver has an unobstructed, 360-degree view, it’s easier to keep an eye on passengers, which makes these boats great for families. Docking is a piece of cake, even if you’re boating solo, because you have a full view of the bow and stern and there’s nothing preventing you from moving around to throw, grab, or tie lines. Since you sit up higher when you’re driving, you can also see obstructions or things floating in the water better when on the move. Having the console in the centre also increases your sense of control, says Dave. “I don’t know if it’s the centre of gravity or what, but you feel more connected to the boat,” he says. “You’ve got better visibility and better stability.”
Being able to easily access all sides is particularly helpful for fishing. You can cast from anywhere in the boat, and you have an open runway all around the console, which can come in handy when fighting a fish. “Visualize yourself on a lake fishing and you’re working a fish in. You’re in the bow and it moves to the back—you can just walk along the side of the boat,” says Brundle.
Ride
With some exceptions, there are two styles of centre-console boats. The off-shore style has a deep-V hull that can handle rough water and still provide a comfortable ride. These models are a good choice for big water that can become rough (looking at you, Georgian Bay). Meanwhile, centre-consoles also come in a bay boat style, which has a much shallower draft and is able to navigate shallow areas. These boats would be better suited to smaller lakes and docks in shallow water.
The majority of centre-console hulls are fibreglass, which means they’re considerably heavier than their aluminum counterparts, but that weight helps contribute to the stable ride. On the downside, heavier boats tend to burn more fuel, so they’re more expensive to run.
Seating
A typical centre-console that’s less than 24 feet may only have seating for four to six people. So, while it can certainly work as a family boat, the extended family probably won’t fit. Larger models can fit six to 12 people. Chatty families take note: since the console is in the middle of the boat, it can be hard for people in the bow to socialize with people in the stern.
Maintenance
Because they have little, if any, carpet and canvas, centre-consoles are easy to keep clean. And you won’t spend 20 minutes unsnapping canvas covers every time you want to take the boat out. Brundle describes them as the “easy button” of boats. “We’ve had people who’ve traded in bowriders or pontoons for a centre- console, saying, ‘I’m just so sick of canvas. It’s all this work at the beginning of the weekend to go for a little ride. I spend as much time uncovering and recovering the boat as I do actually using it.’ ” With a centre-console, you might have a cover on the helm, but, in general, getting on the water is a matter of untying the boat and taking off. They’re particularly popular with water-access cottagers, he says, who want to show up at the marina, load the boat, and get going as soon as possible.
Most centre-consoles are self-bailing, which means you don’t have to worry about pumping them out. “The floor of the boat is higher than the water level,” says Brundle. “So, if the boat’s sitting at the marina, and you get three days of rain, the water will just flow along the floor, through the relief valve, the scupper, and into the lake again.” And because they don’t have carpet, they dry very quickly too.
Exposure
One downside of a centre-console is lack of protection from the elements. Some models have hard or soft Bimini tops, but, in general, you’re exposed. Indeed, the same open concept that makes it so functional as a fishing boat also means that the helm is the only place to hide when the wind is blowing or rain is pelting down. For many people, that might be a deal breaker. “As much as everybody likes to be out in the sun and in the elements, we’re in Canada,” says George Kontos, a salesperson at Marsh’s Marina in Waubaushene, Ont. “We generally work in a three-month window for most casual boaters. In that period, do you get two full weeks of beautiful weather to be out in the elements?”
Utility
Cottagers who regularly host bigger groups may pair a centre-console with a spacious pontoon boat; others who are big into wakeboarding or wakesurfing may also want a dedicated watersports boat. In either case, a centre-console can be a great choice for a second boat. But they can certainly serve as an all-purpose primary boat. They often have decent storage, including rod lockers and a livewell, and the open deck means you can transport plenty of gear or supplies. While they don’t produce enough wake for wakesports, they’re fine for pulling a tube or waterskiing. Just because centre-consoles are made for work, it doesn’t mean they can’t play too.
Bob Sexton wrote “The Boats That Keep Us Afloat” in our Mar/Apr ’25 issue.
How’s the used market?
Depending on the brand, a new 18-foot centre-console will cost in the $45,000–$65,000 range; a 24-foot model can run upwards of $150,000. The price goes up depending on the size, trim, and accessories you choose. As for the used market, it generally reflects what’s hot in the new market, says Town & Country Marine’s Scott Brundle. And because they’re so popular right now, the used market for centre-consoles is quite strong. Centre-consoles hold their value well and will last a long time, if maintained properly. “If you buy a boat and never give it a buff or a wax in its life, and it sits on the dock for seven years, then the seats are going to cook and the fibreglass is going to look powdery,” says George Kontos of Marsh’s Marina in Waubaushene, Ont. “But if you take care of it and you use good vinyl protectant on your seats, the boat should last 25 to 30 years.”
Tariffs on new and used boats imported from the U.S.—where most boats sold in Canada come from—could drive prices up significantly.
This story originally appeared in our May ’25 issue.
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