Pocket cruisers and mini yachts are generally vessels under 50 feet in length overall, and can include express cruiser designs, flybridge yachts as well as either monohull or catamaran hull forms. They are cruising boats easily handled by a small, or even shorthanded, crew. Pocket cruisers generally have wave-taming hull designs and have the ability to take on sporty seas, offer comfortable accommodations belowdecks with one or two staterooms for extended voyages, “homelike amenities,” and the ability to cruise as slowly or as quickly as an owner desires with inboard- and outboard-power options. These pocket-cruising boats have the range for longer voyages, can pull up in skinny water at the sandbar thanks to shallow drafts, and head over the horizon where cruising adventure awaits. Pocket cruisers are true multitasking yachts. When it comes to family and couples cruising, it’s hard to beat a well-built and well-equipped and pocket cruiser.
Best Cruising Boats Under 50-Feet
The following 14 pocket cruisers and mini yachts are all vessels we’ve seen, been aboard, and tested. They are listed in no particular order.
- Galeon 450HTC: a three-stateroom express cruiser with 28-knot speed
- Sabre 43 Salon Express: timeless lines and a layout geared for the cruising couple
- Apreamare Gozzo 38 Cabin: an enclosed version for all-season cruising
- Fountaine Pajot MY5: a range of 1,000 nautical miles and a draft of less than four feet
- Tiara 48LE: entertaining amenities with a sporty hull at 46-plus-knot speed
- Galeon 440 Fly: thoughtfully designed with the cruising family in mind
- Hood 35 LM: high-tech, family-friendly pocket cruiser
- Aquila 42: sleek power catamaran ready to entertain
- Azimut Verve 42: small, yet mighty yacht ready for open water
- Hinckley Yachts 35: luxury picnic cruiser with range
- Beneteau Gran Turismo 45: sleek cruising yacht with all the amenities
- Cruisers Yachts 42 GLS: luxury cruiser yacht with powerful outboard options
- Back Cove 34O: modern outboard power combined with classic Downeast styling
- Picnic Boat 40: speedy and fuel-efficient vessel with great looks
Galeon 450HTC
This is a boat that should be easy for a couple or a solo skipper to run. A starboard door next to the helm allows the operator to get on deck and handle lines. For a spouse or crew, a doublewide upholstered seat is close by.
Quick Specifications
| Length Overall: | 45’ 9” |
| Maximum Beam: | 13’ 8” |
| Fuel Capacity: | 450 gal. |
| Freshwater Capacity: | 112 gal. |
| Displacement Est.: | 34,615 lbs. |
Sabre 43 Salon Express
The 43’s salon has a warm, welcoming, standard teak-and-holly sole, enhanced by equally warm, welcoming, grain-matched, satin-finish cherry wood—also standard. This wood combination is found throughout the yacht’s interior. Volvo Penta 380 hp IPS-500s are standard, while the 480 hp IPS10-650s are an option for additional power.
Twin 12-inch Raymarine Axiom multifunction displays are in the console, along with a 7-inch Volvo Penta electronic vessel control display. There is space for more electronics, such as the autopilot, Side-Power bow and stern thrusters, and an Optimus electronic power-steering controller. Backlit push-button switches are mounted in the dash.
Quick Specifications
| Length Overall: | 47’ 2” |
| Maximum Beam: | 14’ 2” |
| Fuel Capacity: | 432 gal. |
| Freshwater Capacity: | 150 gal. |
| Displacement Est.: | 32,000 lbs. |
Apreamare Gozzo 38 Cabin
The idea behind the Gozzo 38 Cabin is that boaters can use it to go cruising all year round, thanks to a helm and salon that can be fully enclosed to protect the skipper and guests from the weather. That space can also be opened aft with doors to the cockpit, creating an indoor-outdoor entertainment zone on the main level. Styling on the Gozzo 38 Cabin includes a nod to the traditional looks that Apreamare has had since it began building boats in 1849.
Quick Specifications
| Length Overall: | 37’ 7” |
| Maximum Beam: | 12’ 2” |
| Fuel Capacity: | 700 gal. |
| Freshwater Capacity: | 200 gal. |
| Displacement Est.: | 17,637 lbs. |
Fountaine Pajot MY5
The MY5, the first flybridge catamaran in the Fountaine Pajot powercat line and previously known as the MY40, pushes the boundaries of powercat cruising in speed, safety and style.
Thanks to its dual-hull cat design with suspended central platform, the MY5 offers increased interior volume, long range and stability, at rest and underway. Powercats are also highly efficient, requiring less propulsion to achieve similar speeds and ranges as conventional monohull vessels.
Quick Specifications
| Length Overall: | 42’ 4” |
| Maximum Beam: | 19’ 6” |
| Fuel Capacity: | 400 gal. |
| Freshwater Capacity: | 120 gal. |
| Displacement Est.: | 31,000 lbs. |
Tiara 48LE
When it comes to Tiara Yachts, the talk around the dock is that its boats are “overbuilt,” meaning they are constructed to handle harsh conditions. This compliment is born out of the company’s Great Lakes heritage, where the tighter wave periods and unpredictable weather patterns can make things uncomfortable in a hurry. The Tiara 48 LE, the flagship of the builder’s outboard-powered sport lineup, lives up to that rugged reputation while leveling up the luxury amenities.
Quick Specifications
| Length Overall: | 48’ 4” |
| Maximum Beam: | 14’ 2” |
| Fuel Capacity: | 660 gal. |
| Freshwater Capacity: | 100 gal. |
| Displacement Est.: | 32,500 lbs. |
Galeon 440 Fly
Designer Tony Castro penned the Galeon Yachts 440 Fly, a yacht that looks long, lean and fast, even at rest. And beyond the vessel’s sleek profile is a nicely appointed two- or three-stateroom, two-head layout with multiple entertainment and lounging areas—far more creature comforts than you’d expect to find aboard a boat with such a slender appearance.
Quick Specifications
| Length Overall: | 45’ 8” |
| Maximum Beam: | 13’ 8” |
| Fuel Capacity: | 450 gal. |
| Freshwater Capacity: | 112 gal. |
| Displacement Est.: | 36,597 lbs. |
Hood 35 LM
When Android co-founder, Rich Miner, wanted a new family-friendly pocket cruiser, he turned to a custom-penned C.W. Hood design and a Lyman-Morse-built 35-footer, which has a timeless Down East profile matched to seriously modern technology under the hood.
This yacht looks like a traditional, cold-molded Down East dayboat, but actually, it has everything, from Hamilton HJX Series water-jet drives to a planned Sea Machines autonomous command-and-control system. Top speed: 40-plus knots.
Quick Specifications
| Length Overall: | 34’10” |
| Maximum Beam: | 11’6″ |
| Fuel Capacity: | 350 gal. |
| Freshwater Capacity: | 60 gal. |
| Displacement Est.: | 19,000 lbs. |
Aquila 42 Yacht Power Catamaran
Following the success of its 44-, 54- and 70-foot power catamaran models, Aquila has launched the stable-as-a-table, owner-operator-ready Aquila 42 Yacht Power Catamaran.
The Aquila 42 is the entry point into the builder’s yacht line and is noteworthy for its ability to accommodate anywhere from a two- to four-stateroom layout, depending on the owner’s cruising requirements. There are alfresco spaces to manage the sunset cruise with friends and family, including a foredeck lounge area that can be accessed via centerline steps from the flybridge. The Aquila 42 is available with several Volvo Penta diesel-engine options.
Quick Specifications
| Length Overall: | 41’6″ |
| Maximum Beam: | 21′ |
| Fuel Capacity: | 290 gal. |
| Freshwater Capacity: | 132 gal. |
| Displacement Est.: | 41,895 lbs. |
Azimut Verve 42
Want to cruise from Florida to Bimini in about an hour? The Azimut Yachts Verve 42 can do that thanks, in part, to triple 450 hp Mercury Racing outboards and a hull designed to dice-and-slice a seaway. Top hop: 45 knots. The Verve 42 also has style for miles with a fine entry, raked hardtop, and a razorlike sheerline accented by sweeping hull glass from bow to stern. It’s striking.
With accommodation for a family of four, the Verve 42 is also solid under the hull tokeep everyone safe on those passages. The Verve 42’s hull is built of fiberglass and uses vinylester resins for blister protection. The yacht’s deck and hardtop are comprised of carbon fiber for strength without added weight. This all means that the Azimut Verve 42 is built to CE Classification Type A, making it suitable for sea voyages where winds can exceed 45 mph and seas to 13 feet.
Quick Specifications
| Length Overall: | 42’4″ |
| Maximum Beam: | 12’11” |
| Fuel Capacity: | 462 gal. |
| Freshwater Capacity: | 66 gal. |
| Displacement Est.: | 30,865 lbs. |
Hinckley Yachts 35
The Hinckley Yachts 35 takes everything that yachtsmen like about this pedigreed-brand’s classic profile and infuses today’s modern outboard power to create 40 knots of sheer fun wrapped in sheer luxury.
This 35-foot Hinckley is built on a Michael-Peters-penned hull form with a fine entry, wider-than-average chines and a moderate deadrise. While the boat is built to sprint when desired, it’s also a relatively economical cruiser. For instance, a comfortable 24-knot cruise the Hinckley Yachts 35 has a 276-nautical-mile range.
It also has a tech-build thanks to vacuum-infused carbon-fiber composites and epoxy resin. An integrated interior structure is infused with the hull adding rigidity. The hull is then post-cured in an 80-foot oven, further strengthening the structure.
Quick Specifications
| Length Overall: | 38’8″ |
| Maximum Beam: | 11′ |
| Fuel Capacity: | 250 gal. |
| Freshwater Capacity: | 35 gal. |
| Displacement Est.: | 13,174 lbs. |
Beneteau Gran Turismo 45
The Beneteau Gran Turismo is the flagship of the builder’s four-model GT series, which also includes 32-, 36- and 41-foot models.
The Gran Turismo 45’s cruise-centric layout includes two staterooms and two heads belowdecks, as well as a galley down. There is also a dinette for meals and a settee for rainy-day lounging. Entertaining guests and enjoying the sun is the primary mission of the main deck.
Quick Specifications
| Length Overall: | 48’6″ |
| Maximum Beam: | 13’9″ |
| Fuel Capacity: | 238 gal. |
| Freshwater Capacity: | 106 gal. |
| Displacement Est.: | 24,782 lbs. |
Cruisers Yachts 42 GLS
Outboard-power cruising aficionados will appreciate the triple-engine options for the Cruisers Yachts 42 GLS. The 42 GLS we got aboard had the triple 400 hp Mercury Verados, which produced a top hop of 45 knots, but triple 450 hp Verados are available. Triple 350 hp Mercury Verados are the standard engine option. No matter the power arrangement, this express cruiser can easily be used for wakeboarding and tube towing. The 42 GLS is designed to handle the rough stuff too, with a fine entry and 21-degree transom deadrise.
For cruising enthusiasts, the 42 GLS has a master stateroom with an athwartships and a nearly queen-size berth, and the lower salon’s U-shaped dinette converts to a queen-size berth for the kids.
Quick Specifications
| Length Overall: | 42′ |
| Maximum Beam: | 13′ |
| Fuel Capacity: | 403 gal. |
| Freshwater Capacity: | 50 gal. |
| Displacement Est.: | 27,000 lbs. |
Back Cove 34O
Combining modern outboard power with classic Downeast styling, the Back Cove 34O touts award-winning standards with cruising in mind. The 34O is equipped with twin 300 hp Yamaha outboards, engines that allow the Newport International Boat Show’s 2018 Best Powerboat Under 35 Feet winner to travel up to 214 nautical miles at 24 knots on a 250-gallon fuel tank.
Belowdecks, the 34O has an island double berth and a split-head arrangement with the toilet to port and a separate shower stall to starboard. On the main deck, a U-shape dinette to port accommodates four or more guests on the Back Cove Yachts vessel. The 34O’s galley is equipped with a Cuisinart microwave, a two-burner Kenyon electric cooktop and a Vitrifrigo fridge and freezer.
Quick Specifications
| Length Overall: | 38’11” |
| Maximum Beam: | 11’10” |
| Fuel Capacity: | 242 gal. |
| Freshwater Capacity: | 60 gal. |
| Displacement Est.: | 17,000 lbs. |
Hinckley Picnic Boat 40
Hinckley Yachts unveiled its first Picnic Boat more than two decades ago. Now, after two previous, sub-40-foot models, the Maine-based boatbuilder has developed its largest and most advanced model to date: the Picnic Boat 40.
Twin 480 hp Cummins diesel engines paired to twin Hamilton 322 jet drives propel the yacht to a 30-knot cruising speed and 34 knots on the pins. With optional twin 550 hp Cummins diesels, cruise and top-end speeds jump to 35 and 38 knots, respectively.
There is an L-shaped settee with a table and a wet bar on the main deck to port. The helm station is forward and to starboard with a benchseat for two. There is also a companion seat across from the helm. Belowdecks, there is 6-foot-2-inch headroom, and the dinette table drops to form a California-king berth for overnights and weekending.
Quick Specifications
| Length Overall: | 42′ |
| Maximum Beam: | 12’10” |
| Fuel Capacity: | 375 gal. |
| Freshwater Capacity: | 80 gal. |
| Displacement Est.: | 25,000 lbs. |
