If you are in the market for a new center console boat, here are four features that you need to make sure that your next center console boat has. These features will make your new center console boat both more functional and enjoyable to use:

#1 Lots Of Storage

Center console boats, based on the design, are really about open space and enjoying the water on all sides and angles of your boat. There is no storage under the boat that you can use. With a center console boat, it is all about unique ways that the storage is built into the overall design of the boat. You want to get as much storage space as possible, because even just taking a few passengers out on the lake can generate a lot of items – from fish poles, bait, sunscreen, hats, extra clothes, drinks and food, you are going to want a place that is out of sight to store all of these items so they don't clutter up the space on your boat.

Look for boats that have storage under all of the different seating options on the boat, as well as additional storage built into the command control center area on the boat. The more storage, the better.

#2 Higher Freeboard Height

Think carefully about where you want to use your boat. If you want to be able to use your boat on rivers, bays, and inlets while also taking your boat out into open ocean waters or out on large lakes that have waves on them, you are going to need a higher freeboard or sidewall. In order to be able to access bigger bodies of water, you are going to need to do with a higher sidewall. If that is not important to you, a lower sidewall will work. A lower sidewall will make it easier to get in and out of the water, but a higher sidewall on your boat will allow you to access more types of water.

#3 Boat Ladder

Third, make sure that your boat has a swimming ladder. Even if you feel like you are strong enough to just pull yourself up over the edge of the boat from the water, you never know who you will be carrying with you. You may have passengers that need to use a swim ladder to comfortably and safely get in and out of your boat. If anyone every goes overboard, or you rescue someone from another boat who has gone overboard, it can be easier to get someone back onto your boat with a swim ladder than by trying to pull them up and over the edge. Keep safety as a top priority with a swim ladder on your next boat.

#4 Transom Door

Along with a swim or boat ladder, you should also look for console boats that have transom doors. These are doors that have a very simple hinge system on them that allows you to easily gain access to your motor and rear deck as well as your swim ladder without having to climb over anything. This will make it easy for you to access the stern of your boat when you are out on the water and is a must-have feature for your next console boat. 

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