Best Budget Bowriders

Top five budget alloy bowriders for family boating and water sports

For family day boating and social water sports, nothing beats a good bowrider boat for versatility. Here's our pick of the top five budget alloy bowriders on the market. Each model is priced in the $53,000 - $60,000 range – depending on options and engine size. 

Bowrider boats have been popular with families and day boaters for decades. This open plan configuration, which generally includes a U-shaped or V-shaped seating area up in the bow - is perfect for taking families and friends out for a day on the water.

On the market today there are both fibreglass and aluminium bowrider boats available. The fibreglass models tend to be more luxuriously outfitted, more expensive than their aluminium counterparts. 

Conversely, alloy bowriders are more rugged in construction, durable in the long term, and cheaper. Alloy bowriders are ideal for budget-conscious boaters. 

Aussie boaters and fishermen are spoilt for choice when it comes to budget alloy bowriders, but the following five boats are among the best available. The boats are listed below in alphabetical order - not by ranking. 

Gulf Runner 510 Bowrider

A relatively new brand, Gulf Runner boats are made by Brisbane’s Merlin Marine exclusively for the Anaconda retail store chain. The boats can only be purchased through select Anaconda outlets. 

Gulf Runner has just the single 5.1m bowrider model, but it is well made with a 4mm pressed alloy hull bottom, 4mm transom and 3mm topsides. 

The 510 Bowrider is sold as a complete boat/motor/trailer package, the moderate vee hull paired exclusively with a Yamaha 90hp four-stroke outboard engine and a Dunbier galvanised steel trailer. 

The Gulf Runner is the most affordable of the budget bowriders presented in this article, but it is still well appointed with all the essentials you need to get out on the water.

Key features include a V-shaped bow seating area with infill cushion and board to convert it into a fishing deck, a centre opening, walk-through windshield, fibreglass dash module, pedestal helm chairs, cockpit bench seat/storage box, port side transom door, and more. 

Paired with the Yamaha 90hp outboard, expect a top speed in the 32 – 34 knot range. 

Specifications

Horizon 515 Seabreeze

Longstanding Gold Coast boat manufacturer, Horizon Boats has Seabreeze pressed alloy bowrider models available in 4.85m, 5.15m and 5.40m hull lengths.

For most boaters, the middle-sized 515 Seabreeze is the Goldilocks model – big, smooth and safe enough for bay and coastal boating and fishing, small enough to tow easily behind a family car – and to stow in the driveway at home. 

Like most Horizon alloy boats, the 515 Seabreeze is packed with features for its modest price. 

Stand-outs include the plush front seating area with fishing deck and safety gear storage lockers, wrap-around walk-through windscreen, carpeted timber cockpit floor, folding rear lounge, deluxe pedestal helm chairs, transom boarding platforms, and 4 x standard rod holders.

The 3mm pressed alloy Seabreeze ‘Hydro-lift’ hull has an overall length of 5.3m, and a widest in class 2.4m beam to provide excellent stability at rest.

The 515 Seabreeze accepts single longshaft outboard engines in the 80hp – 115hp range. For best performance, choose an engine size in between.

Specifications

Quintrex 520 Cruiseabout

In the renowned Quintrex boat range there are more than a dozen bowrider models – from the upmarket Freestylers with their distinctive, ‘pickle-fork’ shaped bows, to the more conventional Cruiseabout vee hull boats. 

Quintrex Cruiseabouts come in 481, 500, 520, 540, and 590 model lengths. The 520 series model is arguably the best for budget boaties, combining an affordable price with coastal boating and fishing capabilities. 

Like most modern Quintrex boats, the Cruiseabout has a convex shaped, variable deadrise hull bottom shape for class leading ride comfort in choppy water – along with excellent stability at rest.

The Cruiseabout is available in standard and Pro models. The standard boats don’t have quite as many inclusions as the deluxe Pro boats, but they are more affordable.

That said, the standard Cruiseabout has ample features – including a U-shaped front seating area with deeply padded backrests, walk-through windshield, pedestal helm chairs, and boarding platforms with telescopic ladder. 

Paired with the maximum 115hp outboard engine, the 520 Cruiseabout accelerates to a top speed of 34.5 knots. 

Specifications

Stacer 519 Wildrider

The Stacer name needs no introduction to Aussie boaters; this iconic brand has been manufacturing quality aluminium boats for half a century. 

Originally Melbourne based, now produced on the Gold Coast, the Stacer boat range is enormous – and includes five excellent bowriders. 

Like Quintrex, Stacer has a standard and a deluxe model range. The former is best for budget buyers as they have just enough features to get you out and having fun the water. There’s also the option then to buy only the extra gear you really need.

Our pick of the Stacer bowriders is the 519 Wildrider. This terrific family/fishing boat has a variable deadrise, flared bottom vee hull bottom - combined with smooth, ‘plate look’ topsides for a very attractive appearance. 

Similar to the other bowriders presented here, the Wildrider has a comfy seating area up front, curved, sleek looking centre opening windshield, and cockpit seating for five people. 

The 519 Wildrider is a smooth, dry, stable riding boat with 32 -34 knot performance achieved from a single 90hp longshaft outboard engine.  

Specifications

Stessco 520 Bowrider

Another excellent Aussie bowrider boat is the Brisbane made Stessco 520 Bowrider. One of five Stessco bowriders, the 520 series model is a very capable fishing/family boat. 

The four other Stessco bowriders include the smaller 490 Bowrider, along with larger 560, 600 and 640 series boats. There’s a model here for most family boating applications. 

Each is made with a sturdy pressed alloy hull bottom and smooth topsides – combined with a matrix of stringers and cross ribs underfloor to provide strength and rigidity.

The Stessco 520 Bowrider is a sharply priced, full featured trailerboat. It comes with plenty of standard gear – including a spacious front seating compartment with infill board, centre-opening windscreen, fibreglass dash module, deluxe helm chairs, cockpit bench seating, folding rear lounge, carpeted cockpit floor, transom door, and external transom boarding platforms with a fold-out portside ladder, and more.

The 520 Bowrider is an excellent bay and harbour sports boat/family day cruiser. The 2.27m wide, moderate vee hull is smooth, safe and stable - and you can expect mid 30 knot performance from outboards in the 90hp through 115hp size range. 

Specifications

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