An express cruiser is a pleasure boat which is designed to provide people with both speed and comfort. Express cruisers are manufactured by a number of companies which build ships and boats, and there are numerous luxury versions available for people who like to boat in style. These boats can be taken on cruising outings of various length, from a casual day trip to a multi-day boating adventure which may include multiple ports of call.
Express cruisers have a very sleek design, with flush decks, a streamlined hull, and powerful engines which allow the boat to reach very high speeds. The area in the back of the boat and around the steering area is open, providing excellent visibility, and the enclosed cabin usually includes at least two berths, along with a small galley for cooking, an eating area, and a fully-equipped bathroom. These amenities make trips on an express cruiser more enjoyable than those on some more spartan motorboats which focus primarily on speed.
These motor yachts range in length from around 25 feet (roughly eight meters) to 45 feet (14 meters). Like other pleasure boats, an express cruiser can be a costly acquisition, and it can also be very expensive to maintain. Boat owners have to deal with fees associated with docking, in addition to the expenses involved in keeping the boat in good shape, ranging from costs for engine overhauls to the cost of fuel to keep the boat running.
People who enjoy boating but cannot afford the upkeep on a boat such as an express cruiser may own a boat collectively with friends or a cooperative of people who have agreed to pool their resources to pay for a boat. Owning a boat collectively can give people access to a high quality boat which they could not afford on their own, as long as they are willing to share the boat with members of the cooperative, which may mean that sometimes the boat is unavailable or they have to compromise when scheduling time with the boat.
Many boating publications provide regular reviews of existing boats and new models which are about to be released. People who want to buy or rent an express cruiser can use these reviews for research to learn more about the various options on the market and to get opinions on their quality and performance. Most dealers will also allow sailors to take their boats on a test drive to get an idea of how the boat handles.