Flats boats for sale

Small boats with raised casting platforms and wide gunwales.

Read our helpful guide to Flats Boats

Flats boats

There is no other boat better for running on the flats than a dedicated flats boat, particularly as an angler wishing to catch fish that live in shallow coastal waters where these boats can often operate in less than two feet of water.

What are flats boats?

Flats boats are vessels usually used for activities such as saltwater fishing. This type of vessel can range in size from 13 feet to 27 feet with an average length of 19 feet. These boats are built by a wide variety of boat makers with hull types including flat, modified vee, tunnel, deep vee and other designs. Boat Trader currently has 383 flats boats for sale, including 143 new vessels and 240 used boats listed by both individual owners and professional boat dealerships across the country.

What are the best flats boats?

Some of the best-known builders of flats boats at present include: Hewes, Sundance, Spyder, Maverick Boat Co. and Shallow Sport. These builders manufacture flats boats models with outboard, outboard-4S, outboard-2S, inboard and other propulsion systems, available in gas, diesel and other fuel systems.

What are the most affordable flats boats?

Flats boats for sale on Boat Trader are available for a range of prices from a sensible $4,089 on the low-end all the way up to $143,700 for the most expensive boats. Models with more power can accommodate motors up to 960 horsepower, while the most compact and efficient utility models may have as low as 20 horsepower engines on them (although the average motor size is 115 HP).

Why are flats boats popular?

Flats boats are popular for their shallow draft and average beam, qualities that make these boats favorable for saltwater fishing. Flats boats are also popular boats for rivers and lakes and other shallow fresh bodies of water.