Eight categories, one buyer-oriented score
| Category | Weight | What ABG considers |
|---|---|---|
| Weather protection | 20% | Enclosure type, protected helm, doors, cabin concept and year-round usability. |
| Family usability | 15% | Overall size, protected seating, practical cruising mission and family-oriented layout. |
| Overnight capability | 15% | Boat size, enclosed accommodations and the practicality of spending nights aboard. |
| Deck usability | 15% | Walkaround movement, access between helm/bow/stern and general operating ergonomics. |
| Performance | 10% | Propulsion concept and category-relative performance positioning. |
| Versatility | 10% | How many missions the platform can realistically cover—commuting, family days, cruising, activities. |
| U.S. support | 7.5% | Dealer visibility, service ecosystem and practical availability in the United States. |
| Relative value | 7.5% | Feature/mission value relative to the segment. This is not simply “cheapest boat wins.” |
Why the score is not a winner-take-all ranking
A buyer in Maine who boats in April and November may rationally put far more weight on weather protection than a buyer in South Florida. A family planning weekends aboard may care more about accommodations than acceleration or open cockpit area. ABG therefore publishes the category scores, not just the weighted total.
The overall number is useful for orientation. The category breakdown is more useful for a purchase decision.
What is deliberately excluded
ABG does not assign a score to unverified claims about hull strength, offshore safety, ride quality, fuel economy or resale value unless there is enough comparable evidence to support it. Manufacturer marketing language is not converted directly into points.
How scores will improve
As Adventure Boat Guide gathers first-hand sea trials, owner interviews, dealer data, pricing observations and service-network information, the score methodology can incorporate more measured evidence. Pages are date-stamped so readers can see when the underlying analysis was last updated.
Use the score
Open the ABG comparison engine to place any two boats in the database side-by-side, or browse the model database.