Here is a LOA 26’ 02” runabout bow rider boat that ends the running surface piece of its hull far short of where the swim platform ends or even where the boat’s deck ends. Its accepted within the boating industry that this is one way to spec a new boat offered for sale.

There is no spec as to the length of the part of the hull that is in contact with the lake when its up – on plane.

Nor is the “at rest” wetted hull length listed in the specs by the boat builder.  

Here, seabuddy measured the swim platform as about a 40” length and the recessed section of the hull as about another 12” more. So this boat could be also be referred to as a 22 footer. The boat builder calls this its 246 model.

So, is it a 22’, 24’, or a 26’ boat?

Its your money, so you decide what you want in a boat. I am just pointing out that a model name or an LOA number DO NOT always tells all of the story.

Hey, this is just the boat I have photos of to show the issue – not the only boat sold this way among all the new boat builders.

Just make sure of what you are looking at and BRING your own tape measure.