Speed boats are generally classified according to size, the accommodations, designs and the materials from which they are made. There are a variety of boats out there for the choosing. It is often that one dealer alone could have up to 40 models of speed boats for different types of purposes.

Typically, speed boats are small motorized boats that are designed for speed and agility. This is why a speed boat original function is for pulling water skiers, races and other water competitions. Because of its speed and quickness, it became ideal for use in patrolling beach lanes and is even proving its value as attack military vessels.

While the term speed boat often sparks the mind with the small agile and sleek looking crafts, there are different types of speed boats. An inflatable boat with a fast and strong motor attached to it is termed also as a speed boat though its main use is reconnaissance, beach landings and patrolling.

Power plants

Speed boats are equipped with power plants that are classified according to how the motor is installed. If the motor is removable, it is called an outboard motor but if the engine is installed in the boat it is called a power plant.

* Inboard/outboard are hybrid power plants. This power plant has its gear reduction and propeller outside the speedboat while the main engine is installed within the boat.

* Outboard motors are usually used in smaller crafts where the internal combustion engine, transmission and propeller are installed at the rear of the boat.

* Inboard engines have everything inside the boat except for the propeller and the shaft that connects it to the engine. Typically there are two types of purely inboard motors, the direct drive and the v-drive.   The v-drive engine is mounted at the back of the boat where the shaft runs towards the boats front making a V shape at the rear. The direct drive power plant is mounted in the middle of the boat with the propeller sticking towards the back of the boat for the propeller.

As speed boats are basically built for recreational use, most speed boats are made of fiberglass bottoms. While the original concept of speed boating was for sports and fun, the choices of speed boats gradually increased in variety and it is now common to find 40 different models to choose from in a many speed boat dealers. While many are still in the smaller sized category from 15 feet to thirty feet, specialized fishing boats and the luxury speed boats are also in popular demand.

Depending really on how the owner of a speed boat envisions its use, these boats could be made according to a buyers' specification and could offer him a lot of configurations. Luxury speed boats for example are well made and well spec-ed with all the appointments that an owner would like to have. Some speed boats are designed for sport and multi purpose fishing that could be sailed both on saltwater and fresh water with anglers on board, bedroom compartments, plumbing, a galley and are designed to stay in the water for days.

Owning a speed boat is very personal to most buyers that the design, color themes, graphics etc. could be configured to fit the owners requirements.