Buyer's Guide · 7 min read
20,000 lb or Less: Lift Friendly Day Boats for Tampa Bay
Compare 12 day and weekend boats for a 20,000 lb lift on Tampa Bay and Gulf Coast canals. Loaded weight, beam, air draft and a checklist for owners.
By Michael J. Johnson, Licensed Florida Yacht Advisor (EBK12498), Autograph Yacht Group ·
Vinoy Yacht Basin by Calmuziclover, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Specs gathered November 2, 2026 from builder and dealer published figures. Always confirm current specs with the builder.
Why lift weight matters on Gulf Coast canal homes
Many canal homes from Tampa Bay down to Naples keep a boat on a lift. This article uses 20,000 lb as its cutoff and compares day and weekend boats against it. The number to compare against any lift rating is not the brochure dry weight. It is the weight of the boat as you actually use it.
A simple way to estimate loaded weight:
- Start with the published dry weight (check whether it includes engines)
- Add fuel at about 6.1 lb per gallon of gasoline
- Add fresh water at about 8.3 lb per gallon
- Add about 500 lb for gear, ice, coolers, anchors and batteries
People are not included in these estimates, since a boat is usually lifted empty. The estimates below assume full tanks, which is the heaviest case.
Side by side comparison
| Model | LOA | Beam | Dry weight | Est. loaded | Air draft | Cabins / berths | Heads | Engines | Fits 20,000 lb lift |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regal 34 SAV | 35'3" | 10'11" | 15,200 lb | about 18,130 lb | 10'6" | 2 sleeping areas / 4 | 1 | Twin outboards to 850 hp | Yes |
| Sea Ray Sundancer 320 OB | 34'9" | 10'7" | 14,566 lb | about 16,674 lb | 8'11" (10'11" with radar) | Mid berth plus convertible forward berth / 4 | 1 | Twin 350 or triple 250 | Yes |
| Formula 350 Crossover Bowrider OB | 35'0" (38'9" with outboards) | 10'9" | 14,975 lb with hardtop | about 17,253 lb | 9'8" with hardtop | 1 / 2 to 3 | 1 | Triple 300 or 350 | Yes |
| Cruisers 34 GLS OB | 35'10" (38'4" with outboards) | 11'10" | 15,800 lb | about 17,832 lb | 12'11" to mast light | 1 plus aft single berth / 3 | 1 | Twin 300 or 400 | Yes |
| Four Winns TH36 (catamaran) | 38'5" | 14'7" | 15,955 lb (unconfirmed whether engines are included) | about 18,358 lb | 13'10" | 2 / 4 | 2 | Twin outboards to 700 hp | Yes on weight; wide beam |
| Boston Whaler 350 Realm | 35'6" | 10'10" | 13,600 lb without engines | about 19,330 lb | 8'10" (9'11" with radar) | 1 / 2 | 1 | Triple 300 | Marginal |
| Pursuit S 358 Sport | 37'4" | 11'4" | 16,618 lb with engines | about 19,509 lb | 8'9" with hardtop | 1 / 2 | 1 | Twin 425 or 450 | Marginal |
| Jeanneau DB/37 OB | 40'4" with engines up | 11'8" | 16,750 lb (unconfirmed; other published figures are higher) | about 19,500 lb or more (unconfirmed) | 13'10" to 15'1" | 2 / 4 | 1 | Twin 350 to 450 | Unconfirmed |
| Regal 38 SAV | 39'3" | 11'11" | 18,800 lb | about 22,076 lb | 9'3" to hardtop, 11'4" to top light | Not confirmed | 1 | Triple outboards to about 1,200 hp | No |
| Cruisers 38 GLS OB | Not listed | 12'6" | 18,640 lb | about 21,599 lb | 12'8" | Not listed | Not listed | Triple 300 to 450 | No |
| Sea Ray Sundancer 370 OB | Not listed | Not listed | 21,008 lb | Over 21,000 lb | 10'8" to 12'4" | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | No |
| Formula 380 SSC OB | Not listed | Not listed | 20,500 lb with outboards | Over 20,500 lb | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | No |
Marginal means the estimate is within about 1,000 lb of a 20,000 lb rating.
The models
Regal 34 SAV. A sport utility outboard boat with a forward convertible berth and a mid cabin. Its estimated loaded weight leaves about 1,900 lb of room on a 20,000 lb lift.
Sea Ray Sundancer 320 OB. A sport cruiser with a mid berth and a convertible forward berth, sleeping four. Its estimate leaves about 3,300 lb of room on a 20,000 lb lift. A Coupe version with an enclosed hardtop is also built; its specs were not gathered here.
Formula 350 Crossover Bowrider OB. A bowrider with a cabin that has a full size bed, a settee and an enclosed head. With the hardtop it stands under 10 ft.
Cruisers 34 GLS OB. A bowrider style cruiser with one cabin and a small aft berth. It fits on weight, but its published air draft is close to 13 ft. One dealer listing shows a lower dry weight of 14,530 lb.
Four Winns TH36. A power catamaran with two cabins, each with a queen berth and its own head. It fits on weight, but its 14 ft 7 in beam is much wider than most monohulls, and its air draft is close to 14 ft. Sources disagree on whether the published weight includes engines.
Boston Whaler 350 Realm. A dual console style boat with a convertible forward berth and a head. Whaler publishes 18,830 lb with engines, fuel, water and batteries, which puts it close to a 20,000 lb rating once gear is added.
Pursuit S 358 Sport. A sport boat with a settee that converts to a double berth and an enclosed head. Its large fuel tank brings its estimate within about 500 lb of a 20,000 lb rating.
Jeanneau DB/37 OB. A sport cruiser with two cabins. Published weights vary widely: 16,750 lb with engines on one spec sheet, 19,842 lb on a dealer listing, and a higher fully equipped figure on the same spec sheet. Its weight on a lift should be treated as unconfirmed.
Regal 38 SAV, Cruisers 38 GLS OB, Sea Ray Sundancer 370 OB and Formula 380 SSC OB. These are estimated at or above 20,000 lb loaded and are included for reference.
Tips for checking your own setup
- Lift capacity. Find the rating plate or spec sheet for your lift. Many lift makers suggest keeping a margin below the rated number.
- Dry weight. Ask whether the published weight includes engines. Builders do not all measure it the same way.
- Tank size. A big fuel tank adds weight fast. 300 gallons of gasoline is about 1,830 lb.
- Beam. Measure the space between your lift pilings and the bunk spacing. Catamarans and wide beam boats may need a different lift.
- Length. Compare overall length, including outboards, with your dock and canal.
- Bridge clearance. Check the lowest fixed bridge on your route at high tide. Compare it with the boat's height to the top of the hardtop, antennas, radar and lights, and ask which items fold down.
Talk it through
If you are comparing boats for a lift at a Gulf Coast or Tampa Bay home, I'm glad to talk through the numbers with you. You can browse boats for sale in Florida on our site, or start a boat search and I'll do the digging.
Specs are from builder and dealer published figures as of November 2, 2026 and may change. Loaded weights are estimates. Confirm all figures with the builder and your lift maker.
Michael J. Johnson, Licensed Florida Yacht Advisor, Autograph Yacht Group. 25+ years in business. Based in St. Petersburg, servicing the Gulf Coast of Florida and throughout the USA.
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