Length is useful, but layout and permitted capacity determine how a boat works for a real group. Compare the spaces people will actually use.
Start with the group in two versions
Write the number aboard during the day and the number sleeping aboard. Add couples, children, solo sleepers and anyone needing easier access or extra privacy. This turns a headline capacity into a layout question.
Read cabins and berths together
A berth is a sleeping place; a cabin is a room. Ask whether any published berths are in a converted saloon, whether crew accommodation reduces guest space and how bathrooms are shared.
- Cabin allocation
- Fixed and convertible berths
- Bathrooms or heads
- Crew sleeping arrangement
Compare social space
For a day charter, shaded seating, cockpit flow and the permitted day-guest number can matter more than cabins. For several nights, storage, ventilation and places to be apart become more important.
Account for handling and price
A larger vessel can change berthing, handling and skipper requirements as well as price. Ask the operator to explain the trade-off for your group rather than choosing by metres alone.