5 Best Axopar Boats in 2025

Axopar Boats haven’t been around for many years, but they’ve made their mark as one of the most exciting and cool performance craft in that short time. For many, an Axopar boat is the embodiment of adventure.

Want a boat that’s fast, efficient to operate in harsh conditions, and very customizable? How about one that’s cheaper than most competitors while still delivering modern good looks and amazingly versatile functionality? All this describes the incredible lineup of vessels built by Finnish boatmaker Axopar Boats.

It began in 2014, when Axopar released their 28-foot center console, available in a cabin or open design. In the years since the company has boomed. Their design is sharp, head-turning, and superbly functional. The “Adventure Company,” as Axopar calls itself, now sells award-winning designs from 22 to 45 feet and has become Europe’s fastest-growing boat builder.

Let’s dive in and look at the amazing lineup from Axopar Boats.

Axopar Buyer’s Guide

Axopar Boats are head-turners. The first time you see one, you’ll likely remember it for quite a while. For me, it was a “Donnie” ferry operating in the Abacos, Bahama. With its sleek European lines and grey paint job, it was certainly different from any of the traditional North American boats around it.

Still, the Finnish boatbuilder has taken a while to get a foothold in the US. These boats are so strikingly different from local designs that it often takes a demo ride to convert hard-core traditionalists. However, once they take one out on the water, most are hooked quickly.

Axopar won’t be resting on its laurels in the adventure boat niche, as competition from the likes of Saxdor boats and even Kingfisher boats is heating up.

But Axopar is doing something unique. It’s worth looking at Axopar’s story and design philosophy, which is at the core of these boats’ uniqueness.

The Origin Story of Axopar Boats

Axopar’s roots are quickly summed up by the company’s slogan: The Adventure Company. The founding partners of the Axopar team are adventurers, and they built their boats to be the machines to support them and take them exploring. So these boats aren’t just about boating; they’re about being versatile enough to be used in any way you want.

The company’s first boat, the 28, premiered at the 2014 Helsinki Boat Show. That boat and all the models that followed it were so fundamentally different from anything else on the water that the boating public was hooked immediately. Axopar is now Europe’s quickest-growing boat builder and one of the fastest-growing companies in the region.

However, the sharp, distinctive appearance of the Axopar hull is only one component of the brand’s success. Their boats are built on what they call the “one boat, one world” concept; they are making a global boat to suit anyone anywhere, not just a Scandinavian boat for Scandinavia.

The result is a successful line of unique vessels. In the process, Axopar has committed to not competing with other companies but instead continually competing with themselves to keep improving their products.

Axopar’s Growth, Recognition, and Award-Winning Design

The company has been awarded many accolades over the last decade. The 28 has accumulated four International Boat Award wins and was named Boat of the Year by Boating Magazine in the US—the first European boat ever to get this award.

Sleek looks are the most eye-catching feature of the Axopar lineup, but the hull is a masterpiece of function as well as form. Designers spent time making the deep-vee, double-stepped hull as efficient as possible. These boats have a low center of gravity, low windage, and are extremely lightweight.

Axopar works to optimize these characteristics for the best ride and driving experience possible, all while maximizing efficiency. As a result, Axopars uses far less horsepower to achieve the same performance as its competitors.

Here are just a few of the benefits of this approach.

• The hulls are light. BoatTEST found that the 28 was 35 to 40 percent lighter than other center consoles and bowriders and a whopping 50 to 58 percent lighter than other cabin cruisers. This makes them faster while using less horsepower and burning less fuel. 
• They offer a dry, comfortable ride in all but the worst conditions. Trimming the boat down and getting more keel in the water in a rough chop makes for a smoother, dryer ride.
• They have outstanding handling and drivability at all speeds, including mid-range speeds where other planing boats labor, thanks to the double steps and double chines.
• The long keel and low windage make slow-speed and close-quarters maneuvering easier.  Even the 45 is easy to helm for beginners.
• Cabin models have an open feeling with air and ventilation thanks to side doors, contrary to most people’s expectations of what a pilothouse cabin would feel like.

To achieve their success, Axopar looked to the automotive industry for ways to improve in the marine space. Key to their success has been their embrace of modularity, the idea that parts of the boat can be customized and used in different ways to support different missions.

For example, the aft deck of every Axopar can be customized for more outdoor social seating, an enclosed aft cabin, or a large multifunctional storage compartment. This design philosophy is constant throughout all areas of the boat and all boats in the lineup.

Axopar’s designers are also obsessed with how they use space on a boat. Everything serves its function, and every space is used. They use virtual reality design to nail layout and useability concepts early in the design process. Walking around one of these boats, it’s easy to see that a lot of time was taken to get it right.

Just one example of the company’s well-thought-out innovations is the gull-wing doors on the Cross Cabin models. They allow entry and exit to the bow cabin from either side and the traditional door at the helm. When open, they provide light and ventilation to the space below, making it feel less like a cuddy cabin cave and more like a welcoming space to hang out. But they also mean you can load gear quickly and easily, reducing the time it takes to get the boat ready to go each day.

A final benefit of the company’s embrace of modularity comes in cost. Axopars are priced extremely competitively compared to similarly sized vessels. Part of this comes from the fact that they use less power and smaller engines. But another factor comes from their smart design and manufacturing processes.

Axopar Designs and Terms Explained

Axopar makes five hull sizes or “platforms”: the 22, 25, 28, 37, and 45. Depending on the size and layouts available, various arrangements can be ordered to customize the hull. The names are confusing, but each has been customized to maximize the options available for each hull size.

T-Top or Sun-Top — T-top boats have a solid shade structure above the helm. It is usually equipped with racks for storing kayaks or bikes. On smaller boats, the top is fabric; on large boats, it is a fiberglass roof with retractable canvas sunroofs in the center called the Sun-Top.

Cross Top — The 45 is also available in a Cross Top version, which features the openness of the Sun-Top but with a full-height windscreen similar to the Cross Cabin.

Spyder — The Spyder models lack a fixed T-top and are open, like a convertible. These boats can be equipped with a retractable bimini for shade.

Axopar X JOBE — The 22 is available in a sporty edition that features custom hull graphics and a full package of water toys from JOBE.

Cross Cabin (XC) — Cross Cabin models have an enclosed cabin that serves as a pilothouse and salon. Sliding side doors offer access to the helm and interior seating. The smallest basic cabin is on the 28, while the 37 and 45 feature the Cross Cabin.

Mediterrana Edition — The Mediterrana Edition boats feature upgraded seating and upholstery for entertaining on the water.

Brabus Line — Brabus is a German aftermarket company that upgrades supercars and, now, superboats. Top-of-line Axopar editions featuring upgraded interiors and larger, more powerful Mercury racing outboard options. It is also selling its own limited-edition version of Axopar’s hulls under the Brabus Shadow by Axopar brand. These boats are primarily aimed to be tenders for super yachts. 

In addition to these items, the aft deck of each boat can be customized. The precise choices depend on the length of the boat, but most can have an open design with a single sofa, a large U-shaped sofa around a table (the table lowers and makes a sun lounge with filler cushions), a large multifunction storage box with lounge cushions on top, or an aft cabin for overnighting.

A European Boat for Anywhere

North American customers often take some convincing. The Axopar is different than local boat designs. Instead of heft and bulk, it is lightweight and nimble. Instead of that classic Carolina flare that Americans are used to, it has steep entries and double hard chines. Is the ride wet? No. Does it pound? No. Is the pilothouse cabin stuff or claustrophobic? Again, no.

But with a boat so contrary to customer expectations, most people want to see it in action for themselves. This is where dealer demos have paid off for Axopar. Doubters are often converted after a quick demo ride, as these Axopars cut through the chop and elevate the boating experience for all on board.

And pay off it has. Currently, nearly 40 percent of Axopar’s exports are sent to the US, and the number is forecasted to grow even more. The company has grown 40 percent yearly, and the forecast is solid going forward.

With their clever combination of modular design, fuel efficiency, and value for money, Axopar has successfully created a line of boats that appeal to nearly any boater anywhere in the world.