5 Best Kingfisher Boats

From the wild, untamed North Pacific to the winding rivers and endless lakes of British Columbia, Kingfisher Boats are made to tackle it all. The Canadian builder is known for their welded, heavy-gauge aluminum boats that are designed to take a beating and provide years of reliable service.

Models range from the 35-foot pilothouse 3425 GFX to the 21-foot 1975 Fastwater X9R for river jet boating.

It’s hard to beat a rough and tough metal boat for high-latitude recreational fishing and family boating. Let’s dive in and look at what makes Kingfisher Boats some of the best aluminum boats on the water, no matter where the adventure takes you.

Kingfisher Boats: Heavy-Gauge Aluminum Boats for Any Marine Adventure

Kingfisher Boats is based in British Columbia, Canada. They build a line of rugged aluminum fishing boats from 19 to 35 feet long. Larger models feature a functional pilothouse with overnight accommodations. All boats are designed to be long-lasting and capable of tackling cold climates.

While they lack some of the flashiness of fiberglass boats in the same class, Kingfishers are well worth a look for many boating enthusiasts. Their practical approach to boating means that these boats are easy to own and maintain, keeping your cost of ownership lower and your boating season longer.

Types of Vessels Offered by Kingfisher

Kingfisher Boats makes a line of welded aluminum boats ranging from 20 to 35 feet long. All of their hulls include the same “Pre-Flex technology.” Simply put, they bend and shape the metal before welding it together to increase its load-carrying capacity.

Like a curved bridge is stronger than a flat one, the hulls then have no tendency to ‘oil can’ or deform over time. They are extremely rugged and long-lasting, with hull thickness up to a quarter of an inch.

Likewise, all joints are welded—there are no rivets anywhere. Huge rub rails protect the boat from docks, and optional double rub rails are available on the larger models. The cleats are oversized, and even the cabin door is beefy and secure.

Kingfisher takes pride in its craftsmanship, and even the small details stand out. The electrical components are neat and organized, and every piece of stainless is isolated from the aluminum hull.

The brand sells boats in five categories depending on how you want to use your boat: offshore, coastal boating, multi-species fishing boats, lake sports boats, and river jet boating.

Offshore Series Boats

The Offshore Series features big pilothouse powerboats built to take on big-water marine adventure. They have deep vee hulls, up to 18 degrees, for cutting through chop and providing a smooth ride at low speeds.

Offshore boats come in three trim levels: GFX, Destination, and Weekender.

GFX stands for “Great Fishing and Adventure.” They’re loaded with the brand’s best premium features and found on the biggest three models of the Offshore line, the 3025, 3225, and 3425. They are four inches deeper than the other trim levels and feature stand-out amenities.

Examples include the sliding door entry into the cabin, upgraded interior upholstery and woodwork, enormous in-floor storage areas, and an extended roof over the cockpit helm.

Destination and Weekender Offshore boats are similar but lack some of the high-end features. The Destination trim is available on the 2825 and 3025, and the Weekender is only on the 2525 and 2725. In many cases, it’s possible to upgrade Destination and Weekender boats with some options included in the GFX package.

Coastal Series Boats

The Coastal Series is aimed at anglers and families who don’t need as much space or seakeeping abilities as the Offshore boats provide. They’re smaller, ranging from the 2225 Escape HT to the 2825 Coastal Express. Compared to their Offshore sisterships, the Coastal Series have slightly thinner sides, bottoms, and shallower vee hulls.

But, they are nonetheless very robust and capable aluminum boats.

Multi-Species Boats

Aimed at anglers of all stripes, the multi-species boats are fishing machines made to hit any freshwater fishing spot. They’re small enough for your typical lake or river but beefy enough for coastal areas in good weather.

The 1825 Warrior comes with tiller or remote steering. The 1925 and 2125 Arrow Sports are slightly larger versions with more room to fish. In these boats, seating is all pedestal seats that can be removed and moved around. Bow and aft feature large casting platforms.

Sport Series

These are lake boats aimed at families looking for a one-size solution to their marine adventure. These boats are solidly built and capable of doing almost anything, from fishing to watersports or just lounging around.

Sport boats come in two trims, the Falcon and the Escape. The 1825 and 2025 Falcons feature an open design with a welded windshield panel. The 2025 Escape comes in softtop or hardtop (HT) versions. All boats have a similar seating layout—basic bucket seats at the helm and two 36-inch bench seats facing inboard.

River Jet Series

The River Jet Series is a special set of Sport Series boats upgraded with Indmar inboard engines coupled with water jets. The result is a fast and sports boat with much more power and speed than their outboard-powered sisters.

The River Jet series includes the 1975 Fastwater and the 2175 Extreme Shallow, which can navigate in as little as four inches of water.

Target Audience for Kingfisher Boats

It’s easy to look at the lineup of Kingfisher Boats and write the company off as a niche builder focused on high-latitude fishermen. But doing so fails to acknowledge just how useful a workhorse boat like a Kingfisher is. Plenty of experienced boats shun the flashy looks of fiberglass in favor of the utility and indestructible nature of heavy-gauge aluminum boats.

Professional Anglers

Kingfisher Boats is one of the preferred brands for multi-species anglers, and these hulls are no stranger to the professional spotlight. They’re well-regarded for their fishable design features, strong construction, and no-frills/no-nonsense layouts.

Kingfishers are well-suited for year-round operations in any climate as boats for working watermen and women. The cockpit has plenty of working space, and their no-frills interiors are long-lasting and easy to maintain.

Recreational Anglers and Boating Enthusiasts

The same qualities that appeal to pro anglers always catch the eye of recreational fishermen. Kingfisher boats are popular compared to other—often more spartan—designs from builders like Lund Boats, Lowe Boats, or the aluminum offerings of Starcraft Boats.

Adventure Seekers

Probably the most exciting use case for Kingfishers is that of the adventure seeker. For coastal exploring, it’s hard to beat the bigger Offshore series GFX boats. Their functional interiors make them the perfect boats for longer trips, from up the Inside Passage in the Pacific Northwest, Downeast adventures in Maine, and even winter trips to The Bahamas. There’s not much that these boats cannot tackle. For the adventurous couple, they also provide a robust and comfortable platform to make a big trip like the Great Loop.

On the other end of the spectrum, the River Jet series is a great exploration vessel for exploring rivers and lakes worldwide. The shallow drive and high speeds make for fun day trips, and the easy-to-trailer package means you can take it anywhere.

Family Boating and Recreational Users

One particular strength of these boats is their ability to be customized for any outing. What makes them good recreational fishing boats also makes them good all-around family boating platforms. These aren’t one-trick ponies like those flashy bass boats—these are well-built adventure boats.

Other boats that fit the same bill include the Axopar 28 Cabin from Europe. While it suits many of the same missions, this boat is a fiberglass production boat of much lower quality. Undoubtedly, the Kingfisher could last many times as long as an Axopar Boat, and its resale values will consistently be higher.

Other fiberglass pilothouse fishing boat market competitors include C-Dory, Eastern, Osprey, and Parker. Other companies making similar Pacific Northwest-style welded metal pilothouse designs include Seawolf Marine, Eaglecraft, and Coastal Craft.