There are a variety of shapes and sizes for boat "hulls" or boat bottoms. A hull is designed to either displace or plane through the water. Small powerboats are usually built with planing hulls. They are designed to rise up and ride on top of the water at high speeds. Sailboats on the other hand use displacement hulls which allows the larger boat to move through the water smoothly.

Hull Types come in Flat bottom, Round bottom, Deep-V hull and Multi-hull.

Flat bottom hull boats are generally designed for slow speeds and calm waters. They tend to be less stable than other hull types in rough water.

Round bottom hull boats move smoothly through the water with little effort. A canoe is an example of a round bottom hull boat. Boaters have to be more cautious when loading, entering and exiting a round bottom boat because these boats can roll very easily.

Deep-V hull boats move through rough water, at higher speeds with a mother ride than a flat bottom or round bottom boat. This the most common hull type for powerboats. These boats require a larger engine than a flat or round bottom boat.

Multi-hull boats require plenty of room to steer and turn and are the most stable of the hull types. Pontoon boats and Catamarans are boats that use the multi-hull design.

Boats not only have different hull types, they are powered by different engine types (outboard, inboard and stern drives).

Outboard engines are typically two-stroke engines which require oil to be mixed with fuel to lubricate the engine, similar to gas powered weed eaters. An outboard engine is mounted on the transom of the boat and is controlled by a hand tiller or steering wheel which moves the entire engine as steering is changed.

Inboard engines are typically four-stroke automotive engines which have been modified for use on the water. These type engines are mounted inside the hull of the boat and powers the drive shaft which is connected to the propeller. Directly behind the propeller is the rudder which controls steering.

Stern Drive engines are commonly known as inboard/outboard engines. They have features found on both inboard and outboard engines. Stern drive engines use four-stroke automotive engines, modified for use on water, like inboard engines. Similar to outboard engines, the entire engine moves when the steering is adjusted. Stern drive engines are mounted inside the boat and attached through the transom.

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