Which is the better design: a flybridge boat or an express? Ask the owner of a flybridge – also known as a convertible – and he'll swear his arrangement is ideal. Ask the owner of an express, and chances are you'll get the opposite opinion.

And they're both right. Both types of boats can be "better" depending on what kind of boater you are. An express requires less maintenance and can let the captain interact with his crew more easily. A convertible has far more space below deck and better visibility at the helm.

LENNY RUDOWIn some cases, bridge clearance may be a determining factor.

As with many things, there are pluses and minuses to any specific design. There is no such thing as the "perfect boat," because what's right for you might be completely wrong for me. First- and second-time boat buyers often have a tough time understanding this, but many long-time boat owners have experienced it first-hand.

Of course, if you've never owned an express or a convertible, and you're considering one or the other, it's hard to know the best way to evaluate the differences and make an informed boat-buying decision. So let's go through it.

EXPRESS YOURSELF

"People who buy expresses typically know exactly what they want," says Peter Frederiksen, a representative of Viking Yachts, a builder of both express and convertible sportfishing and cruising boats. "You'll also notice there are few expresses up for resale on the used-boat market at any given time, because once people get them, they're usually happy with the boat, and they keep it for a long period of time."

In the case of Vikings, which run between 42 and 82 feet, Frederiksen says convertibles outsell expresses by a long shot. But the reason why people opt for an express usually relates to this design's particular advantages, as opposed to any weakness associated with convertibles. One clear example is maintenance. "People who have owned convertibles know what it's like to wash them down, as opposed to washing or waxing an express," Frederiksen explains. "The flybridge adds an entire section of boat that has to be cleaned. All the isinglass around the bridge, the pipework, and so on. After a while they ask themselves, "˜How much of my time do I want to spend washing my boat?'

COURTESY ANDY NEWGENTDelivery captain Andy Newgent stresses how much easier it is to get around on an express.

"They know how much less maintenance an express takes, and they may have a specific reason they don't need the advantages a convertible offers. Waterfront-property owners, for example, don't need a lot of staterooms or a huge galley – things a convertible gives them. With a house on the water, they probably don't overnight on the boat much. They won't be cooking big dinners aboard. When everyone sits down at the end of the day, they won't be limited to the boat, so they don't need all that extra room inside."

Professional delivery captain Andy Newgent agrees. "Expresses are definitely easier than convertibles to maintain on a daily basis," he says. "When I deliver a boat, I hear that from the customers all the time."

Newgent, who's delivered boats from 28 to 60 feet up and down the East Coast, also stresses the physical aspect of running an express. "It's easier to get around. There's no flybridge ladder to climb up and down, and going from the helm to the cockpit is just a step away. Plus, a lot of the expresses I see have swim platforms, where as convertibles often don't. That makes getting on and off the boat a lot more convenient sometimes. For someone who's older or has a bad knee, it makes a big difference."

EASY ANGLING

The same easy access to all points of the boat also provides an advantage to fishing captains who like to participate in the angling action, as opposed to just driving the boat.

If you have an express, you can dart from the wheel to the gaff if your help is needed when landing a large fish, for example. You can assist in setting out trolling lines, or cutting baits, without completely abandoning the helm. In a convertible, this kind of participation is more or less impossible. And when you're limited to a two- or three-man crew, that easy access to the cockpit can make all the difference.

VIKING YACHTSNote how the 45 Viking convertible's layout (left) has far more usable cabin space than the 45 Open.

"People who have owned a convertible know that they need at least three onboard to run the boat," Frederiksen says. "And four people is ideal, especially if you're going to fish offshore. But you can take an express off the dock with one or two other people, and it's no problem. There are even some guys who run them single-handed, which you just can't do with a convertible."

Whether you're a boat builder, a delivery captain, or a recreational boater, you'll also see a social advantage to boating on an express. On a convertible, there's a clear physical separation between the helm station and the rest of the boat. In some cases, such as for charter-boat captains, this may be seen as an advantage; they're free to pay full attention to navigation, monitoring the gauges and other aspects of their job without distraction. But in most situations, when boat owners are running their boat, such separation can dampen the mood. In fact, they may be left out of the social circle completely. On an express, however, you can see and talk with the rest of the crew, participating in the social events of the day without ever leaving the helm.