There are many, many different types of motor cruiser boats ranging from small day cruisers to motor superyachts some hundreds of feet long which are the realm of the ultra-wealthy.
A motor boat is a power-driven vessel which has an internal combustion engine driving a propeller, or more than one propeller, or a jet pump. Even a sailing yacht is a power-driven vessel when it has a motor running.
There are small motor boats which can go very fast and these are called speedboats which can be used for racing or for towing a water-skier. They can also be used simply for fun or for getting from one place to another quickly: you might want to run down the coast to have lunch in another town, and then return to base again. Inflatable dinghies with a motor attached are also technically power boats, and some of those can go very fast as well.
There are basically two types of motor cruiser boats and they are the ones with an internal engine fitted which is known as the power plant, and those with an outboard motor which is affixed to the stern.
Motor cruiser boats can be relatively small for day cruising with just the basic essentials, or they can be of a medium size or larger for holidays and equipped with cooker, fridge, sleeping accommodation, and the heads, which is the toilet and shower. (It is called the heads from the days of sailing ships when the toilet for the sailors was at the head, or bow, of the boat).
If you are going to buy a motor cruiser you will need some training, and basically the larger the boat and the further you plan to go the more training you will need. The RYA has three types of course that it provides, ranging from a two day Helmsman course which teaches the basic handling, helmsmanship, and engine maintenance, up to a five day Coastal Skipper course.
A very good way to start boating is to take a holiday on somewhere like the River Thames or the Norfolk Broads, where you can get used to boat handling and never be far from help if needed.
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