Or other center console walk around boats. I’m talking abut the fishing boats, I guess as they do make other styles. The captain has a great seat in the center but there is no shade for the passengers. I don’t think there is even a tiny head under the console? Take a look at this 28’ boat. It’s $242,000. It is $90,000 more then the 25’ model. For that kind of money you can get a nice pocket trawler you can live on.
https://www.bostonwhaler.com/build-and-price/boat-configurator.28DNT.html
That’s insane. Whalers used to be the cheap-ish runarounds that got up on a plane quickly. I guess not anymore. You’re probably not wrong about the trawler, but maintenance…
They are the currently stylish fishing boat. Its meant for 6 sunburnt guys, 8 cases of beer and 12 fishing rods.
The term of art is “center console fisher”. A traditional Boston Whaler is a 10’ open skiff w 3 plsnk seats, an 8 hp outboard, an s no shade. Yeah BW makes more and different and larger models now.
People use boats differently. I had a boat we could sleep on comfortably, but we never did. Not once. So we bought a smaller boat that fits the way we use it. A trawler is a slow boat, and that suits some people. Others want low maintenance, and a whaler is typically that. Some want shade, some want complete sun.
To answer your question, A Boston Whaler type boat is easy to operate, can go fast, and room to maneuver on deck when fishing. Easy hose down when you’re done. They can also pull a skier or tuber. And easy to trailer.
Boston Whalers used to offer a canvas shade as an option.
And keep floating even if you cut them in two. 
as does a styrofoam freezer …
The appeal of all kinds of boats is personal. For decades, we had sailboats and didn’t see the appeal of power boats. We sold our last sailboat 13 years ago because we’re older and can’t really sail or maintain them as we used to. Two years ago, we got a trawler. It suits us now. I suspect in a few more years, no boat will work for us.
Each to his own, right?
To each their own is a fine answer, but the real question is why do so many eaches prefer to own a BW? I think they are kind of plain, and uncomfortable. It’s more like a boat for one than a group.
Are they more stable in the ocean or something?
Double that to 12 passengers according to the specs on that 27’ boat.
This is most often the kind of boat I watch on Wavyboats out of Haulover Inlet smashing into waves catching air slamming their passengers about then tunneling the bow into the swell scooping up massive amounts of seawater soaking everyone while their belongings get tossed overboard.
It’s the captaining not the boat. But how to stop friends and neighbors from begging for a boat ride. Bring them back with bruises and busted teeth or broken bones from that one ride.
Watching boats try to conquer Haulover Inlet will make you never want to try boating.
They’re stable enough, but not unusually so. They’re well built, easy to hose down when you’re done fishing, and easy to drive. They’re versatile.
Not sure where you are, but here in the Puget Sound region I see a few Boston Whalers, (and certainly similar types) but it’s not anywhere near the most popular style.