Taking cues from punk rock, '80s alternative bands like the Replacements, and some of their fellow Pacific Northwest bands like the Young Fresh Fellows, BOAT's happy-go-lucky everydude approach led to them making records that resonated with indie rockers who didn't mind some silliness mixed in with their noisy guitars. Starting in the mid-2000s, the band issued a string of records that were reliably fun and witty while still kicking up some rock & roll dust. Their 2020 album Tread Lightly showed that while the band couldn't help but grow up a little, they were still as rambunctious and fun as when they started.