How to Choose A Boat
Enjoying the great outdoors with your very own boat is a rewarding experience for the whole family. Children love the idea of diving from the deck of a boat and if you are an avid fishing enthusiast, you know that nothing beats boating to that secluded fishing spot beyond the bend where there is no access from shore. Dogs love to accompany their owners on boats and many are known to actually stand at the front and gaze on ahead with an air of utter contentment! Yet before you can set sail or break out the oars, it is crucial to learn how to choose a boat that meets your current needs, budget, and most likely also future needs. Follow these steps, and you are certain to find just the right kind for you and your family and friends.
Instructions
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How to Choose A Boat
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Figure out your budget. With your pen, write down on your notepad how much money you can afford to spend right now on a boat. Next, write down how much you can allocate per month on the upkeep and maintenance of the boat. Owning a boat does not have to be a cost prohibitive endeavor but it pays to know exactly what you are getting yourself into before you sign on the dotted line at the yacht club. A small boat may be towed to the lake for the occasional outing on a basic trailer while a larger one requires a special hitch and trailer accessory. The really big boats need to be kept at the marina and this of course is possible at your local yacht club--for a fee.
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Write down your primary reason for wanting a boat. Next, write down two subsequent reasons why you want to make this investment. For example, your primary reason may be to spend more time with your children. Your secondary reason could be to go on vacation on a lake. The third reason could be fishing. This kind of boat would need to be one that is reasonably big to accommodate you and your kids, store the fishing gear, and maybe also allow for onboard sleeping and eating. Conversely, if your primary reason is water sports, your secondary reason could be entertaining, and your third reason could be fishing. This kind of boat needs to be fast, have storage for your water sports and fishing gear, and feature sufficient seating for a small number of people.
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Determine if you want a boat primarily for saltwater or freshwater use.
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Decide how important creature comforts are for you. You might want a toilet but think you could do without the sleeping arrangements? If so, then the kind of boat you would choose is radically different from one where you want all the comforts of home.
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Pick out the gadgetry that you would like. Some basic gear is important, but some extras–live bait tank, GPS system, or fish finder–are nice to have. Since these cost extra, include them in your overall cost estimate!
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Contact your local marina or boating shop and find out when the next boat show will come to town. These are held frequently and it is a good idea to visit and take a look at the various boats they have available.
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Check out a bowrider that combines power boating with the capacity to fish and swim. Great for daytrips, entertaining, and family fun, this is the kind of boat that uses an outboard engine and seats about five people. You can pull it behind a truck or SUV with a trailer. Amenities are minimal and this is not the kind of boat to contemplate with small kids.
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Take a look at a cuddy. They mimic the bowrider in design, but have a closed deck that provides room for toileting and sleeping. It is useful for limited overnight use, fishing, swimming, some forms of water sports, and of course just floating around and enjoying nature. Powered by an outboard engine, it seats about eight people and with a strong truck and sturdy trailer it can be hauled to wherever you need it to go.
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Tips & Warnings
Do your homework before you visit a showroom. It is easy to succumb to the Siren song of a beautiful new boat and the persuasiveness of the salesperson.
Check out used boats at the marina. Research them online to make sure that these particular models have no flaws or similar problems that might be causing owners to try and get rid of them.
Remember that your boat needs to be insured! Contact your insurance agent for more information.
Take a boating course before you set out on your first trip.
Never, ever leave shore without putting lifejackets on your kids first! No matter how good they can swim, if they are under 18 they need to wear a lifejacket.
Never drink and boat! Just like driving, boating is the kind of activity that is to be done sober.
Resources
- Photo Credit Morguefile.com/P.Winberg
