Guide to Buying a Boat


Making plans to buy a boat is not as easy as buying a car.  A car is an essential mode of transport to carry you from place to the other, whereas a boat is a multipurpose asset.  You can use a car only to carry you from one place to the other, but with a boat you can go fishing, waterskiing, wakeboarding or simply riding to your favorite haunts. Hence you need to be extra careful when choosing a boat.


Most people believe that once they buy a boat the rest seems fun and water games, but boats do require a lot of maintenance to keep it in water for a longer period of time. Well, you have decided to buy that dream boat of yours, so now you just have a look at a few guides to buying a boat.


The first and foremost priority should be given to the reason to buy a boat.  Is it strictly only for fishing or only for recreation or for taking part in waterskiing tournaments or multipurpose?  The decision you take here will help you to decide the engine type for each boat design.


The next crucial point to consider is the body of the boat.  Even this lies with the type of boat you are planning.  If you are into big cruises in the high seas then you need to choose a ‘V’ shaped large boat with inboard/outboard engines.  Larger boats handle rough waters with ease.


On the other hand if your plan is to venture only into smaller lakes and rivers with smooth running water then the choice of a smaller boat can be considered.  Unlike a car you don’t need to take a registration for your boat unless you are planning to go abroad in your boat.


Boats do cost a lot if they are purchased readymade, so people may like to go in for a sale deal with a private owner for a second hand boat.  This is quite a risky factor that needs special care and attention.  


You should be sure that it has not been involved in an accident earlier.  You should get to know if the seller has got the right to sell the boat to you; it could be a stolen property. You should check if it is an inland boat or if it has traveled abroad, if so, whether a registration has been done on it.


In the event of a new boat you need to be prepared to pay extra costs besides the actual price.  These include registration fees if you are planning to take it abroad, taxes, fuel, docking fees, storage, fire extinguishers, marine radio, anchor, dock lines, flares and a trailer if you need it.  So your budget should be planned taking into consideration all these factors that will enhance the actual price.


Maintenance costs for any boat, new or old, could also be high.  But at the same time you can’t afford to let your boat be poorly maintained.  This would cause irreparable damage to you boat and cause you a great amount of disappointment.


If you are into water sports with your boat, then you need optional items like water skis, wakeboards, wet suits, tow ropes, gloves, weight system, pylon, boom, tower and so on.  This expense could be reduced if you are planning a recreational boat.  However, other accessories will have to be planned accordingly.