The decision of whether to buy a boat or not is a weighty one. Not only is a boat a major purchase, but there is a great deal of care and maintenance that goes into boat ownership. The decision of whether to buy a boat or not should not be made lightly, frivolously or on a whim. Here are some points to consider before making the decision as to whether to buy a boat or not.

Educate yourself about boats

If you haven’t grown up around boats or spent a great deal of time around them, you need to make sure you are thoroughly educated about boats in general. You need to know about different types of boats, what they are made of and what differentiates one from another. It’s important to know about various manufacturers, boating safety equipment, certifications, how boats are repaired and how to go about finding the right boat for you. You can use the internet as well as books and magazines, but your best bet is to talk to a boat lover or boating experts. The more you know, the more of an informed choice you can make when it’s time to plunk down a good chunk of change.

Know what you want

Once you’ve done all of your research and gathered all of your information, it’s time to decide on what type of boat you want and what your basic requirements are. Do you want a sail boat or motor boat, do you want to be able to sleep on your boat or just take it out for day trips? Do you want to primarily boat on a lake or on the open seas? Will you store your boat in the offseason, or keep it available year-round? The more you know specifically what you are looking for, the easier it is going to be to find.

Figure out what you can afford and if it is what you need

Knowing what you want and what you need are two different things. Once you decide what you want, you may discover you can’t actually afford it. That’s when it’s time to start whittling your list down from what you want to what you can legitimately afford but still enjoy.

Price vs. Work vs. Safety

When it comes to making a final decision on a boat, you have several options. You can buy an older boat that may need some work, but then you must determine whether the savings are genuinely worth the work it needs. In addition. you have to consider safety above all else. Getting a great deal on a boat that may actually be unsafe to operate is never going to be a good deal.

Repairs, maintenance and warrantee

One final thing to consider is whether the manufacturer is still in business or if the boat comes with any warrantees. If (when) you need to make repairs on the boat, you will need to make sure that parts are still available and that there is a local boat mechanic that can make any repairs necessary. Before you buy a boat, you always want to make sure that you have a plan in place for keeping it maintained and the ability to have any repairs on it made.

Once you have decided on a boat to purchase, do not sign any documents or exchange any money until you have taken the boat out on the water for an extensive test. Many boat owners will tell you this is not possible, but if they are not willing to let you drive it, you should not buy it. You would never buy a car without a test drive and the same is true of a boat. If you are needing boat finance contact us today.