Buying a boat is a big decision – a much bigger decision than buying a car most of the time. Buying a boat is certainly a great idea, you can really expand your horizons as a boater, even if you do not venture too much further than a great lake not to far away. If you are a first timer boat buyer here are five important things you should consider before purchasing your first seafaring craft.

1. What do You Want a Boat For?

What you actually intend to do with a boat once you own it will determine just what kind of boat you shop for. There are three main reasons why private individuals buy their own boat:

Cruising – If your reason for wanting to buy a boat is to be able to entertain yourself, you friends and your family while exploring the waterways then a cruising boat is probably the right choice for you. Even then though you are facing more choices. A bowrider is a day cruising boat, it is designed for day trips and usually features seating and basics like a refrigerator. If on the other hand you want a boat that you can use to take a vacation then you will need to look for an express cruiser or a motor yacht that features a galley (boating speak for a kitchen) proper bathroom facilities and sleeping cabins and a living room space.

Fishing – Fishing boats have open backs to maximize the available space for fishermen to occupy. Larger fishing boats still have cabins and seating space but if you a day fisherman (or woman) only you may not need to spend the extra money to get such things.

Watersports – Some people want a boat that they will mainly use as a tool to help them water ski, para-sail or wake board. These do tend to be more powerful speedboats though so for a first time boater a very powerful one is probably not the best idea. Starting small and then upgrading is often a far better choice.

2. The Size

Boats come in all different sizes and often what size boat you start off with will be dictated by budget and intended use. It is also worth remembering that while your budget might actually stretch to a bigger boat with lots of bells and whistles these boats are a lot more complex to own, operate and maintain. Most experts suggest that a first time boat owner opt for nothing bigger than a 22-24 foot boat until they gain the experience that they need to handle a bigger craft.

3. Brand New or Used?

Just as is the case if you a buying a car there are plenty of used boats for sale right alongside the brand new offerings. If you are considering buying a used boat it can indeed save you money and allow you to get more boat for your money but you must exercise the same caution as you would when buying a used car. If you are not very boat savvy make sure you take along someone who is when you are boat shopping!

4. Do the Math

If you have good credit then you can probably finance a boat and if it is a overnighter it may even qualify for a second home tax credit on your income tax return! If you do opt for financing rather than paying cash do not forget to figure in the costs of insurance and mooring fees when you are working out what your monthly payments will be.

5. Get Ready to Go Back to School

If you are not an experienced boater then you have to be prepared for the fact that there is more to operating a boat than just stepping onto the deck and turning a wheel! There are rules of the waterways just the same as there are rules of the road and you also need to know all about tides, weather conditions and how to exist safely in the water with other craft. Fortunately there is no shortage of places that offer boating safety courses and taking one is something that you should not skip!

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Category: Automotive
Keywords: boat,tips