Which Boat Is Right For You?

Boats are like shoes in that one size does not fit all.  What might be a perfect fit for you may not do it all for the guy at the next mooring and most first time boat buyers are confronted by the same dilemma when they go to a boat dealership to buy a boat...analysis paralysis.

Getting the boat has been your waking passion for longer than you can remember, and now that it’s time to scratch that item off your bucket list you’re having a hard time pulling the trigger on that decision.  To help calm those choppy mental waters it’s always best to go into the boat dealership with a firm grasp of what you want to achieve on the water.

What Boating Lifestyle is Your Lifestyle?

There are plenty of ways to hit the water, and the way you choose to make your boating debut will be conditional upon what kind of boating lifestyle you envision for yourself.  As such, if you are picturing yourself zipping across the wave tops strapped to a wakeboard than a sailboat is probably out of the equation.  Conversely, should you enjoy an unhurried cruise up the coastline then you probably won’t need to pony up the money required to purchase a 500-hp cigarette boat.

If you want to be just be a weekend water warrior than you can safely look for a boat that offers less amenities than a vessel that is slated as a liveaboard or extended cruiser.  Once you have firm parameters established in your mind about what you want to do with our new boat, then the boats that don’t fit that lifestyle easily fall by the wayside.

To Trailer or not to Trailer

Size does matter when it comes to boats.  From the cost associated with an initial boat purchase to maintenance expenses to storage concerns, a boat can be a pricey proposition.  Additionally, the size of the boat will dictate how easy it is to get into the water.  Face it, a boat that is hard to launch will spend the majority of its time sitting in the driveway, and that is not the vision you have of the ideal boating lifestyle.  A smaller boat that is easily trailerable may be a preferred option to the expense associated with mooring a larger boat that accrues expensive dockage fees each month.

At the end of the day, your boating experience will be of your own making, so make sure that the boat you select will serve the nautical fun you are anticipating.