Boating Information
Information on buying a boat and boating
Getting Started With Boating
Reasons To Buy A Boat
Costs Of Owning A Boat
Finance a boat
Financing A Boat
Cash Or Finance For Your Boat
Buying Boat Insurance
Types and Sellers
Types Of Boats Available
Types Of Boat Sellers
How to find a boat
Finding The Perfect Boat
Inspecting Your New Boat
Choosing The Right Boat
How To Test A Boat
Buying A New or Used Boat
Buying A Used Boat
Types of Boats
Buying A Yacht
Custom Built Boats
Buying Inflatable Boats
Buying A Fishing Boat
Buying The Right Fishing Boat
Misc
Choosing The Right Motor
Buying The Right Anchor
Trailers and Storage
Buying A Boat Trailer
Towing or Trailering a Boat
After Your Boat Purchase
Storing Your Boat
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Buying a used boat that's right for you.
If you are going to keep a boat for a long, long time and you can afford it you should get a new boat. If you can't afford a new boat or have doubts about owning a boat then for sure go buy a used boat.
While buying a used boat isn't to glamorous it is a great decision for some people. The waterways and lakes are filled with people who have more money than average people and some will go way beyond what they can afford just to have a very fancy boat. Don't do that and don't get in over your head financially for a boat.
Most people don't consider the rich guy who has a 60 foot yacht, and take it out once or twice a year, a boater at all. What really matters is being out on the water doing what you find to be fun. You can do this just fine in a used boat and be a great boater at the same time. Being out there is what counts, not what you are out there in.
Not so much on small lakes but on larger bodies of water if you take a look around you'll see that the majority of boats moving around and having fun are the smaller boats. The big boats may never move from where they anchored because the people who are to busy making money don't have time for all the moving around. If you are that busy making money you don't really need a boat.
With a used boat and a good previous owner who kept it up the problems are mostly fixed. The previous owner has had it to the dealer to get all of the warranty problems taken care of. Besides, a new boat can lose half of it's value in the first two years you own it.
A used boat normally hasn't been used near as much as a used car has. A boat sits the majority of the time and you can find many boats with only a few hundred hours on the engine. Now take a look at how many hours you put on your car engine. Buying a used boat is easier than buying a used car.
Because a used boat will already have some scratches and small dings you won't feel half as bad if you put a scratch in it than you would if it was new. When you buy your used boat it's a good idea to have at least $1000.00 dollars so you can outfit the boat and make any minor repairs necessary.
Sometimes you can get a used boat that comes with a lot of what you need. Things like dock lines, anchors, spare props, safety equipment and other nice additions. If you buy new you'll have to put out quite a few extra bucks for those things.
The biggest problem is whether the previous owner took the proper care and did the proper maintenance on the boat. Before you buy a used boat take it to someone and get it all checked over so you can be sure it's in the proper condition. That way you will know for certain you are getting a great boat.
Boating information you need before you get a new boat
Do you need or should you be buying a cruising yacht?
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