“If you have fallen in love with boats, you definitely should own one”.
Now that you are thinking of buying your private dream Boat or Yacht, you must be pondering over the questions that you have in mind?
There are many who own a boat but are not happy owners. So, it’s better to look before you leap rather than crying over a wrong boat purchase. So before you buy, ponder on a thousand questions; take into account a number of factors that can help you land upon a final decision. There might be tonnes of advices brewing up in the digital space the moment you search upon a checklist to consider while buying a boat. But believe me! You don’t necessarily need to follow these advices if you understand what the buying benchmarks actually involve.
When it comes to buying a new boat, you definitely need to be more self-evaluative and predictive while choosing the boat type you want. Jet ski, wakeboard, luxury yacht, seasonal boat, speed boat- any boat type you choose, you should also consider the purpose, whether for private usage or hire, the purchase process, budgeting, period of usage, condition, stabilization, maintenance, electronic suite fit etc. – everything detailed out in a check book in hand when you step into the shopping marketplace.
Take a look at these 10 point checklists that might be useful while choosing the right boat for you.
- Where shall I start with?
Once you are all set for some serious boat shopping, the best place to start is searching online. You can access variant models, types, features and benefits. Take a 360 degree virtual tour, search by length, colour or model name perching on your chair right from home. You can even customize the kind of boat you want as per the availability & location.
- Which type of boat shall I buy?
This depends upon how you will enjoy the boat. Is it for your passion & entertainment, private family vacation or adventure sports? Each boat comes with a distinct specialization & compatibility with the engine suite fit, diverse nuts & bolts. Each boat idealizes a specific usage such as a boat with open cockpit is ideal for fishing while a floating dock can be an excellent moving party cruiser for weekends in marinas. So it’s better to make a thorough check.
- Do I have the convenience to go to waters anytime with ready-to take-off cruiser?
This is an important deciding factor as a lot depends upon your ease of timing to cruise upon. Do you have enough time to cruise? Or you are okay with simply paying off the docking charges even if you are not in town? Will you embark upon a voyage on choppy waters? Are you a day-time cruiser or you mostly prefer nights for sailing?
- As my budget is fixed, how do I decide upon boat features that will fit to my taste and personal usage?
It’s always a wise investment to go by sailing opportunities of your boat that you will purchase. The right boat can earn you a multitude of entertainment on waters via fishing, ski, tube, family union party and much more. Also, going by tight budget constraints, keep approximately 60% of the budget for the purchase; while the rest 40% as saving for serving related costs.
- What is the passenger capacity & top speed of the boat?
One necessary step to consider before you purchase is testing the vessel on waters. It’s obvious you won’t like to settle even if the seller of the boat authenticates it as “runs good”. This won’t satisfy you, right? Instead, go for a test drive with your family. Check the throttle and their positioning as you manoeuvre. Does it take smooth turns at all speeds? Check for the boat load capacity when it is high on speed as well as at idle speed. Check for the boat feel, sound and performance.
- Should I purchase a new one or a used boat?
A lot of high quality used boats are available at much reasonable rates or as much as at the same cost of brand new boats. While you are opting for the older one, a lot of hidden problems should be taken into account. Check for common issues such as engine conditions, electrical systems, bilge pumps, detection of saturated foam in the hull, cabin leaks etc. that can turn out to be life-threatening if ignored during inspection. Even if you chose a brand new one, make sure you test it on waters and enjoy the warranty that comes along with it.
- Shall I get package deal with the purchase?
The type of the boat you buy and if it is a new or old will determine the deal and the package stuffs included within. You can receive the equipment list from the seller that will include all the amenities and accessories within.
These 7 points checklists are not enough. There are more aspects of the boat that are uniquely different and the way they behave on waters. Finding your perfect dream boat needs a thorough research and prompt scrutiny of all the pros and cons along with the important determinants that will work the best for you. Else it can ruin your happy weekend holidays and turn out to be a sea of trouble for you.