How To Pick The Perfect Boat

You love going out on the high seas or river, but you are unsure about the type of water-worthy vessel that would be most suitable to take you where you are going. Today, there are various watercrafts capable of plying the sea or river that you can choose from. Since there are different brand vessels available, they carry various features that make each one special.

Decide On Whether You Want a New Or Used Vessel

If you are serious about owning the perfect boat, then you should decide whether you want to own a new or used craft to take you out on the water. Note that if you should decide on buying a used boat, you might have to pay someone to carry out repairs on it, which can be costly.

If your goal is to purchase a new vessel, you should ask yourself if you can afford the price the seller is asking for it. In both cases, though, price matters and so it’s important that you decide how much money you want to spend. Before you buy one, compare the prices and functions among different sellers. Here is a list of boat manufacturers for your reference.

Decide On Price

Whether you are buying a new or used boat, price is important and will play a major role in the decision you make. When thinking about buying a boat, you should take a number of things into consideration such as size, type and brand, style, warranty, durability, fuel usage and so on. With those things in mind, it could all add up to a hefty sum.

If you are unable to cover the cash payment in a single lump-sum, there are several financial companies offering loans for boats, which can help you finance the boat of your dreams. You should seek a company that gives you a competitive loan that you can handle and easy loan repayment options as well. Additionally, just make sure though that the watercraft you purchase doesn’t put a dent into your finances.  

What Will You Use The Boat For?

Boats are used for different purposes, some of which cover fishing, cruising, ferrying, water sport (water skiing, knee-boarding, towing purposes), sailing, luxury yachting, and so on. Still, you can buy a boat today and later on realize that it’s not serving you purposefully.

You either have to sell it or go out to find another one to purchase. If you fail to pinpoint upfront the reason why you are buying a boat, there is a good chance that later down the road you may not feel happy with your purchase. Therefore, choose a boat that can cover your present and future needs.

Know Where You Will Use Your Boat

Some boats are suitable for certain water. Take for example: some boats are suitable for use on a lake/river while others are sea worthy crafts. If you are buying a boat to fish in the lake, then it might suit you to consider owning a vessel that is around 10-20 ft. long and with specially designed fiberglass or aluminum hull. If you want your boat for water sport, then your best bet is to go after a straight water ski vessel or a fish/ski combination boat. Or, check here for narrow boats for sale.

A sailboat that goes out to sea can be expensive for you to maintain since you will need to change the sail every two years or so. Luxury yachts are usually ocean vessels that you can spend extended time on. Still, though, if you have a luxury yacht and live in an area with a large lake nearby, you can use it to sail the lake on.

Consider How Many People You Are Carrying

Before going out and choosing your dream boat, you should also consider how many people you will be taking aboard. All boats have limits to how many people they should carry, so be sure to follow the rules and not miss anything.

See below for a breakdown of how many people a watercraft should carry:

Vessel Length                                                               Maximum Passengers

Below 3 m                                                                                  2 persons

From 3 m to 3.5 m                                                                   3 persons

3.5 m to below 4.5 m                                                               4 persons

4.5 m to 5 m                                                                              5 persons

5 m to 5.5 m                                                                              6 persons 

5.5 m to 6 m                                                                              7 persons

Children that are one year and less are not counted in the calculations. Children that are below 12 are counted as half (0.5) persons. Cruise liners have a greater capacity to carry more people. Still, for safety measures, if you are planning on going out into the open water with people on board, you should consider reducing the number of prescribed passengers just in case you get into difficulty out in the open area.

Decide On What Method Of Propulsion You Will Use

Your method of propulsion is an important matter when choosing your perfect boat to take you out in the water. An outboard engine, for example, is more suited for water sports and fishing because it is designed to push the boat forward. An outboard engine usually is fitted at the rear of the boat. Meanwhile, some boats use an inboard engine that is placed in the center or back of the vessel.

A jet engine boat uses its jets to carry it through the water at a fast rate. A sailboat depends on the wind to propel it forward. For small paddle boats, kayaks and canoes, you have to depend on your own human efforts to get them moving in the water.

Although choosing your dream watercraft might be a daunting task for you to cover, still you can master the rules of deciding what to buy that will make your sea adventures memorable ones. Your time spent away from home, riding the high tides will be worth it and you can view many exotic creatures that live in the sea while you are out on your dream water vessel.