First Time Boat Buyers -- Looking for The Perfect Boat?

Help! I Can't Find The Perfect Boat!

It happens all the time. You're looking for a boat for the first time, but you're stuck in the process of looking. You more or less know what kind of boat you want, or think you do. But, whether you're looking for a new boat or a used boat, you just can't seem to find the perfect boat. This one is a little too big. That one doesn't have enough room. Your brother-in-law doesn't like that brand. The one over there looks good for fishing, but what if you want to waterski, too? That used boat you looked at over the weekend seems OK, but there are some scratches on the hull that don't look nice.

For some people, the search for the "right" boat is endless. They just can't pull the trigger and buy one. That's a shame, because boating is a terrific way to spend leisure time, and it's a great family activity. Whether you want to go fishing, skiing, cruising, or tubing, you can't do it without getting a boat.

Personally, I don't think I could stand not having a boat of some kind. If I didn't have any money, I'd watch Craig's List for a freebie, just to get back on the water. So, if you're stuck in the process of just looking for a boat, but can't find exactly the right one, here's a guide to help you pull that trigger and get on the water:


There Is No Perfect Boat!

If you're just in love with the idea of boating, and are satisfying your urge by looking for a boat, then you're on the right track. Add some boat shows to your quest. Maybe it's not time for you to buy a boat, yet.

However, if you really, really want to go boating, break the vicious cycle. Buy something that floats and has a working engine, and that will be OK for the main activity you want to do. It probably won't be the boat you'll be using two years from now, but you'll at least be on the water. You'll find all sorts of things you don't like about it, and you'll be smarter when you buy your next boat.

Given the enormous range of boat types available, you're simply not going to know what kind of boat you'll finally like until you start driving your boat around. You may have a general idea, and that's a good thing, but it'll take at least a boat or two under your belt to really know what you want.

Buy a used boat. Don't spend a fortune. Just buy something decent that floats and has a running engine. Have someone, preferably a professional, who knows boats have a look at it for safety's sake, but get a cheap boat, then use the heck out of it. After a full season of use, sell it and buy one that will better suit your needs, since you'll have discovered something about what your needs are in that season. Repeat as needed.

There are no boats that don't make noise. There are no boats that don't bounce around a bit in rough water. There are no boats that combine suitability for river fishing, lake fishing, and ocean fishing with water skiing, tubing, and cruising. None. There are no used boats that can't stand a little sprucing up to make them feel newer.

Get wet. Get dirty. Get bounced around a little. Go slow. Go fast. Go fishing. Have a picnic on an island somewhere after pulling your boat up on a beach. Tie up at a local restaurant that has a dock and swap stories with the others who have done the same. Drag someone around on a tube for an hour or two. Dive off the boat in some quiet cove and swim around, then climb back in and speed away. Get a sunburn on your face because you forgot the sunscreen, then watch it peel over the next week. Kiss someone on the water somewhere.

Mix some fuel and oil. Change the oil in a lower unit. Put in some spark plugs. Bang the boat hard against a dock on a windy day and look at the scratches that caused. Clear weeds off the lower unit of your outboard or outdrive while hanging off the transom. Curse a rock that has dinged your prop. Curse the anchor that snagged up on a rocky bottom, then go buy a new one and and a new rope.

Come back to the launch ramp on a day where the wind came up while you were out and struggle to get your boat back on its trailer. Get some help from another boater, and help another boater. Forget your pfds and have to drive home to get them. Forget your boat keys on your dresser and have to drive home to get them. Forget to put in the transom plug and have to run the bilge pump for an hour after you put it back in. Lose a prized fishing pole over the side.

Buy a boat. Any decent boat. Go boating!

Re: First Time Boat Buyers -- Looking for The Perfect Boat?

Help! I Can't Find The Perfect Boat!

It happens all the time. You're looking for a boat for the first time, but you're stuck in the process itself. You more or less know what kind of boat you want, or think you do, but whether you're looking for a new boat or a used boat, you just can't seem to find the perfect boat. This one is a little too big. That one doesn't have enough room. Your brother-in-law doesn't like that brand. The one over there looks good for fishing, but what if you want to waterski too? That used boat you looked at over the weekend seems OK, but there are some scratches on the hull that don't look nice.

For some people, the search for the "right" boat is endless. They just can't pull the trigger and buy one. That's a shame, because boating is a terrific way to spend leisure time, and it's a great family activity. Whether you want to go fishing, skiing, cruising, or tubing, you can't do it without getting a boat.

Personally, I don't think I could stand not having a boat of some kind. If I didn't have any money, I'd watch Craig's List for a freebie just to get back on the water. So, if you're stuck in the process of just looking for a boat, but can't find exactly the right one, here's a guide to help you pull that trigger and get on the water:

There Is No Perfect Boat!

If you're just in love with the idea of boating, and are satisfying your urge by looking for a boat, then you're on the right track. Add some boat shows to your quest. Maybe it's not time for you to buy a boat, yet.

However, if you really, really want to go boating, break the vicious cycle. Buy something that floats and has a working engine, and that will be OK for the main activity you want to do. It probably won't be the boat you'll be using two years from now, but you'll at least be on the water. You'll find all sorts of things you don't like about it, and you'll be smarter when you buy your next boat.

Given the enormous range of boat types available, you're simply not going to know what kind of boat you'll finally like until you start driving your boat around. You may have a general idea, and that's a good thing, but it'll take at least a boat or two under your belt to really know what you want.

Buy a used boat. Don't spend a fortune. Just buy something decent that floats and has a running engine. Have someone (preferably a professional who knows boats) have a look at it for safety's sake, but get a cheap boat, then use the heck out of it. After a full season of use, sell it and buy one that will better suit your needs. You will have discovered something about what your needs are in that season. Repeat as needed.

There are no boats that don't make noise. There are no boats that don't bounce around a bit in rough water. There are no boats that combine suitability for river fishing, lake fishing, and ocean fishing with water skiing, tubing, and cruising. None. There are no used boats that can't stand a little sprucing up to make them feel newer.

Get wet. Get dirty. Get bounced around a little. Go slow. Go fast. Go fishing. Have a picnic on an island somewhere after pulling your boat up on a beach. Tie up at a local restaurant that has a dock and swap stories with the others who have done the same. Drag someone around on a tube for an hour or two. Dive off the boat in some quiet cove and swim around, then climb back in and speed away. Get a sunburn on your face because you forgot the sunscreen, then watch it peel over the next week. Kiss someone on the water somewhere.

Mix some fuel and oil. Change the oil in a lower unit. Put in some spark plugs. Bang the boat hard against a dock on a windy day and look at the resulting scratches. Clear weeds off the lower unit of your outboard or outdrive while hanging off the transom. Curse a rock that has dinged your prop. Curse the anchor that snagged up on a rocky bottom, then go buy a new one and a new rope.

Come back to the launch ramp on a day where the wind came up while you were out and struggle to get your boat back on its trailer. Get some help from another boater, and help another boater. Forget your PFDs and have to drive home to get them. Forget your boat keys on your dresser and have to drive home to get them. Forget to put in the transom plug and have to run the bilge pump for an hour after you put it back in. Lose a prized fishing pole over the side.

Buy a boat, any decent boat. Go boating!

Just some slight punctuation changes and a word replacement here or there. Nothing major. I still love the tone, suggestions and good guidance!!CAT, you and I are comma machines I trimmed a few

Re: First Time Boat Buyers -- Looking for The Perfect Boat?

QC, I'm not sure your post was necessary. None of us here are professional wordsmiths. CAT did a fine job in his post, especially compared to some of the stuff I've put out.

If you'd like to delete your post, then please delete this one, too, so we can get this thread off to a fresh start.

Re: First Time Boat Buyers -- Looking for The Perfect Boat?

QC: Yah, I use too many commas. Your changes are fine with me.

Navy Jr.: This thread is being used to edit something that may become a FAQ entry. It won't stay here. It's here because not many people visit this section, so we're working on the thing before it gets posted.

Thanks, though, for sticking up for me.