Choosing The
Right Boat For You
- by: John Rodgers
If you’re a first time boat
buyer the choice of boats available for purchase can be
bewildering. How do you make sense of all the choices? Well, the
first time boat buyer needs to avoid buying on impulse and take
a close hard look at how they intend to use the boat. If not,
your romance with boating will be short-lived as you quickly
realize you have made the wrong choice for you and your family.
The wrong choice could be dangerous, financially costly and at
the least uncomfortable.
The first time buyer needs to assess how they are going to use
the boat. Will the boat be used by just yourself to aid
recreational fishing or sailing or is your boating going to be a
family leisure experience? How often do you intend to use the
boat? A once in a blue moon trip in the summer months would
require a different boat to an avid sailing enthusiast.
A recreational fisherman who likes to fish in different waters
will probably only need a small transportable boat. A family
looking for a recreational boating experience will probably want
a small cruiser with some home comforts such as comfortable
seats and a small galley. A boating enthusiast with some prior
experience looking for a regular excursion may look for
something a little larger that can be moored for safe keeping
rather than towed away at the end of each trip.
Planning on overnight trips? You will need something a little
larger to sleep on. Larger boats that require mooring will also
incur more operating costs so if you choose to go for something
larger always check the hidden overheads to ensure your budget
will fit the total cost.
Once you have assessed your likely boat use you can then decide
on the type of boat you are likely to need. There are a
multitude of sizes, shapes and classes of boats but generally
they fall into one of the several common groups of boat: Fishing
boat, sail boat/yacht, motor boat and self-propelled boat.
Fishing boats are generally for inshore use and will have few
mod cons for comfort but will have equipment suitable for the
boats use. You may choose a boat with storage tanks for your
catch or with holders for your rods. A fishing craft will
generally have a platform area or deck to carry out your fishing
activity from.
Sail boats/yachts come in all sizes dependant on your use or
experience. They differ from fishing boats in that decks are
smaller and they are designed with the sailing activity of the
user. Some may have a cabin with a berth, galley and table
whilst a basic inshore day trip sail boat may be as small as a
row boat with no comfort extras.
Motor boats come in all shapes and sizes and can be used for
leisurely cruising or water skiing excursions. Large boats will
often have a cabin with facilities for sleeping or cooking but a
day tripper can find a small craft with a small deck, towable
for use with skis.
Self propelled boats (rowing boats or pedelos) are ideal for day
trip activities where you may not be looking to stray to far off
the beaten track. Ideal for gentle rivers, quite lakes or
inshore trips. Can be hitched behind a car and towed and stored
relatively easily.
Once you have decided on how you will use the boat and assessed
the correct type of craft for your use be sure to check for the
safety equipment you will require, then talk to a dealer, find
out about the various brand name boats and costs, then rent the
boat of your choice to make sure you are choosing wisely.
About The Author
John Rodgers writes for
http://www.boat-builder-dealer-online.com .