By William Perkins
This article will provide you with the information you need to buy the boat that's best for you. I'm going to share with you the secrets of boat buying so that you will be armed with the know-how to buy the very best boat you can for the very best price. I will try to cram as much information as I can into this article which just might save you $3,000 on your boat purchase.
Most of the information in this article has been gleaned from the boating industry's number one insider and boating expert, Doug Dawson. Captain Dawson is legendary in the boating world and possesses a lifetime of boating experience.
He has personally done over 12,000 boat evaluations and has been a Boating Insider since his youth. He is also author of the popular How To Buy A Boat With Confidence. I cannot speak highly enough of him, and his credentials would fill this entire page!
"Most boaters, new and experienced, don't know how to buy a boat," says Dawson. "After all, being an expert boater and an expert boat-buyer are two entirely different things."
Captain Dawson has seen far too many boaters embarrass themselves buying the wrong boat or paying way too much for a boat, or both! So to learn from an expert how to save a few thousand dollars on your next boat purchase, read on.
The first thing you need to do before you even start looking at boats is ask yourself some important questions:
1) How many people are going to be in my boat? Boats are about enjoying the water (and the fishing!) with family and friends. Don't ruin the fun by trying to cram too many people into too small a boat. 2) You must also determine the size of the body of water where you're going to be using your boat. How big do the waves or rapids get? 3) Finally, and this is a whopper: How much money will your bank lend you for a boat? Find out before you go boat shopping.
New or used?
Buying a boat is a bit like buying a car. If you buy new, you pay more, but you've got a warranty. Used boats will require some repairs and rather quickly, but you will be able to get a bigger boat for what you would have spent on a new boat. When shopping for a new boat, it's easier to comparison shop, but you may have to wait for your boat after you purchase it, depending on whether or not it's in stock.
Don't forget that when you buy a boat there will be other necessary purchases as well. In addition to a trailer, you will most likely want to purchase new boating clothes, electronics, safety equipment, and a few boat handling classes. You will also need to budget the cost of fuel, storage, dockage, and maintenance into your monthly payment. There's more to a boat purchase than the sticker price, tax and license.
Besides talking to other boaters, Captain Dawson recommends doing lots of research on the internet. Join boating forums and chat rooms, and check out all the boating manufacturers online. When talking to other satisfied boaters and friends who already own boats, remember that the reasons they bought their boats are probably different from your reasons and needs for a boat.
Once you decide on a boat, it's time to negotiate the deal. You may buy a boat from a private party, a Marina, a broker, or a dealer. Just be sure to get it in writing! Verbal agreements have a way of disappearing into the wind. Your Offer To Purchase should state in writing everything you expect and want out of the deal and the purchase should be "subject to financial approval and satisfactory sea trials."
"There are a few tricks to watch out for," says Dawson. "The bait and switch, limited time offers, monthly payment catches, competitive buyer pressure, rebate offers and such. These are all outlined in my book, Buy A Boat With Confidence, in great detail."
Three more things to remember:
1) decide rationally, not emotionally.
2) Always counter whatever the seller offers.
3) You can always walk.
Once both parties agree on a price, you can proceed to the Purchase Agreement which includes all the details like serial numbers, taxes, services, repairs, payment scheduling, everything. This is the most important document. If it's not written in the purchase agreement, then you won't get it. So make sure every little thing is written in the Purchase Agreement that you want.
Find out more about boating, and/or how to buy a boat by visiting Captain Dawson's webpage -- Click Here.
