My 9 tips for buying a boat online

If you are an aspiring boat owner, there is something you should know. The road to turning a boat-owning fantasy into reality has its fair portion of challenges and intricacies. By failing to take certain precautions, the dream of joining the distinguished class of boat-owners will remain just that- a dream. It goes without saying that one must be thoroughly equipped with strong tips to achieve maximum enjoyment from their purchase.

I'm sure you are yearning to know more about how to buy a boat without drowning in the murky boat purchasing procedures. Here are ten things that should not miss in your to-do list.

Number 1: Find Out the Cost of Purchase

Given the current hard economic times, you cannot afford to further weaken your purchasing power by failing to secure good value for your money. To stay on the safe side, financially speaking, you must take time to research on the existing market trends- more so the range of prices offered by different dealers for different boat models. Most importantly, make sure to understand the actual factors behind the pricing- different sellers offer different ranges of services to their clients.

Where to compare prices

• The NMMA consumer trade shows are a good place to compare prices for new boats: nmma.org show calender
• The ebay.com boat section offers a good starting pointfor a used boats price comparison.
• If you know what you want, you may also check out craigslist.org and compare the prices there for the model that you're looking for.

Number 2: Make a Decision on Whether to Buy a New Boat or a Used One

Now that you know the average market price for different boat models (from step 1), it's time to take a step further by deciding on whether to buy a new boat or a used one. The decision should be based on one thing- the expected duration of ownership.

A generally applied rule of thumb is that new boats deliver better services to owners who keep them for long. Old boats are preferred by short term buyers. Be sure to make a choice based on the duration of time that you wish to keep the boat.

Number 3: Survey, survey, survey

If you want to buy a boat, you must have a keen eye and a good ear to detect even the tiniest of all problems. Talking of problems, you have to run a series of checks to ensure that every part of the boat is working accordingly. If you're not in a position to do this yourself, look for an experienced surveyor. Some of the common areas that require close attention include:

The paint, keel, water lines, shaft, decks, upholstery, steering, hatches and windows, hand rails, transmission fluid and tilt motor. The BUC and NADA books should be checked to ascertain the boat's age, value and model.

Number 4: Learn the Art of Negotiation

After settling on a particular boat choice, what next? The secret to becoming a happy boat owner lies in the spirit of negotiation. Don't fall in love (head over heels) with what seems to be your dream vessel. Be sure to wiggle room while by negotiating for the biggest discounts (price or quantity discounts). In fact don't stop negotiating until you're sure that you have won the best offer in town.

Number 5: Take Note of the Running Costs

Boat operating expenses vary with different boat models. For instance, boats with big engines consume high amounts of fuel than their small-engine counterparts. To make the right choice as far as efficiency is concerned; read the boat specifications to get a rough idea of the potential operating expenses. You may want to know more about its fuel consumption rate, its storage charges (of course this largely depends with the size), its marina and yard costs etc before setting your budget.

Number 6: What about the Maintenance Costs

Just like with operating expenses, maintaining a boat costs money based on the size and the model of the boat. If you want to avoid high maintenance charges, you should look for low maintenance boats. The simpler the make, the easier it is to maintain. Large and complicated boats normally attract high maintenance charges. Some of the common boat maintenance charges to ponder include: regular repairs, cleaning supplies and engine servicing costs.

Number 7: Arrange For Boat Insurance

While boat insurance is not a legal requirement, it's important to make arrangements to protect your boat in case of an accident or damage. If you're planning to buy a boat soon, please make the necessary arrangements for appropriate insurance cover to avoid nasty financial situation in case of anything. Be sure to get in touch with your favorite insurer for more information and advice on this topic.

Number 8: Arrange For Transport

The most important factor to consider while choosing the right delivery channel for your boat is the distance from the city of purchase to your home town. If your supplier is located less than 50 miles from your home, you can hire experienced boaters to ride it home. However, if large distances (say 150 miles) are involved you must arrange for professional delivery services. Rates vary, it is always best to do some research before asking for a quote from your preferred boat delivery company.

Number 9: The Purchase Agreement

This is actually the most important factor to consider before investing your hard earned money to purchase a boat. Be sure to read carefully through the agreement documents to understand all the terms and conditions involved. In particular, you may want to pay more attention to: pre-purchase sea trials; initial repairs and what to do if the boat does not meet your expectations SECTIONS of the agreement forms before signing the documents.

As we sum it up, there is a plethora of factors to consider while planning buying a boat. Apart from the nine golden tips discussed above, one may also want to consider reading different boat reviews and customer testimonials available on the net. It's also wise to seek guidance from your local dailies and magazines before setting out to acquire a boat. You can also learn more boat buying tips and facts by regularly attending boat shows.

Hopefully, as we are, the information provided in this write-up will be of great use to you. Above all, we wish all the best in your efforts to take your boating escapades to a whole new level.