Owning a boat is a dream for many Americans, but one that can turn into a nightmare of unforeseen costs. Many novice boaters don't realize all the costs associated with purchasing a boat and wind up with an expensive driveway ornament aside their car instead because they can't afford gas, insurance or the other myriad things boat owners must pay for.
In recent years, enterprising business people have begun offering a solution for the high price of boat ownership: Boat rental clubs. These clubs rent out their fleet of boats to members on a daily, weekend or even monthly basis at a discounted cost. For example, one marina in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida charges non-members $329 to rent a 21-foot bow rider, but a member of the club would pay just $136, not including gasoline.
Typically, boat rental club members must pay yearly dues in order to receive the discounted prices. However, once most boaters add up the costs of insurance, gasoline, storage, docking and maintenance, not to mention the actual purchase of the boat itself, they find that joining a rental club saves them money. Boat rental clubs may also offer their members other benefits such as discounts on equipment rentals like skis or scuba gear, discounts at local restaurants and a special price on gasoline and oil.
Membership plans vary from club to club. Some offer annual memberships with a high initial cost and lower costs for renewals. Some offer a flat annual fee with no further rental costs. Some offer seasonal memberships. Be sure you understand all the terms of the membership agreement and don't allow yourself to be pressured into more of a membership than you feel you need. For example, if you're new to boating and unsure how much you will actually use your membership, a multi-year contract is probably not the best choice for you.
Finally, if you are an avid boater and plan on taking your boat out for several days every week, or for a series of long trips, a boat rental club may not offer you the same savings as it would a more casual boater. To see if a rental club would save you money, total up all the costs associated with your boat and divide that by the number of days you plan to use it in a year. Then add up all the costs associated with a boat rental club membership and divide by the number of days you will use your membership. Whichever number is lower will be the most cost-effective option for you.
Actually, you can still do boating without crippling your finance. There is no need to buy your own boat just to experience boating. Why not try boat rentals? If you roam around or surf the Internet, you can find lots of this opportunities.
Buying used boat is great alternative for some, although it is not always the most glamorous decision. The oceans and lakes are filled with boaters who are far wealthier than many. Many boaters go well beyond their means and allocate amounts for their boats at extreme levels.
What really important with a used boat is being out there on the water. A person who is out there every weekend on his beat up boat is a great boater. A businessman who only has time to ride on his 60 foot yacht once or twice a year is not considered a boater at all.
If you look around the water, you will see that the little boats are the ones that move, while the big boats are the ones that never move. Those that are too busy generating money and never have the time to go boating shouldn't really have a boat at all.
New boats can lose half of their value in not more than 2 years. With a used boat, the previous owner has already fixed the problems associated with new boats. The previous owner has also already hassled with the dealer to acquire the warranty service taken care of.
A used boat normally has not be utilized very much at all. A boat will sit most of the time, which is nothing like a used car. You can find lots of boats with less than a couple hundreds hours of engine time. For the sake of comparison, check at how many hours are on the engine of your car.
Used boats will already have scratches and ding, so you will feel half as bad when you add a few of your own. When you buy your used boat, you should leave at least a grand to outfit the boat and make any needed repair.
A used boat will normally come with dock lines, life jackets, spare props, a radio, safety equipment, and other nice boating equipment. New boat owners will have to pay hundreds of dollars for these kinds of stuffs.
The wild card is, of course, whether or not the previous boat owner did the needed maintenance of the boat. Prior to purchasing you should always get the boat surveyed to be sure that it is still in good condition. This way, you will know your getting a great used boat.
Both Kadence Buchanan & Bercle George are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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