Best Boat Buying Tips

Buying a boat can be a life changing event, so take your time and do enough research to find what you need over what you want.

These tips are only a general guide and include pointers to most of the information you might want to consider before making a purchase.

There is a lot of choice. Please allow enough time to explore the many different types of boats and several different brands within each category. This is a big investment which will almost certainly change your life for the better.

Find the Right Boat

Begin by narrowing down your choices. Ask yourself questions like: “What do I want to do with a boat? Trailering? Overnighting? Entertaining? Fishing? Water skiing?” Answering that will make the next choices much easier.

Then, ask yourself “Where do I want to go boating?”

“Who is going with me?”

“How many people should the boat carry?”

“Will we be going offshore?”

The answers to these questions will help guide what boat is right for you. Narrow your choices to a short list of boat types and make short lists of features you need, features you’d like and features you want to avoid. Go to Boat Types | Discover Boating for a brief description of the myriad categories of vessels available today.

And finally, the biggest one: “How much am I willing to spend on boating?” Remember it’s not just the boat itself, but incidentals like a trailer, registration, licences, mooring and safety equipment which need to be considered too.

Choose the Right Dealer

Once you’ve narrowed down your category choices, the real fun begins. It’s time to go shopping and much like buying a car, you can buy privately, with all its pitfalls, or you can buy peace of mind and purchase through a BIA-accredited dealer.

You will want to find the right boat-brand-dealer combination. Ask similar questions to each dealer and try to find someone willing to invest time in helping and guiding your choice to what you want – not what they have to sell.

Of course, if you’re buying much more than a fishing tinny, you could consider engaging a surveyor where appropriate. Having a professional assess a prospective purchase for seaworthiness and to identify potential issues before you buy will give you confidence, both in the showroom and on the water.

Check Ownership

When buying a second-hand boat, it’s wise to ensure that the boat is free from any security interests that could lead to its repossession and the seller owns the boat outright. You can do this by checking the Personal Properties Securities Register.

Consider Warranties

Investigate the warranties for every boat on your list; they’re valuable and should influence your decision. Some are transferable, which may become a selling point if you decide to re-sell. Find out what the warranty covers (engine, hull, components, accessories, service etc) and ask what happens if something fails. Any warranty which may still exist on a late model used boat can be transferred to the new owner. A good way to do this is to ask for references. Also check model serial numbers with the model year before parting with your money.

Keep a Log

At the boat show and as you visit local dealerships, document everything: take pictures and notes, or record your reactions. Involve your family or partner and listen to their observations. Use your short list of features important to you to quantify your choice. Make up a chart and use it to rank your top choices.

How Long Does It Take?

For some, one afternoon is enough; for others, it might take years. The right time to buy a boat is when you are ready. Boat shows often offer ‘show specials’ to entice people to buy there and then; if you know what you want, it’s a good time to negotiate a bargain. Ask the dealer if they’ll honour that price in a few weeks after doing some more shopping. Chances are they will. Have a checklist like this one Boat Buyer Checklist to check off the key points to consider before buying a boat. When you do the deal, don’t forget to sign the ownership papers, and to insure your new toy.

Test Drive

Just as you’d test-drive a car, you should take a boat out. The way it handles and feels on the water is key to your satisfaction. Bring the family along and try the boat in the conditions you’ll be using it.

Learning About Your New Boat

Boating isn’t difficult, but it is a skill. Signing up for a training course to learn the basics is never a bad idea. Some dealers will offer training and most marinas and dealerships have a network of instructors you can hire to show you the ropes on your own boat. Some details will need practice: docking, launching and so on. Just take it slow and practice.