I posted this in my local forum but didn't get much response there, so I thought I'd post to a wider audience.

I've been toying with the idea of buying a boat for the past couple of summers, but just couldn't get past some of the logistics (e.g., I don't have a place to store a boat and I don't have a truck to tow it with). However, I'm thinking about either ignoring those little details (maybe rent a slip at a lake) or working around them (buying a truck and storing the boat at my brother's or parents' place).

So, for those that have owned boats or been around boats a lot, can you offer some advice or your personal thoughts on buying a boat and boat ownership?

Firstly, what should I look for in a boat? I suspect I want something that can pull a skiier/tuber behind it. I want something that is good for entertaining (having lunch on-board and kicking back all day) and just for getting some sun. Also, I'm not really into fishing yet, but I suspect I'd like something that at least supports the option of fishing from it. What kind of features would be required to support these activities? Also, are there other things that I might be able to do with/on a boat that I haven't listed here?

Second, what are common expenses that I might not be aware of? How much does registration cost for a boat? How much does it cost to register a boat-trailer? How much fuel does an average boat use when just cruising? What about skiing? How much does slip rental cost on local lakes? What about other storage options?

Now, assuming I decide to go for a used boat, are there any things in particular I should be looking for? Hull damage, electrical issues, etc? I'm thinking I should probably buy a "starter boat" to begin with. Probably something used and relatively inexpensive, just to see if I like boating. Then I could upgrade to something nicer when I have more money.

Any other tips that could be useful to a prospective boat buyer?

Thanks!

 

The second "happiest day" of boat ownership is when you get the boat.

The first, is when you sell it.

 

my personal axiom for owning boats is:

"you are either fixing one or wishing it was fixed"

tis always better to have friends with boats, than a boat yourself.......

I will chip in buy the gas and/or the food and drinks when boating with friends but I will never own another boat....ever Even if I win the lottery

 

First of here is a little saying in the boating world:

The happiest day of a man's life is when he buys his boat, the second happiest day is when he sells it.

My parent's have a boat, and there is a good bit of upkeep with it. However, they have a pontoon boat which can sit in the water year round and not corrode due to the aluminum pontoons. Fiberglass boats generally need to be kept out of the water, on a trailer or boat lift, because they will corrode from the water overtime.

As far as what boat to get, that really has to deal with your spending limit. A pontoon boat is the one of the more cost effective ways to get on the lake. A new 21ft pontoon with a 50-75hp motor can be had for about $17,000. However, it is more of a "party barge" and is not intended for skiing/tubing. I would say you would want ATLEAST a 100hp motor to make tubing somewhat exciting. Also, the motor of the boat is deffinately the most expensive piece. Typically you can estimate that they are $100 per hp. So that adds up very quickly. If you get a 4-stroke motor they are much better on gas and are much quiter. The pontoon boat my parents does very well with gas. It has a 35 gallon tank which is good for about 4-5 days on the lake puttin around.

Honestly, if you want to get into the water sports type of deal, I would not get a pontoon. They are not very agile at all. The next best type of boat would have to be a Deck Boat. These are pretty affordable, and can seat about 6-8 people(depending on size) and are much more fun for tubing/skiing. You can easily fish off of these as well if you choose to do so.

If you ellaborate on your price range a bit, I would be able to recommend a boat that might suit your needs. Price pretty much dictates what you can get, obviously. If I can help any more let me know.

 

friends with boats is far better. i have a good friend whose dad owned one. great times..until the engines crapped out just outside the bay. that day cost a lot of money.

i would imagine perhaps one of those completely open deck boats with some nice outboards would be the simplest and cheapest way to go

 

I did a bit of on-line shopping and saw some boats that looked good in the 18-30K range. That's probably a realistic target for me, considering the fact that this will be my first boat, and there's no point spending a fortune on it until I decide that I actually like boating. However, the boats that I actually drooled over started at about 175K and up. I won't be spending that much on a boat, unless I can get 0% financing for 50 years.Aren't outboards a big no-no if you plan to ski/tube or swim off the back of it?

 

Outboards are "ok" for skiing. They won't make the best wake to ski/wakeboard on. You'd want a full inboard motor for the best wake. You can get a pretty nice used wakeboard boat for $25-30k range. Most come with a 300hp inboard V8 which will get it moving. Some pretty good wakeboard boats include, Supra's, Malibu Wakesetters, Centurion's and Mastercrafts. Most of these NEW with basic features go for around $45-$50k, but you can get a used one for your price range if you look around. These boats are set up to make a very good wake, but can also seat 5-7 people as well. Most come with a very nice sound system that can be heard plain as day when you are wakeboarding behind the boat.

 

There are three types of engine configurations, inboard, inboard/outboard and outboard. As others have said, for a true ski boat, you want inboards as the offer the best initial pull, good balance and a good wake. However, outboards are also popular, as they are versitile, easy to repair, fast and manuverable. I/O are the least popular of the three. Next is hull/deck configuration. Being in TX, you will want something that offers protection from the sun, either a bimini top (sort of like a retracable awning) or a t-top (permanent fixed roof). I've always liked center consoles, like baha, boston whaler, mako, etc. Lots of room, open plan, can ski or fish, fast. Next would be some type of open bow. Less deck area than a center console but a little more creature comfort. Sea Rays and Tiaras are popular up here. If you are trailering, you'll probably want to look for boats in the 18' to 24' range. This will give you enough room on the boat without being too big to haul around. Renting a slip is nice and usually not too expensive, don't know about your market but here, they are usually $800-$1,500 per season. Lastly, I would strongly consider buying used. New boats take huge depreciation losses in their early years and, with the economy struggling, its a buyer's market for any toys, including boats. Good luck.

 

I've had 2 Nautiques, the current one being a 2001 Air Nautique model with an open bow. Very stable boat, handles very much like a car on water and can seat enough people for just cruising around.
As far as gas goes, it all depends on the boat, the engine and how you use it. Mine has a 8.2 liter motor and it certainly does not sip the gas.

A ski boat would be a good starter type boat, or any type of v-hull open bow boat. Stick with inboard type motor versus an outboard, IMO.

As far as storing costs, I have no clue as far as pricing where you live. I keep mine at my office during the winter because of the snow. I'd check around with a few marinas near you to find out costs of renting a slip. In the summer, I keep my boat on a lift to keep it out of the water all the time, it cuts down on cleaning the hull in the winter.

 

i dont know about engines or boats for skiing. i do have some friends with boats and we go out on the Chesapeake Bay. it is absolutely true that you will spend more time fixing your boat and wishing you were out on the water than actually being out there. i say make friends with people that have boats first.