Boats
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Joined: May 2006
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From: Calgary
You're getting enough tips on purchasing, so I'll give you a couple on the upkeep.
If you plan to work on the boat yourself, an inboard format will be the most familiar as it basically uses a car engine with some minor modifications. An outboard functions the same but will be less familiar.
Do not simply open your wallet to your local marina for any problems you have with repairs or maintenance. With some exceptions marinas prey on new boat owners who they see as uneducated and uninformed, with decent income to afford unnecessary repairs and maintenance. You might find yourself receiving newsletters "informing" you of preventative maintenance that goes so far beyond what is actually needed, ie. Change your impeller every 3-5 years. We were told to do this by one of our local marinas and sure enough they picked up a swarm of business from uninformed "new money" boat owners who were happy to open up their wallets without confirming things first.
I would recommend you look around online to see which boat communities offer the best support. Just like with S2KI, any info you can find online and the most active member database will provide you with some of the best real-world info.
Get used to spending a lot of money on gas, oil, maintenance, and all sorts of items that will wear or disappear over time like ropes and bumpers. Get used to the idea that your boat will bang against the dock and all you can do is minimize the about of marking and damage to it by using products available.
You can totally use an outboard for swimming, wakeboarding and tubing. As with any boat (inboard, i/o, outboard) you must be aware of who is around the boat at all times if you're intending to operate it.
Night boating is plenty of fun but it takes a decent amount of time to get your bearings in a new area. Be aware of rock formations and shallow spots that might end up with you getting grounded.
If you're ever unsure what to do in a situation with a large amount of boat traffic, just throttle down. Use hand signals to convey a message to other boaters to wave them along and resume your path. I'd recommend taking a boating course to familiarize yourself with the rules of the water. Sailboats and large vessels have the right of way, always.
If you plan to work on the boat yourself, an inboard format will be the most familiar as it basically uses a car engine with some minor modifications. An outboard functions the same but will be less familiar.
Do not simply open your wallet to your local marina for any problems you have with repairs or maintenance. With some exceptions marinas prey on new boat owners who they see as uneducated and uninformed, with decent income to afford unnecessary repairs and maintenance. You might find yourself receiving newsletters "informing" you of preventative maintenance that goes so far beyond what is actually needed, ie. Change your impeller every 3-5 years. We were told to do this by one of our local marinas and sure enough they picked up a swarm of business from uninformed "new money" boat owners who were happy to open up their wallets without confirming things first.
I would recommend you look around online to see which boat communities offer the best support. Just like with S2KI, any info you can find online and the most active member database will provide you with some of the best real-world info.
Get used to spending a lot of money on gas, oil, maintenance, and all sorts of items that will wear or disappear over time like ropes and bumpers. Get used to the idea that your boat will bang against the dock and all you can do is minimize the about of marking and damage to it by using products available.
You can totally use an outboard for swimming, wakeboarding and tubing. As with any boat (inboard, i/o, outboard) you must be aware of who is around the boat at all times if you're intending to operate it.
Night boating is plenty of fun but it takes a decent amount of time to get your bearings in a new area. Be aware of rock formations and shallow spots that might end up with you getting grounded.
If you're ever unsure what to do in a situation with a large amount of boat traffic, just throttle down. Use hand signals to convey a message to other boaters to wave them along and resume your path. I'd recommend taking a boating course to familiarize yourself with the rules of the water. Sailboats and large vessels have the right of way, always.
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Joined: Aug 2006
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From: USSA
Originally Posted by Waitforme,May 5 2008, 09:30 AM
The second "happiest day" of boat ownership is when you get the boat.
The first, is when you sell it.
The first, is when you sell it.
Having worked in a marine store in high school I can tell you....many people had these same sentiments.
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 36,017
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From: Queen City, NC
Will you be on fresh or salt water? Open water, or lakes/rivers? Depending on the body of water, you'll have to have different levels of maint and prep for when things go wrong. Owning a boat can be fun, but it takes dedication.
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Joined: Jan 2003
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From: Wylie, TX
Originally Posted by Saki GT,May 5 2008, 11:10 AM
Will you be on fresh or salt water? Open water, or lakes/rivers? Depending on the body of water, you'll have to have different levels of maint and prep for when things go wrong. Owning a boat can be fun, but it takes dedication.
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 36,017
Likes: 226
From: Queen City, NC
If you keep it in the water, you'll need a slip, you'll have higher fuel prices, but you'll save time on getting the boat ready to go and towing. If you trailer the boat, even just to store it at the marina out of water, you'll have towing costs. fuel, storage, a tow vehicle...
You'll need onboard tools to fix things that brake or come undone, goggles for clearing a prop or anchor, maps, knowledge of the lake so you don't hit ground....
You'll spend weekends cleaning the boat, taking it in for maintenance at the marina, and doing pure work. But, you'll also spend weekends at the boat, on the boat, having a fun time.
Having a head is nice, so is a place to get out of the sun. Thats a bigger boat... Boats don't stop n a dime, and wind pushes them around - have fun docking in the wind!
Maybe get your captain's license, know 90% more about boating than most boaters, and then rent boats?
You'll need onboard tools to fix things that brake or come undone, goggles for clearing a prop or anchor, maps, knowledge of the lake so you don't hit ground....
You'll spend weekends cleaning the boat, taking it in for maintenance at the marina, and doing pure work. But, you'll also spend weekends at the boat, on the boat, having a fun time.
Having a head is nice, so is a place to get out of the sun. Thats a bigger boat... Boats don't stop n a dime, and wind pushes them around - have fun docking in the wind!
Maybe get your captain's license, know 90% more about boating than most boaters, and then rent boats?
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 50,928
Likes: 3,413
From: Michigan
I'm not too sure about the kinds of boats that require as much maintenance as some are suggesting here, mine certainly doesn't. I change the oil once a year and that's pretty much it. The only thing I've replaced is one of the flaps that covers one of the exhaust pipes, other than that it's exactly like a car.
I suppose if you were asking about a big sailboat or some 50 ft yacht, then yes there's a lot more maintenance involved, but with a 20-28 ft boat, it's pretty straightforward.
I suppose if you were asking about a big sailboat or some 50 ft yacht, then yes there's a lot more maintenance involved, but with a 20-28 ft boat, it's pretty straightforward.
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,643
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From: Harvest, AL
I have worked at a Marina and my family has owned boats for a while now. Dry docking would be my first choice since you will not get a water line on the hull. Those are a PITA to remove. Secondly you can always get the dock hand to wash it for you for like $20. Gas on the water is more expensive, but most places you can just call and tell them you are coming and to fill it up. A very big plus in my book. Prep for winter can be a pain, but not a huge deal. Things will break, that is just part of life with a boat, and just like everything else it costs a lot of money to fix. We have a Chapperell 1920SS now and it is a great boat. I would love to trade it in for a Tige, MasterCraft, Nautique, etc b/c it would be a lot more fun to wakeboard behind a tower with some serious wake. But that is just me. The boat is paid for so no sense in trading yet.
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From: Wylie, TX
Originally Posted by sw05s2k,May 5 2008, 12:12 PM
I'm not too sure about the kinds of boats that require as much maintenance as some are suggesting here, mine certainly doesn't.
I kind of wonder if more modern boats are more reliable, or if it's still the same. You'd think there has to be a Honda/Toyota of the boating world, for people that just want to buy a reliable boat.