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I could rent a boat once a week every week all summer for dozens of summers before it would come close to the price of owning one...and have zero hassle.
Op, are there boating clubs in your area?
Rental places?
Straight up renting a boat seems pretty expensive like $350 for 2 hours. Who wnats to go out on a boat for two hours I wanna spend a wole day. I can see hwo a club would be a good deal though. My parents recently moved to south carolina and I think aside from an upfront cost for a few hundred a year they can basically have access to a boat anytime they want as long as ones available i think they are guranteed one every two days so that seems like a pretty good deal. I'll have to look into whether there are clubs that may be something to consider. I don't really like to be responsible for someoen elses property though, if my friends break something or i break something or do something stupid I want it to be to my own property lol. ALso just the freedome to go on my own schedule, where I want.
Regardless of whether I buy myself a runabout or not I was planning on taking some sailling classes on lake michigan this summer and maybe joining a club for that because that seems to be even more expensive than power boats just by teh nature of most sailbaots being so large you cant take on the storage or transportation of tehm youreself
Bring somebody with you who knows boats when you go to buy one. Best if it's in the water so you can make sure it runs and it's not leaking. At the very least you should hear the motor run with the prop submerged in a barrel of water. I agree an outboard is the best choice. Motors need to be winterized.
I wouldn't even think of recommending you drink while you're boating nor would I suggest you take more than one experienced boater out with you who can show you the ropes till you know what you're doing. There aren't any brakes on a boat.
Take a coast guard class, get a chart of the waters you're thinking of going out in and study it carefully, get a coast guard or auxiliary inspection to make sure you have all the necessary safety gear and don't forget a toolbox and extra spark plugs, a bailer and a ladder and other items suggested to you. There are no walmarts out there. Don't forget to put the boat plug in before you launch and don't forget to tie the anchor line to the boat. Also don't forget to tell someone where you're going and when you expect to be back.
The difference between a sail boater and a power boater lies somewhere in personality. If riding the wind appeals to you and you're not in a hurry to get somewhere necessarily you may like sailing. Cats are quick but they can also turtle (turn upside down). You can get a small sailboat with a retractable centerboard that is trailerable. For road purposes you don't want anything wider than 8'6" at the beam. If tubing appeals you need a power boat though you can do it in a slower fashion from a sailboat. Lunds are good solid boats and boston whalers are supposed to be unsinkable and come in many sizes. Metal boats are a lot colder if you plan on going out in anything other than warm weather.
I think part of both appeal to me, I really should probably spend a little bit of money upfront and take a bit more time to learn, rent, and experience both so I can make a more educated decision before dropping a boatload of money lol pardon the pun
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You aint wrong there Greg, i've seen a lot of friends with visions of boating with all the friends every weekend only to discover most weekends you are out on the lake alone,soon after your boat becomes an expensive marina queen after the novelty factor wears off..
Definitely rent a boat for a summer before buying one..
You bring up a good point, is it something where the novelty will wear off. My uncle is out on his boat every weekend, taking mondays off to psend 3 day weekends on the lake, anytime he's free on a weekday he's out there. He truly loves it and if he could spend every second of every day out with hi boat he probably would. That said I can see some people buying it, it's fun for a few weekends and then winds up something you take out a couple times a year almost out of obligation that your paying for it.
That's kinda why I wanna try to get something like $1500 if it lasts me a year without droping money inot it and i realize i never use it if i sell for 700 oh well i lost a few hundred bucks probably same as renting a boat 2-3 times that summer.
I see the same thing with motorcyels which is more what I know. I bought a 1994 suzuki vs800 a few years back with 1400 miles on it. some guy basically put 100 miles a year on it lol, his loss my gain.
There are all sorts of sayings about boats like "a boat is a hole in the water you dump money into" another "there are 2 great days in a boat owners life the day he buys it and the day he sells it"...
I have a 20' Stingray inboard outboard bowrider and it is a great boat. We fish, splash around with water sports and crash onto sandbars for picnics.
Keep in mind when you go out shopping for a boat that comfort is important but the engine is #1. You need a good engine that won't break down and leave you stranded. The most expensive part of a boat is the engine and it will help if you can do the basic maintenance on it. I like inboard/outboards I/O's because they are like car engines and are easy to work on.
My first boat was a old clunker I bought for $700. It got my feet wet. The next one was a few thousand and the next a bit more. The Stingray I bought used for $5000. You don't have to spend a mint to have fun.
I would recommend a 18'+ boat, no more than 10 years old, outboard with a 4 stroke 75 HP or more or a I/O 4 cylinder but a 6 would be better. I like a bowrider since it gives more usable space for passengers and it is nice to float up there with my honey.
Since you will be trailering be sure to get a trailer that is fitted for the boat. I like rollers over bunks.
Keep your eye on the internet and any sale magazines to get a feel for prices. You will be surprised at the price swing with boats they are just like cars being they all drive down the road but there are Corvettes, Camrys and Kias. There are good ones and so so ones.
Take the plunge Get your feet wet and have fun.
You bring up a good point, is it something where the novelty will wear off. My uncle is out on his boat every weekend, taking mondays off to psend 3 day weekends on the lake, anytime he's free on a weekday he's out there. He truly loves it and if he could spend every second of every day out with hi boat he probably would. That said I can see some people buying it, it's fun for a few weekends and then winds up something you take out a couple times a year almost out of obligation that your paying for it.
That's kinda why I wanna try to get something like $1500 if it lasts me a year without droping money inot it and i realize i never use it if i sell for 700 oh well i lost a few hundred bucks probably same as renting a boat 2-3 times that summer.
I see the same thing with motorcyels which is more what I know. I bought a 1994 suzuki vs800 a few years back with 1400 miles on it. some guy basically put 100 miles a year on it lol, his loss my gain.
There are all sorts of sayings about boats like "a boat is a hole in the water you dump money into" another "there are 2 great days in a boat owners life the day he buys it and the day he sells it"...
I have a 20' Stingray inboard outboard bowrider and it is a great boat. We fish, splash around with water sports and crash onto sandbars for picnics.
Keep in mind when you go out shopping for a boat that comfort is important but the engine is #1. You need a good engine that won't break down and leave you stranded. The most expensive part of a boat is the engine and it will help if you can do the basic maintenance on it. I like inboard/outboards I/O's because they are like car engines and are easy to work on.
My first boat was a old clunker I bought for $700. It got my feet wet. The next one was a few thousand and the next a bit more. The Stingray I bought used for $5000. You don't have to spend a mint to have fun.
I would recommend a 18'+ boat, no more than 10 years old, outboard with a 4 stroke 75 HP or more or a I/O 4 cylinder but a 6 would be better. I like a bowrider since it gives more usable space for passengers and it is nice to float up there with my honey.
Since you will be trailering be sure to get a trailer that is fitted for the boat. I like rollers over bunks.
Keep your eye on the internet and any sale magazines to get a feel for prices. You will be surprised at the price swing with boats they are just like cars being they all drive down the road but there are Corvettes, Camrys and Kias. There are good ones and so so ones.
Take the plunge Get your feet wet and have fun.
Hey you mind educating me a bit on inboad vs outboard. I would think the same as you, many inlines look like a straight six in say a jeep so i would think thats easier to work on, people are more familiar with that, etc. that said everything online seems to say outboard is easier and better all around. i know nothing so hoping you can shed some light for me
funny you should mention that. i really like the idea of having some room to layout and tan, plenty of room to spread out so people are comfortable. that said i kinda like runabout and stuff just because though not as roomy you can lounge but can still ski and tube and have some fun. id like to be able to take some friends out and entertain but the sad truth is i dont have too many friends lol so think i probably wouldn't use all that space anyway. i think maybe 4 people would be comfortable on a runabout but 6 probably pushing it unless we were strictly hanging out at a sandbar most of the day and people were outside the boat mingling or floating in the water.
yeah i am in chicago probably go out on the channel lakes, maybe crystal lake. would love to get out on lake mihcigan but whatever i buy probably wont be big enough or reliable enough to do so. basically just wanna have some fun, get out on the water and see if boating is for me before i invest in a good boat
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For many, any type of boat, is often a an itch that needs to be scratched.
You scratch long enough, it does not itch anymore.
You then sell the bugger,
or you figure out how much a year it did cost you , and be happy about it ... ,
or take your losses,
and find another itch to scratch !
Rent a couple of boats for a weekend or so. Then look at how much money you spent take a cold shower and get over boating. Then go out and buy a used Miata and have fun.
I could rent a boat once a week every week all summer for dozens of summers before it would come close to the price of owning one...and have zero hassle.
Good luck trying to rent one every weekend during the prime summer tourist season.
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