Are boats worth it?

[MikeM8560]

Originally Posted by rock creek

If you plan on getting a dock soon you had better get going it will take months to get all the permits especially the Army corps of Engineers Believe me they are in no hurry and the county won't look at any thing until the Army signs off

odd I built mine 2 years and I dint wait long for all the permits month or 2 at most, I found it pretty quick then I geese they got backlogged

[LIFL]

Only if you know what you are doing!

[SJNE17]

Great post. Thank you for the sanity check.

Am contemplating jumping in with a potential move to Punta Gorda (wife and I are starting to look around).

Drove boats a lot when I was young, but that was 20+ years ago. Being honest with myself, I forgot most everything since. Rented a cruiser in Ft. Lauderdale last year and, comically, almost launched my wife into the water as I goosed the throttle just a tad too hard when leaving the dockside restaurant (she was not amused....).

Originally Posted by arleigh

I worked on boats for a living 18 years or so.
Start small
learn ,
graduate,
learn,
graduate ,
learn.
Never be anxious to leap in to something so serious.
Get training and life saving skills and survival skills .
Most people a ignore safety and then it gets really expensive.
On a boat you are ready to dock an hour before you get there.
Nothing is put off till the last minuet. cause that's when things go hay wire.
If you only provide your self one option, your out of options.
If your mechanic says you need a marine grade starter for you motor ,he not joking, there is a difference,though externally they may appear the same, and standards higher than automotive. the marine starter has a flash suppressor.
People that work on cars assume the wrong things, and turn the boat into a disaster.
My boats have 2 bilge pumps one is a back up. one is primary.
If you think I am trying to scare you , well may be . If you are getting into boats and you know nothing about them ,you'd best familiarize your self with the boat mechanics ,their terms and why the safety issues are important.
On a lake like I worked several years ,on it's not so bad , there is a lake patrol that sees to visitors that seem stranded and can haul them in .
But in the ocean ,that's a whole different world= wilderness and help is not a cell phone call away. Marine band radio is a wise investment.
Buddy up with other boaters in your area.

[DennisDaMenace]

I am a member of a boat club. Having owned boats most my life I can tell you that buying a membership at a boat club is the way to go. I have my choice of boats and locations at my disposal. If I want to fish the back bays, I can take out a flats boat, if I want to fish offshore, I take a center console or walk around. If I want go cruise somewhere I'll take a deck boat. If want to take 11 of my closest friends out, I'll take a pontoon.

The best part is that when my day on the water ends, I dock the boat and walk away. I don't have to clean it, insure it, maintain or fix it. Just pay my monthly fee and put gas in it.

[ArmyChief]

If that's what you like, glad it fits your wants, desires and needs