All Aboard! What To Consider Before Buying A Boat
By Paige Townley, Condo Owner Magazine, July 28, 2015
With so many bays and waterways, there’s perhaps no better way to enjoy the gulf coast than on a boat. But a decision to purchase a boat is only the beginning. The following tips, suggestions and considerations are things to keep in mind regarding boat ownership.
Determine Your Needs
There are a plethora of options when it comes to boats. So, before you settle on what type to purchase, it’s critical to first determine how you are actually going to use the boat. “When I meet with a client, the first thing I try to determine is what they want to be able to do,” said Andrew Jones, a broker with Marine Group. “That’s the very first step in the process. Sometimes, people think they want a fishing boat, and all they end up doing is cruising and enjoying time with the family. Many times, if clients think they want a fishing boat, I will get them to go out on a charter fishing boat to see what that entails and see if they like it or not before they make such a big investment.”
In addition to determining the purpose of the boat, potential buyers must also think about size—especially if they want to travel beyond just the gulf coast area—and space. “Figuring out how many people the boat will need to accommodate is another big factor in determining what type of boat to buy,” Jones said. “If it’s fishing with the family or cruising with the family, that could look very different size-wise in comparison to just a husband and wife without children. Buying a boat that’s too small for the family is a mistake that happens quite frequently. Many buyers think they won’t have many people on board, but then they do. You’ll be much happier in the long run if you make sure up front that the boat fits your needs.”
There are a couple of options available in finding the right vessel: working with a broker—like Jones—who searches internationally for boats for clients or custom ordering. Battle’s Rivercraft Marine in Panama City, Fla., sells a variety of boats (including pontoons, fishing boats and bay boats) and can custom order any of them. “We can customize any type of boat that we sell based on what the customer wants, whether it’s the color, rails, flooring, motor, etc.,” said shop owner Alan Battle. “The sky is the limit. And it usually just takes about six weeks for the boat to come in.”
Determine Storage
Another major consideration before purchasing—especially if your vacation home is a condominium—is where to store the boat. While some condominiums have wet slips, that typically isn’t a long-termed solution. “I would say that if your boat is 35 feet or smaller, it should be dry docked or put on a lift, and many condos don’t allow or have that option,” said Brian Wells, manager of Sportsman Marina.
There are numerous marinas along the gulf coast, such as Sportsman Marina, that are a viable alternative to leaving a boat at a condo or hauling on a trailer. Sportsman Marina offers dry storage, wet slips, a restaurant, and laundry service. They also take on some of the hassles of ownership by offering other services such as maintenance and cleanup. “We just need one hour notice and we can have your boat fueled up and ready to go with whatever items you need, such as sodas, ice, coolers and bait,” said Wells. “Then just let us know when you’ll be back in with your boat and we will pull it out of the water, wash it, flush the engines and do whatever else is needed. Most of the time, at the end of a fun day, you don’t want to deal with the routine maintenance and cleaning. We can easily extend your boating day by a couple of hours since you don’t have to worry about getting back in time to get the boat out of the water and cleaned yourself. We do it all for you.”
Non-Ownership Option
If the required maintenance, care and cost of a boat are too much to handle, there is another option. Boating clubs like Freedom Boat Club allow water enthusiasts to get out on the water and behind the wheel without actual ownership. “When you purchase a boat, you purchase a boat and everything associated with that particular boat,” said Morris Hines, membership director for Freedom Boat Club-Northwest Gulf Coast. “When you join a club, you have access to an entire fleet of boats, and at just a fraction of the cost of ownership.”
For a one-time membership fee of $5,500—plus monthly dues that start at $199 and increase depending on usage—members can utilize the complete fleet of Freedom Boat Club, which includes more than 800 boats in 88 locations across the country. “The monthly fee is less than the cost of keeping a boat you own in a slip,” Hines said. “And with ownership you still have other fees like payments, insurance and maintenance.”
Freedom Boat Club-Northwest Gulf Coast, which owns seven franchise locations along the northern gulf coast and is expanding every year, offers an online reservation system for members to make advanced reservations. Depending on the package purchased, members can make as many as six reservations at any given time and can even keep a boat overnight or multiple days if desired. “Many people prefer a boat club instead of ownership because of the ease of use and flexibility to utilize multiple boats at multiple locations nationwide,” Hines said. “With a boat club you’re never locked into a particular boat. You have the versatility to get a boat that’s best for whatever you want to do that day.”
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