Purpose of the Boat Decide what your main purpose(s) for the boat will be. Do you
want it strictly for tournament waterskiing or strictly for
recreational wakeboarding? Or do you have kids that like to do a
little bit of everything behind the boat? Will it mainly be a
fishing boat that you'll occasionally want to water-ski behind?
These factors will determine your engine type (inboard,
inboard/outboard, or outboard).
Body of Water You
Will Be Using Larger, more wide open bodies of water require bigger boats, or
those with V-drives or inboard/outboard engines. Larger boats handle
rough water better than smaller boats. Direct drive boats are good
for smaller lakes that generally have smooth water. Serious slalom
skiers usually prefer direct drives and serious wakeboarders prefer
V-drives. If your body of water is large and often chops up a
bow-rider may not be the best choice. You don't want to run the risk
of water coming in over an open bow.
Costs How much can you afford? Saving money on a purchase up
front can cost you in the long run. Be sure to buy quality. Remember
to take into consideration the following costs beyond the actual
price of the boat and your monthly payments: insurance, boat and
trailer registration fees, taxes, fuel, docking/mooring fees,
storage, and equipment such as lifevests, fire extinguishers,
flares, marine radio, anchor, dock lines, and a trailer if needed.
When the boat is not in use you'll want to give it proper storage.
Don't over look maintenance and repair costs to the boat. This can
be the most discouraging factor to a boat owner. On average these
annual costs averages around $50 per foot (boat length), however
they can be significantly higher, depending on if you do the work
yourself, or you let a marina do the work for you. This is not an
area in which you want to skimp. Good maintenance habits can add
years to your boat and save you many pounding headaches.
Also consider these optional items, depending on your water sports
preferences: water skis, wakeboards, wet suits, towables (tubes),
tow ropes and gloves, weight system for wakeboarding, pylon, boom,
tower, etc.
Warranties Extremely important.
No matter how new your boat is, warranties can vary tremendously.
This is an area in which you do lots of comparison shopping. If
purchasing a new boat be sure to go with a boat manufacturer that
stands firmly behind their product and is going to rise to the
occasion when things go wrong.
NMMA Certified Make sure the boat is certified by the National Marine
Manufacturers Association. The NMMA standards exceed the basic
regulations set by the U.S. Coast Guard.
Dealer Reputation Extremely important. This could make or break your
boating experience. Make sure their service department is reputable
and have quick turn around on repairs.
Word of Mouth Find other people who own or have previously owned the
brand or model of the boat you are considering purchasing. They can
shed light on areas you may have never considered. Other boat owners
will tell you the truth.
Boating Safety Take a safe boating course BEFORE you hit the water. The
Water and Boating Safety Resources links page is an excellent source
of boating courses and has great links to start instilling boat and
water safety in your mind. Make sure that everyone who will be
operating or just riding in the boat takes a safety course as well.
Don't over look knowing the proper way to tow a skier and how to
retrieve a downed skier safely.
Propeller Type Three or four blade? Four blades are more expensive, however
they have a quicker hole shot and has a smoother spin. Three blades
allow a little more top end speed. Prop manufacturers.
Attend A Boat Show Boat shows are a great place to start your boat shopping. For
starters, there will be lots of manufacturers under the same roof,
saving you travel time to multiple dealerships. Dealers often offer
boat show discounts. Popular times of the year for boat shows are in
the beginning of the year and the fall. To find a boat show in your
area see the Boat Shows links list.
Time of the Year Buying at the beginning of the year will allow you to
have your pick of the litter. You'll get more choices with colors,
features, and special orders. Buy in the spring when everyone is
getting boat fever and expect to pay more for your boat. Larger
demand, larger price tag. Buy in the fall or later and you'll get
lower prices when dealers are looking to unload boats before the new
models hit the showroom.
