New Boat or Used Boat ?

Perhaps this is the key thinking for those who want to have their first ‘dream boat’. Should I buy a brand new boat, or a used one..? Boats, like cars, have negotiable prices. Nobody pays the sticker price. You can get 10 percent off the sticker price for sure, and maybe more if the boat dealer needs to make a sale to pay the rent. If you buy used, you can save lots more. Here’s a look at the advantages and disadvantages of buying new versus buying used.
If you buy a brand new boat …

• You can order exactly what you want,including a special engine, electronics,and interior trim.
• You get a full warranty—the dealer has to worry about the repairs.
• Some companies offer special package deals with lots of extra equipment at bargain prices.
• You pay new-boat prices and take the initial depreciation hit of 10 to 25 percent.

On the other hand if you buy used boat …

• You save big money—25 to 50 percent!
• You get lots of extra gear added by the first owner, at no extra cost.
• Sailboats virtually never wear out, though you may have to repair some rigging on used boats. On powerboats and sailboats with auxiliary power, the engines can be more problematic, however.
• There may be hidden faults that will have to be fixed—and you have to pay to fix them.

There’s more “wiggle room” in the price of a used boat than in the price of a new one. The difference between the wholesale price, what the dealer gives you for your used rig, and the retail price, the price he wants to charge the next buyer, is usually 20 to 30 percent. You can talk him out of some of that difference, particularly if you’re interested in a boat that’s not a hot property. It’s not uncommon, after some negotiation, haggling, arguing, and sometimes begging—to buy a two-year-old boat in excellent shape from stem to stern for 60 percent of the original price. A little advice for you, it’s a good idea to have a marine mechanic take a look at any used boat you’re considering. They can tell you in an hour what you couldn’t figure out for yourself in weeks—or until the engine stranded you. The fee might be $100–$200, but it’s well worth the price. One of the best ways to shop for a used boat is via the Internet; numerous sites list literally thousands of boats, and you can search their databanks by make, length, price, year, and so on. You can also ask to see just boats that are in your home state or even in your area code. Two of the famous sites are boats.com and usedboats.com.

The Least You Need to Know :

• No one boat is perfect for all families or all usage. Choose a boat that suits most of your needs, but be aware that it has limitations.
• Boaters have a vocabulary specific to watercraft. Learning what to call the parts of a boat makes operation simpler for all aboard.
• Boats, like cars, have negotiable prices. If you don’t haggle, you don’t get the best deal.
• New boats may give the dealer headaches, but you don’t have to worry about them.
• Used boats save your money, but any headaches that come with them belong to you.