The "RIGHT" way to buy a boat.
Oct 06 '00
I've owned 3 very different boats. The first was an old 1977 17' Hydroswift which had been (unknown to me) very poorly treated. The second was a 1993 17' Tracker TV-17 aluminum fishing boat. I now own a 1999 Bayliner Trophy 2002FF. What I've learned - sometimes the hard way - is find out what suits your particular needs and get it. Don't always believe those who either bash the faults of, or rave about the great features of one particular brand or another. Get the facts and make up your own mind.
One of the best examples I can think of is my current boat. If I had paid attention to all the "Bayliner bashing" opinions I had heard and read, I would have spent thousands more for a boat which might have been either marginally or not at all better suited to my needs. Luckily I also found the Bayliner Owners Club at http://www.boc-web.org/. Don’t get me wrong - I’m not pushing the Bayliner brand. For my purposes, it has been an excellent choice. For you, some other brand might be much better. The important thing is to do your best to find out BEFORE you buy. Don’t get hooked on “hype” - either from a boat salesman, a website, or even a friend. Decide what you want from a boat FIRST, and then go find it. By the way, even if you don’t have a Bayliner, the B.O.C. is loaded with good boaters information.
Before I bought my Trophy, I researched all I could because the first 2 boats had not lived up to my expectations. Not necessarily because they were "bad" boats, but because I had neither the experience or knowledge to make the correct choice. Experience is something you can only get one way - by doing - but thanks to the Internet, good general knowledge of almost anything is easy to come by. I started by finding the various manufacturer’s websites. I also searched for discussion forums on boats. One of the best starting places for general boat information is http://www.boat-links.com/boatlink.html.
Once you have decided on a likely purchase candidate, the next problem is whether to buy “new” or “used”. If you have lots of prior experience with boats and are very mechanically inclined (capable of doing your own maintenance and repairs), look at the used boats. You can save lots of money, but be extremely careful that you know what you are buying. If you aren’t mechanically inclined, either get advice from someone you trust who really knows boats, or buy new - perhaps with an extended warranty. Check out the dealer's reputation too. If you decide to buy “used”, one of the places to check out is http://www.boattraderonline.com/ for boat prices. Remember, everybody knows that buying a used car can be risky, but buying a used boat is not only risky but downright scary if you don’t know what you are doing.
Recent events have made it likely that I will leave Southern California within the next year or so and return to my home in Utah. I will probably sell the Bayliner and buy a 20-24’ pontoon boat, since it is more suitable for the lakes there (I want to spend some time at Lake Powell). I have already started my research to find out which boat will work out the best. I expect to spend anywhere from 2-6 months of part-time research before I buy the pontoon. The point is - don’t get in a hurry. Take your time and research carefully. It will save you much time, money, and will almost certainly prevent lots of grief later.
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Epinions.com ID:
grebob
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Member: Bob Elkin
Location: Laguna Hills, CA
Reviews written: 4
Trusted by: 2 members
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