Boating Decisions!

Boat ownership is full of decisions. Non-boaters have no idea the magnitude of what we are dealing with here. First, should we boat alone or with friends?  Logistics-should we anchor in a quiet harbor or tie up in a fun marina?  Once we have made that decision, we move to provisioning- the afternoon snack, should we go with coffee aboard or on shore? If we are going ashore, what about ice-cream? The stress is mounting! We could go for a row, or perhaps a paddle, what about going ashore for a walk or a hike? How about none of those and stay aboard and take a nap? Is napping even an option, no one said napping was an option, was that in the brochure? Now we must to think about Happy Hour-when is that really? Is it at 5PM, similar to land time or is time warped by the effect of the water  and should  be at 4PM? Or did the nap go long and it will be starting at 6PM. Finally, what about dinner!? I can’t deal, I need to call my aqua-therapist.

Boat ownership-requires so many decisions… I can’t wait for next season so I can make some more. Happy 2025!

The old boat opportunity.

When does a boat become “old” and once designated “old”, are those boats no longer any good? Apparently, they were acceptable at one point, but now they are not? Perhaps it is our never-ending fascination with the new, which clearly must be better, more efficient, easier to take care of, less likely to break down, and has more gadgets that causes us to cast aside those older boats.

A car that is older than 25 years is considered a classic and will typically be brought out only for Sunday drives or the occasional car show. There are many 25 year old boats being used regularly as “daily drivers”. We are not calling them classics yet and personally, I would call them a great opportunity.

Let’s pick an arbitrary date, say the year 2000. Anything prior to that will fall into our old-boat category. If you wander the docks, you will see many boats built prior to 2000 and depending on their original build quality and maintenance program, their condition varies widely. However, with diligence and patience you can find solid boats that have had solid maintenance and will be able to take you where you want to go. A caveat: do not be taken in by the lower initial purchase price. Boats are complicated and many of the systems on an older boat can be near their end of life. A good surveyor can give you an idea how things stand and making sure you have some financial reserves set aside for your boat is always a good idea.

I suggest that we move away from the automotive mindset of buy new, wear it out and trade it in and move towards the house mindset. We find a house that works for us and we understand that at times it will need some significant repairs. We know that our house will need a new roof, fresh paint, wiring upgrades or some plumbing fixes.  Don’t be surprised when your 25-plus-year-old boat needs the same.

I know that an older boat is not the right fit for a lot of folks and it is best to know your limits, but for many, it is a way to start living out their boating dreams sooner rather than later.

So Many Memories

In the last blog we discussed the reason we buy a boat is to help create some amazing memories. I decided I would share a few of my favorite memories with you and I started thinking back to all the good times in my life that have been around boating.

I have been working on this blog for about a month. It was supposed to be simple, pick a few key memories and relay them to you. But every time I try to decide, I just end up staring into space reminiscing. It is a challenging task, I have discovered,  to pick from a lifetime of boating memories. I tried to categorize- growing up, my first boat, immediate family, extended family, friends, time boating alone, fun (and less fun) DIY boat projects, saltwater fresh water, fishing, sailing, cruising, beach camping, new and favorite destinations…impossible. There are too many great memories to try and pick a few.

 I have been boating as long as I can remember, it was what we did as a family and I wanted to share that with my kids, so we raised them the same way. I have never asked but I hope they have many great memories as well. And finally, I realized that I do not need to pick some memories to share with you, only to urge you to go out and create your own memories. Then you to, can stare into space…remembering.

How Much Can I Sell That Vacation For?

Boats are not typically money-making investments. They are not an appreciating asset and that was not the reason you bought it in the first place. Boats help create experiences and experiences can cost money. I have never heard anyone bemoaning the fact that they went on an amazing vacation but could not sell it later and recoup all that was spent on it. Yet I do hear that repeatedly about boats. You may, depending on the age and brand of boat, get your initial purchase price back, but probably not. Sorry to be repetitive but that is not why you bought it. You bought it to take you places with friends and family and to create amazing memories. I hope that has worked out and you now have a truckload of memories to enjoy. And I hope that you have found the cost of those memories worthwhile so that when you do go to sell, you won’t spend a lot of time agonizing about how much money you will get back. After all you have already achieved an amazing return on your investment.

Take a Mini-Vacation

I will start on the well-worn path of “the end is nigh” or the more positive “seize the day”. We have all been told we need to cast off (pun intended) and follow our dreams because we never know when…well, you know. There is some truth to this. I regularly get calls to help sell a boat because life has suddenly taken a hard turn and rarely in a direction anyone wants to go. However, for most of us, we cannot simply “cast off”, we have family, jobs and interests that keep us in one place. Thus enters the boating “mini-vacation”. I may just be me, but even spending a few hours on the boat soothes jangled nerve ends and helps to disconnect from the day-to-day stressors. When our kids were little, there was an undeveloped county beach park within a 20-minute run from our marina. At that time, we had a small runabout which was perfect for pulling up on the beach. All summer long, once or twice a week, after work, we would grab the kids boat bag, a cooler with some food, drive to the marina and race to the beach. Since it was boat access only, frequently we were the only people there. The kids and dog could run around like maniacs, and the concerns of the day would slip away. I am on a mini-vacation now while I write this. Just a couple of days and one night on the hook and we didn’t get far, but we are disconnected from the daily pattern that regulates so much of what we do. Boats can take you as far as you wish to go, but they can also, in a few hours, take you as far as you need to go.

The Boating Community

We have a Grand Banks. As I write this, I am sitting in the middle of 57 other Grand Banks watching people stagger past in their pajamas on their way to the donut tent. Who wanders around in public in their pajamas? Boaters. Specifically, boaters that are hanging out with 100 plus of their closest friends.  All who endured some less than stellar weather to get here. Why? Even though boating can be a solitary activity, one of the best parts about boating is the “boating community” There are yacht clubs, cruising clubs, old boat clubs, sailing clubs and the list goes on and on. We are social creatures, and the common topic of our boats gives us a conversation starter and an opportunity to meet new people. People who have interests similar to our own.

It is also a great opportunity if you are interested in a particular boat or boating activity to interact before making a significant purchase. I sat yesterday with a couple who came to this event for several years, before deciding to purchase a Grand Banks of their own. What a great opportunity to get an in-depth look prior to making a decision.

If you are curious about a type of boat or boating activity, google it, I bet there is a group already doing it.

Take Care of It Like You Will Own It Forever




We discussed in a past blog (February 21, 2024) that it can
be helpful to decide on how long you may want to own a boat. Regardless of
which timeframe you decided on, you need to care for the boat like you are
going to own it forever and pass it down to someone you don’t hate.

A boat is a consumable product just like cars and homes. Its various parts will wear out
over time, luckily at different rates, but wear out they will. If you decided
you were going to keep the boat for 5 years and figured you could push some of
those maintenance items to the next owner, you will find your boat will be more
difficult to sell. A boat with a long list of deferred maintenance items does
not typically show or survey well. If we keep the mindset of longtime ownership,
we know that we (not the next person) will have to deal with deferred
maintenance eventually and that should push us to keep to proper maintenance
intervals. This also will help to avoid a big headache in the middle of August
when we want to be on the water. For those that subscribe to the “I will fix it
when it breaks” mindset, I suggest you keep your towboat insurance up to date.

By sticking with good maintenance practices, when that day does come to sell, you
will have set yourself up for the best chance of a quick sale at a decent
price. And hopefully your years of boating, regardless of the number, will have
been as hassle free and enjoyable as possible.

Fish or Cut Bait

I get it-pulling the trigger on a boat purchase is hard to do. It is a big commitment of time, money, and your effort (see Feb blog). You are looking for that perfect boat, that fits all of your needs 100% of the time-unfortunately, that boat does not exist. We must live with some trade-offs or dare we say “imperfections” (hushed tones of course!).

I suggest looking for the boat that will fulfill 90% of your needs, especially if that final 10% will only be used occasionally.  Looking for a boat with large guest stateroom and two heads? Why? Because you invite guests on your boat for two or three weekends a year? I hope they will be grateful for the extra expense you incurred, but probably not.

Does your ideal boat even exist? That heavy deep-keel trawler you want to move at higher speeds with low fuel burn. We are all still looking for that one.

It may be that you want to add moorage into the mix. Now you are looking for the perfect moorage, to be available at the exact same time as the perfect boat, at the perfect price. You must start somewhere, if the moorage becomes available where you want, try to grab it. If it is the boat that arrives first, buy it and work through the moorage over time.

There are many trade-offs, big and small, you will need to make if you want to be able to find a boat and situation that works for you. Waiting for the planets to align perfectly is just a way to avoid beginning. Find the 90-percenter and take that first step. Imperfect looks pretty good when you are tooling down the bay on a sunny day.  

Choosing a Yacht Broker

As a yacht broker, 99.9% of the time I receive a call it is about a specific boat. Rarely am I asked about my qualifications to help someone purchase a boat. Most people fall under what I call the “car-lot” purchasing model. You see the car on the internet, you go to the lot, find the nearest helpful person and you purchase. Cars are expensive, but boats can be very expensive and are much more complicated in both the purchasing process and in operation. If you are an experienced boat owner the car lot program may work for you. But I have found that even experienced boaters may not have kept up with some of the changes in the boating industry and are suddenly caught by surprise and must modify their plans. Regardless, if you are just getting into boating or stepping up or down in boat size, then a little help is a good thing. 

I recommend you take the time to find a broker who is willing to help you decide what is the best boat to meet your goals, both financially and experientially. A broker can get information on any listing and can help you purchase a boat regardless of the brokerage that has it listed. (A quick side note here, if you are purchasing a new boat you need to deal directly with the boat builder’s dealer in your area.)

How to find a good broker? A referral is always an excellent place to start if you have boating friends or acquaintances who have recently purchased a boat. Or spend a little time looking at brokerage websites and see if any feel like a good “fit” for you. Some brokers focus on different areas, and you may find one that matches your interests. Finally, when you do decide to pick up the phone and call, even if it is about a specific boat, have a few questions ready for the broker. Here are a few to start with.

  1. What is your experience?
  2. Do you have a particular interest or focus?
  3. How would you walk us through the process of selecting a boat?
  4. Do you have any references from past clients?
  5. Do you have time to take on another client?

Spend as much time as you like browsing the internet looking at boats, but when it comes time to move forward and begin a serious search that will result in your new boat-find a broker to help you. If this feels like an added complication, take a moment to think about all the experts you rely on and ask why this should be any different?

Sometimes You Have to Suffer

Most of us have an idealistic vision of boating. Mine is sitting on the back deck watching the sun come up with a cup of strong black coffee-nothing better. Your vision might be similar or completely different but still, that is what drives you to overcome what we might refer to as the “inconveniences” of boat ownership. Boating is not for the faint of heart! It takes effort: the maintenance, the loading and unloading of food and equipment. How about the end of the day wash down late at night when you really just want to get to bed. Heaven forbid if you keep your boat on a trailer and have to not only launch the boat but somehow get it back!?! Then there is what I refer to as “fun-suffering”. The tasks that start out fun and end…less fun. I love to varnish, but by the time I get the last coat on each season-I am suffering, or at least my back is. And we haven’t even gotten to the cost. The annual trip to the boat yard where they hand you an estimate that everyone knows might be 25% of the final bill. Then there is insurance which you MUST have but you cannot USE because then you will be CANCELLED. All said with a smile😊 by your insurance provider. So it all begs the question-why? Why would we voluntarily put ourselves through the hassle, the inconvenience, the expense of owning a boat? Those 30-45 mornings a year when I get to watch the sun come up with that cup of excellent coffee is my answer and I am happy to pay the price.

What is your reason?