Kindle Notes & Highlights
Among non-boaters and especially among sailing boaters, there's often an unjustified assumption that power boaters are goof-offs who bungle along with beer in hand as they pilot crafts they know nothing about.
But most of all, power boaters don't want their fun to depend on
something as fickle as the wind!
Three-fourths of all boats sold each year are pre-owned, and you can find plenty of good
If your boat surveyor isn't a mechanic and can't render an opinion on the engine, hire a qualified marine mechanic to check out the engine. A mechanic can catch obvious signs of neglect that can lead to catastrophic engine failure.
Trailering a boat is a challenge, but it gets easier when you know what to expect.
As I say throughout this book, boating is not like driving a car!
Double-check the safety equipment. Lack of proper safety equipment is probably the most common citation written by the U.S. Coast Guard.
You've heard this phrase a million times in naval war movies, but the biggest mistake new boaters make is to go too fast too soon. The second biggest mistake they make is assuming that all water is deep enough to drive the boat in.
Don't approach the dock any faster than you want to hit it.
Carmakers are getting better and better at making cars stand up to their owners' neglect, but boats operate in a much harsher environment. Deprive them of the TLC they need, and you can count on a breakdown.
You should look through the boat's bilge area — it's kind of like checking under the hood of your car — and check for leaks now and then.
A power boat is basically any boat that relies on a motor for its primary form of propulsion.
Even under power, they're not technically power boats.
boating has terms like "inboard," "outboard," "port," and "starboard" that have no meaning outside of a boat.
If you buy a cuddy with a toilet and galley, you may be able to deduct the interest on it as a second home. Ask your tax preparer to check the rules.
Cruisers are for extended boating trips with distant destinations in mind.
This section introduces you to the three main types: express, sedan, and houseboat.
Cruisers have one or two private, double sleeping berths, usually at least one convertible berth, a bathroom with a toilet and shower, and a galley with a stove, fridge, microwave, and sink.
When the length exceeds 25 feet, generally boaters refer to these boats as cruisers or express cruisers. Pocket cruiser is the nickname for cruisers small enough to trailer.
The obvious advantage of an express cruiser is size, which pays off in cruising range for long trips and comfort for passengers sleeping onboard.
Sedan cruisers usually have two helm stations so that they can be driven from inside the main cabin or from a bridge on top of it. The option of piloting from an inside helm makes sedans especially nice in cooler, rainy climates.
Outboards tend to cost a little more per horsepower than inboards and some sterndrive engines.
Sterndrive power combines an inboard engine with an outboard's propeller and shaft arrangement
4: A sterndrive engine has the motor inside and the propeller and gears outside.
Unlike outboards, sterndrives don't interfere with a full-width swimming platform on the transom.
They're actually a variation of sterndrive engines, but they have advantages so unique that they deserve a separate discussion.
With this kind of engine, the propeller mechanism, called the pod, comes straight out of the bottom of the boat, instead of out of the back of the boat.
As of this writing, pod drives are only practical in twin applications on boats longer than 35 feet, and they're expensive.
Jet-drive engines have a concealed propeller that forces water out the back, propelling the boat.
With no propeller or shaft below the surface to create drag, the boat is more maneuverable than any other power boat.
If you do go with a sterndrive engine, choose a corrosion-protected sterndrive and budget for more expensive closed cooling systems that keep salt water out of the engine-cooling system. Your dealer can help you make these choices.
Surveys of boat owner satisfaction show that "too little power" is the top reason boat buyers dislike their new boats.
Underpowered boats aren't much fun and are much harder to resell.
I can tell you that after testing hundreds of power boats, the lowest power engine on the option list is often the last one you should consider.
Runabouts and cruisers almost always need more power than the lowest option.
However, wet slips are more expensive per foot of boat length, and your boat is exposed to damage from corrosion and marine growth 24/7.
Don't choose a lower horsepower engine to save fuel. Typically, you'll burn less fuel running a big engine at a lower RPM to achieve the same speed as a smaller engine running harder.
On a typical runabout, budget $500 per year for oil changes and regular seasonal service per engine. (Take some time to really think about that cost before you buy a twin engine powerhouse!)
Never buy a boat without first taking it out on a sea trial. You'll have to be firm in demanding one.
Expect a boat to depreciate at about the same rate as a car — 25 to 35 percent the first year and 10 to 20 percent every year after that.
You may feel bad about it, and it may break a boat dealer's heart to let a great boat go for a song, but it may also be better for the dealer to make the deal than to sit on the boat for another season, paying interest. Be fair, but be firm in your shopping.
Exercising your right to have a marine surveyor inspect a pre-owned boat and your right to take any boat on a sea trial are mandatory to concluding a purchase. Make sure the seller is aware that you'll buy the boat only after the satisfactory conclusion of an inspection and sea trial and after you're sure the paperwork is in order.
Pre-owned boats comprise about 75 percent of the total number of boats that change hands every year, according to National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) statistics.
If a boat passes this cursory inspection, you like it, and you think the price is in your ballpark, hire a surveyor to check it out thoroughly.
A marine surveyor's job is to spot defects and repairs needed to make the boat seaworthy before you buy it.
Take your marine surveyor's advice and adjust the price you're willing to pay based on his or her findings.
just because a boat is new doesn't mean it's in perfect operating condition.
Some people search high and low for their boats, and for others, their boats just find them. The latter get sucked into the romance of buying a boat by the enticing availability of one. The
former get the bug and do their research. Guess who has a better boating experience?
