Investing in a new boat, whether a new or used boat in San Diego, is not a small venture. As a new boat owner, you’ll have to educate yourself on a range of topics from regular maintenance tips to how to transport your vessel to ensure that your boat remains in tip top shape and that you remain a happy owner!
The following are just a few of the common reasons that the excitement of a new boat purchase fades – learning to avoid these mistakes before making a purchase will make boat ownership a much more pleasant experience for the long-term.
Not Matching the Boat to Boating Needs
The best boat ownership experience happens when you can clearly envision what you want out of your new vessel. Getting the right boat to match your lifestyle and needs is critical to both overall happiness and satisfaction. Are you going to be carrying a lot of people, participating in water sports or are you looking for something to take deep sea fishing? The answer to each of these will better direct you to finding the right size and style of an appropriate boat. Day excursion boats should be smaller, but if you plan on spending overnights then you might want a cabin.
Ignoring Actual Costs of Owning a Boat
The costs of owning a boat obviously do not end with the mere purchase price. There is also the cost of a possible boat slip rental, storage, fuel, maintenance, insurance, winterizing, taxes and making sure it is legal to take on the water. These are all costs that you need to figure into your year as the annual costs of ownership. Many of these financial concerns can be sorted out by a trusted a trusted yacht brokerage that offers San Diego boat financing and assistance such as Ballast Point Yachts, Inc.
Failing to Commit to Boat Ownership
You will not be a happy boat owner if you have a full schedule and rarely find the opportunity to enjoy the boat. It is not a hobby that can be forced into a two hour window on the weekend. It may take some real juggling of your personal life to find the time you need to both care for and enjoy your boat. This is why many people choose to wait until after retirement to purchase a yacht.
How to Find the Perfect Boat for Your Lifestyle
If you’re shopping for a used boat and are looking for a trustworthy brokerage to get it from, look to Ballast Point Yachts, Inc. We’ve been in business in San Diego for almost two decades, offering a wide selection of used boats as well as San Diego boat insurance, repair services, marinas and slips, transport and much more. Our main goal is to see you leave with a boat that is both in your budget and exactly what you’re looking for.
And on that note, we’ll leave you with this famous quote from the children’s book Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame:
“There is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. In or out of ’em, it doesn’t matter. Nothing seems really to matter, that’s the charm of it. Whether you get away, or whether you don’t; whether you arrive at your destination or whether you reach somewhere else, or whether you never get anywhere at all, you’re always busy, and you never do anything in particular; and when you’ve done it there’s always something else to do.”
For more information about buying a used boat in San Diego, call us at (619) 222-3620 or fill out our online form and request additional information or boating services.