The first thing you should consider when you’re buying a new boat is....
the vehicle you'll be using to tow the boat.
A big mistake people make when buying a boat is selecting a beautiful boat in the showroom and thinking how great it will look in the water—and not realizing they only have a small car to tow it with.
This is the first thing you should determine before you buy a boat. You need to think about the vehicle that you have to tow it with. If you own a car, maybe think about a 14 ft Lund with a smaller Mercury on it so you don’t wreck your car or small truck. If you own a full-size truck and you like to travel to a number of lakes, a bigger boat may be better for your purposes.
When buying a boat that you want to leave at the cottage, you might want to think about an all-around boat that works for fishing, waterskiing, or just a late evening cruise. If this is your thought, perhaps a deck boat or a Lund pontoon might be the boat for you.
You also have to consider the size of the lake you are on. If you are on a smaller lake you might only need an 18 ft boat with a bit smaller Mercury on it but if you are on a bigger lake you might want a 20 or 21ft boat with a bigger motor. You want something that will be able to get you to your fishing spot and back to the cottage quickly if there is bad weather moving in.
You also have to think about how many people in your family love to be on the water. If you have a family of four, you might want a bowrider style and if you have a bigger family or you bring friends out on the water, you might want a boat with a lot of seating to accommodate everyone.
Often overlooked is whether or not you'll need a top or roof over the boat. Most people boat when the water is calm, the sun is shining, and then the water is slick which means the sun is intensified. If you want to spend a lot of time on the water, you might want to consider a boat that has a roof option or something portable that you can put up or down in the sun or in the rain.
And finally, you should think about boat storage. Where you are going to store your boat for the winter? Do you have indoor storage that can fit your boat or, if you shrink wrap it, is there a place to park it for the winter?
These are all things to consider when purchasing a boat because your boat should be enjoyed by you and your family for many years to come.
