Boat Buying Advice

What You Need to Know Before You Buy

Apr 20, 2025

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WHITE PAPER

How to Avoid a Boat Buying Mistake – What Dealers Won’t Tell You

When buying a new boat between 18 and 70 feet, it’s easy to make a costly mistake and buy the wrong boat. All boats float but some are better suited for certain uses than others, some are comfortable for the whole family and some are not, and all are expensive.

Our surveys show that nearly 50% of buyers purchase the wrong bot the first time they buy. That is always a costly mistake. The White Paper is intended to save you money by helping you to buy the right boat first, and not have to pay two sales commissions before you discover the right boat for you.

A boat is not worth what it costs unless it accomplishes the buyer’s mission. A boat that fills the expectations of one owner, may be a disappointment for another, so just because Joe down the dock likes a particular type boat, doesn’t mean it’s right for everyone.

Mistakes Happen and Are Costly

Typically, a person making a buying mistake will try to live with the boat for a year or two, then buy a different boat with the knowledge gained at great expense. Most of the time buyers get it right on the second attempt, but in the process they have paid two commissions, and suffered the depreciation on the first boat. Or, the disappointed owner might just sell the boat and take up golf. The third likely outcome is that the boat will be kept, with the owner denying the mistake of boat selection, and the boat remains unused. All three of these scenarios are expensive.

This White Paper has a number of objectives:

Helping you uncover your real motivation for boat buying
Letting you know the variety of uses for boats
Explaining what the actual cost of buying a boat can be
Helping you calculate your annual operating expense
Pointing you to the right type of boat for you to buy

By following the guidance in this White Paper, you should avoid making a costly purchasing mistake, and maximize your satisfaction and exhilaration of owning and operating a boat.

I. Why Do You Want to Own a Boat?

Here are 31 reasons, but to them, you can add your own unique reasons. Write down all that apply because that will help you discover at the end of this White Paper, which is the best type for you.

Lifestyle & Leisure

1	Freedom to go where roads can't take you
2	Escape from everyday stress
3	Unplug from screens and reconnect with nature
4	Enjoy the adventure of visiting secluded beaches, islands, and places
5	Delight in spontaneous getaways without hotel bookings
6	Host unforgettable social gatherings on the water
7	Watch sunsets and sunrises from the best seat in the house
8	Savor waterfront dining—dock and dine in style
9	Listen to nothing but the waves and the wind
10	Make every weekend feel like a vacation

Family & Relationships

11	Bond with family and friends through shared adventures
12	Create lifelong memories for your children or grandchildren
13	Teach your kids responsibility and seamanship
14	Celebrate milestones—birthdays, anniversaries, holidays—onboard
15	Pass down a lifestyle and tradition to future generations

Adventure & Sports

16	Fish offshore, inshore, or on the lake—any time you want
17	Sail across oceans or cruise to nearby islands
18	Race sailboats around the buoys or in ocean races
19	Have a blast Wakeboarding, wake surfing, watersking, tubing
20	Revel in regattas, poker runs, or raft-up parties
21	Camp under the stars at anchor—no reservations needed

Practical & Financial

22	Take advantage of tax deductions if used in a business
23	Generate income by chartering, or putting a boat in a club
24	Build social capital—boats attract new friends and conversations
25	Enhance real estate value if you live on the water
26	Delight in the new skills you’ve learned in oat handling
27	Revel in your new status aa a member of an exclusive club
28	Boats can provide access to high-net worth social circles
29	Cherish social contacts made through boating
30	Embrace new career and business opportunities through boating contacts
31	Luxuriate in your new boating life style

Now that you know the reason(s) you want own a boat, can you afford one?

II. Boat Ownership is Expensive – Can You Afford It?

Net Worth

Once you have scoped-out how much your annual operating expense will be, and see that amount fits into your budget, you can proceed to discovering how much you can afford to spend on the boat itself. The answer to that question will be different with every individual based on their total net worth, liquid net worth, and the amount of assets they are willing to wrap up in a boat -- which in normal times -- is a depreciating asset.

Because boats are so expensive, probably the second most expensive thing most people own after their primary residence, it should be considered an asset, just as is your house, and your investment portfolio. But to keep it from being a depreciating asset takes some strategy.

Rule of Thumb 1: A boat should cost no more than 10-20% of a household’s net worth, depending on age, financial responsivities, and the degree of importance the boat will have in your everyday life.

For example, people planning on living aboard will spend a far greater portion of their net worth on a boat because it’s their home and new way of life.. Owners who have a short term mission for the boat, may view the boat as a way of enjoying their net worth and other investments will counter-balance the depreciation inherit in buying a boat, particularly a new one.

Owning a boat is one of the most expensive activities you can select to engage in. Once you have decided why you want to own a boat and what you want to do with it, now you must decide if you can afford it. Most people can’t – and for many, that’s part of its appeal.

How much money do you want to spend to buy a boat?

Under $10k
$10k to $30k
$30k to $70k
$70 to $150K
$150k to $500k
$500k to $1Million
$1 Million +

To find out how much both new and used boats cost, become a VIP member of BoatTEST, and access the J.D. Power database of new and used boat prices. Please note that not all prices are listed there, as the ones most likely to be found are the boat models that have the highest sales volume.

Become a VIP BoatTEST Member and get JD Power Pricing...

III. Annual Boat Operating Expense

Yearly Income

Rule of Thumb 2: Make sure the boat’s annual operating expense leaves breathing room for the rest of your financial obligations. You’ve heard of people being “house-poor” -- well, you can just as easily be boat-poor. Just as no one needs to live in a mansion, no one needs to own a boat.

Before buying, spend time finding out how much your annual operating expenses will be. The major expenses will be the following:

In-season storage. Will you be trailering your boat, and keeping it in your driveway, or will you be keeping it in a slip, or in dry storage, or in a slip on a lift, or behind your house? Each place will have its own cost. Slip rentals are getting expensive in many places because demand far exceeds supply.
Off-season storage. For people in the south or semi-tropical areas, this cost may be the same as in-season—because the boat is kept the same place all year around. For those further north, the cost of winterization and storage can be substantial. Find out what it will be.
Insurance. You should find an insurance agent or broker and give them all of the particulars: price of the boat, its specs, amount of experience you have operating a boat of that size, where you plan to use the boat, etc. Insurance rates on boats, like most everything else, are rising.
Maintenance. This is a harder to pin down cost. There is more to maintaining a fiberglass boat than meets the eye. First, there is the gel coat itself. It will oxidize, so it needs a protective boating of wax (relatively cheap) or a ceramic coating (relatively expensive), and the cost of labor to apply if you don’t do it yourself. On new boats there is always a “punch list” of little things that need fixing, but most should be covered by the vessel’s warranty, if new.

Second, there is the annual scheduled service of the engines. Third, if you keep the boat in the water, is bottom paint, or regular cleaning of some sort.

Ultimately, the cost of maintenance depends on you more than anything else. If you are OCD, and enjoy working on your boat to keep it clean and you are active in preventive maintenance that you do yourself, the cost of maintenance should be low. You will be doing most of the work. If you have others doing it, you must crank that cost into your annual operating budget.

If, on the other hand, you want to farm out all of the cleaning and preventative maintenance, you will have to find the people that are willing to do that, are reliable, and work for a fair amount.

Boat Repair. This is also a variable of the owner, as much as the boat. If a used boat is purchased the cost of repair will depend on the complexity of the boat and its age. A large used boats might need repairs and replacements in 5 digits. If the owner is good with his hands and enjoys challenges, lots of money can be saved.

New boats should need few repairs the first year. Premium new boats will have still fewer repairs, as they know what breaks and have replaced the item already with something more durable. That’s a big reason why these boats are more expensive. Used boats are another matter. They can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars a year to repair and replace, to tens of thousands, depending on size, quality and age.

Fuel. This is not an expense you should spend much time worrying about. As J.P. Morgan is supposed to have answered when a prospective buyer of his superyacht Corsair asked a question about fuel expense, “If you have to ask how much fuel she burns, you can’t afford her.”

To give you an idea of what it costs the Sovereign Boat Fleet the annual operating cost of a boat 25’ to 37’ is normally about $30-$40k per year. On years were there is a hurricane, it will be more, depending on what happens to the boats. These boats are all kept in slips with lifts or in dry stack. Boats that are smaller or can be trailered for each use to a launch ramp will be less.

How much can you afford to spend on your boat each year?

$5k or less
$15k or less
$30 to $50k
$50k to $100k
Money is no object

Now that you know how much you can afford, now match the mission to the type of boat.

IV. The Boat’s Mission Determines the Type to Buy

It might seem obvious to veteran boat owner, but to newbies it is not so obvious that mission must match type for the best chance of a successful experience. After all – you can fish from most any boat, and you can cruise any boat by definition – so what is the big deal about boat type? That is understandable because they are new to the sport.

But once people get into use and its finer points, they will discover that matching the type boat to the mission is critically important.

What is not so easy to comprehend, is why people who have owned boats for several years often buy the wrong boat, too. We can only assume this is because of peer pressure, the hope that they’ll grow into the boat, or that their life circumstances might change.

Making the Match

Recreational & Leisure

Day Powerboat Cruising – Best Bets: Bowriders, Crossovers, Center Consoles, Dual Consoles, Jet Boats, Electric Boats, Pontoon Boats, Sailboats
Watersports – Best Bets: Bowriders, Dual Consoles, Pontoon Boats, Jet Boats
Tournament Wake surfing – Best Bet: Inboard wake boats
Inland Fishing – Best Bets: Aluminum boats, Bass Boats, Center Consoles, Bay/flats Boats
Coastal & Bay Fishing – Best Bets: Bay/Flats Boats, Center Consoles, Dual Consoles
Offshore Fishing – Best Bets: Convertibles, Express Fishboats, Center Consoles, Dual Consoles
Overnight Cruising – Best Bets: Express Cruisers, Flybridge Cruisers, Motoryachts
General Sailing – Best Bet: Cruising Sailboats, or Cruiser/Racers
Day Sailing – Best Bets: One-Design Boats, Cruiser/Racers
Offshore Sailboat Cruising – Best Bets: Specialized Sailboats, Cruiser/Racers
Offshore Sailboat Racing – Best Bets: Custom Designed Sailboat, Offshore One-Design
Foiling – Best Bets: Specialized Foiling Boats, Catamarans, Pontoon Boats
Visiting Water Bistros/Bars – Best Bets: High-Performance Boats, Luxury Dayboats, most anything
Beach hopping – Best Bets: Outboard boats of any type
Camping on water (boondocking) – Best Bets: Crossovers, Weekenders, Pocket Cruisers
Swimming platform – Best Bets: Pontoon Boats, any that make to/from water access easy
Entertaining – Best Bets: Any boats that are stable and not overloaded
Electric Boat Boating – Best Bets: Electric Bowriders, Cuddies, Outboard Boats, Cruisers
PWC Riding – Best Bets: Large PWCs for double the fun
PWC Fishing – Best Bet: A PWC expressly made for fishing

Adventure & Exploration

Exploring Remote Coastlines – Best Bets: Powerboat Pocket Cruisers, Express Cruisers, Weekenders
Scuba diving/snorkeling platform – Best Bets: RIBs, any boat that has easy water access
Long-distance Cruising/liveaboard – Best Bets: Trawlers/LRCs, Motoryachts, Flybridge Cruisers
High-Speed Performance – Best Bets: High-Performance monohulls, catamarans and bass boats

Utility & Practical

Transporting goods or people – Best Bets: Commuters, Dayboats, Cross overs, Express Cruisers
Commuting – Best Bets: Commuters, Express Cruisers, Flybridge Cruisers.
Marine research – Best Bets: Motoryachts, Flybridge Cruisers, Center Consoles
Law Enforcement/rescue – Best Bets: Ribs, Center Consoles, Crossovers
Charter Income – Best Bets: Motoryachts, Convertibles, Express Fishboats
Shared-Access Dayboat – Best Bets: Dual Consoles, Express Cruisers, Sailboats, Catamarans
Floating office/studio – Best Bets: Motoryachts, Trawlers/LRCs, flybridge Cruisers/Convertibles
Summer Cottage – Best Bets: Motoryacht, Trawler
Tenders – Best Bets: RIBs, Luxury Crossovers

As you can see, with so many applications for boats, and with thousands of boat models built by many hundreds of companies, all saying their boats are best, selecting the wrong boat is an easy mistake to make.

Now take the descriptions of the boat types that you read above that fit your mission, read further about that boat to make sure it is right for your application.

V. Putting Everything Together

Now is the time to refer to notes you made at the top of this White Paper when we asked you what you wanted to do with the boat. Now that you know what you can afford to pay for the boat, and what your annual operating expenses will likely be, now it is time to zero-in on the “type” boat best for your needs.

Here are the 26 major boat types organized by their general use:

Cruising Close to Home

Bowriders – These boats are ideal for lakes, rivers, bays, protected water and saltwater coastal cruising in good weather. They are available with sterndrive and outboard power. Research...
Catamarans – These boats start in the lows 20’s and grow from there. They are known for their stability and their space on deck. Smaller cats are usually powered by outboard engines, and larger by twin diesel power in most cases. Research...
Crossover Bowriders – These boats come in all sizes from about 32’ and larger. They have in common both bow seating and a cabin where one or more people can get out of the sun or rain, or nap, and they have an enclosed head. They are only intended for day boating, but you can overnight on them in a pinch. Research...
Cuddy Sportboats – This type boat used to be ubiquitous and synonymous with sportboats, but now very few units are built in the U.S. Some models are still built in Europe, and some are imported. In the bowrider was introduced 50 years ago, because of the extra seating, and because the cuddy compart was only use for storage, American stopped buying them. Research...
Center Consoles – This has been a popular saltwater design for over 60 years and was design for coastal and offshore fishing, and not cruising. They were invented so anglers couples could follow a fish 360-degrees around a boat. Today builders market them as “family-friendly” to increase they appeal, but they are far from an ideal cruising boat. They are the second largest selling type of boats, after the pontoon boat. Research...
Dual Consoles – Almost without exception these models are built by makers of center consoles and are built on the same hulls. They are essentially the same in layout with a bowrider, except that they generally have a higher freeboard, and their aft cockpit can be used for fishing with full access to the gunwales, or cruising with fold out seating. For the most part, they are only built by center console-makers for their customers that want something a lot more comfortable, and with more seating that center consoles have. You can fish from them, but that’s not their primary mission. Research...
Electric Boats – This is a new breed of boat that is ideal for family cruising at relatively slow speeds, say 5 to 7 mph, in order to have an endurance of four hours or more. They can go 30-mph or more, but at those speeds they will only have a duration of less than an hour with current battery technology. Research...
Jet Boats – Only a few companies make these kind of boats and they are popular because they’re fun to drive, can get into skinny water, and have no propellers, giving parents of small children peace of mind. Running aground won’t danger their running gear because it comes off the transom. Research...
Luxury Dayboats – These boats are a fairly recent phenomenon emanating from Europe and are generally designed for sunning, entertaining and comfortable cruising. By and large, they are the latest style and often have plumb or canoe bows, and often have gunwales that fold out like wings. These boats are intended to impress and usually are fitted out with lots of amenities. They also have a cabin below, and sometimes even two which turns them into what we consider a “weekender.” Research...
Outboard Cruisers – This is a relatively new variation on a theme that is getting traction, and it has been made possible thanks to the engine companies making bigger outboards. Yamaha introduced its 425-hp V8 5.6 L outboard in 2028, then 3 years later, Mercury introduced its 12-cylinder 7.6 L 600-hp engine with dual props and automatic transmission with two gear ratios.
The reason that outboards didn’t come to large cruisers sooner was because they are heavy, and outboard gas engines simply didn’t have the torque to get a big boat up on plane unless running at 5500 RPM, which no one wanted to do. Outboards are also hampered by their relatively small diameter props, something that Mercury overcame 600-hp model with its dual props, two gears and lots of displacement. Research...
Pocket Cruisers – These are boats that are small and light enough to be trailerable, and range from 22’ to about 28’ and are both power and sail. They have basic cabins with sleeping accommodations for from two to four people. They appeal to those on a budget that want the adventure of coastal cruising. We don’t have a specific landing page for them as there are only a few models, and most of those are built by small sailboat builders. Brands for power versions are C-Dory and Regal Marine.
Pontoon Boats – These are the largest-selling boats in America, primarily because of their price and room. They are ideal for lakes and placid rivers. They should not be taken offshore even though some dealers encourage it. Pay close attention to their capacity rating, which should not be exceeded. They are built with either two or three pontoons. For buyers who want to tow inflatable toys or skiers, we recommend the tri-toon models. Research...
Sailboats – Sailboats come in all shapes, sizes and price points and are mostly used close to home, even though most of their owners imagine themselves on the high seas. Small ones are particularly fun to race, and are an ideal way to teach youngsters the art of seamanship because they are so sensitive to every whim of nature. Because there is little designed-in obsolesce, they can be a bargain on the used boat market. Research...

Fishing Boats

All boats can be considered fishing boats, because all one needs is a rod, reel and some bait in order to fish. But the boat types below are generally considered to be boats especially made for the purpose.

Aluminum Boats – These boats might be called “jon boats” if they are small, “multi-species” boats if they intended for general fishing, or “bass boats” which fore and aft casting platforms and very low freeboard. They are light, low-cost, low-maintenance, rugged, easy to trailer, and mostly stored at home in order to keep annual operating expenses very low.
Every couple of years the builders of these boats change the model designations of the boats, but generally they’re the same year after year, making used boats a good option because aluminum is so durable. Because they have low freeboard, and over 20’ will not float level if swamped, these vessels must be kept to relatively flat water. The second type of aluminum fishing boat, which are typically found in the Northwest, often have cabins and cuddies and are much more expensive but are generally built with heavier grade aluminum and are very rugged. Powered by jet outboard engines, they are a good choice for shallow, rocky rivers. Research...
Bass Boats – These specialized boats are designed to be casting platforms on inland lakes and to be used in fishing tournaments. They have very low freeboard and are relatively expensive for what they are. There is a pecking order of brand status, but all are essentially the same. Most bass tournaments – which often have cash prizes – have LeMons start, and dozens, and as many as 100 boats roar to life and their operators run as fast as they can to their favorite fishing spot.
This aspect of the fishing tournament puts a premium on speed, as a result these light boats with a relative flat bottom can go 70 mph or fast with high-horsepower engines. It is not uncommon to see a 300-hp engine on a 21’ boat that weighs 2,000 lbs. These are single-use boats, and we don’t recommend buying them unless tournament fishing is the goal, and we certainly don’t recommend going over 50 mph.
Aluminum bass boats are also made to be bass boats, and are commensurately less expensive than the fiberglass models. Research...
Bay/Flats and Skiff Boats – Bay/flats boats are generally fiberglass center consoles with low-freeboards, minimal-draft, lightweight, and are essentially casting platforms. As the names imply, there are strictly for protected water and flats fishing where the water is skinny. Because they are considerably less expensive than center consoles design for offshore work, they are popular and their owners. They’re often used them for utility boats in protected water, and some venture offshore in calm weather. These boats have a shallow draft and a very low angle deadrise.
Skiffs, on the other hand, have flat bottoms and a usually a scoop bow. They are designed for very shallow areas in flat water, both fresh and salt water, for fishing and utility work. They are stable because of flat bottom, but cannot be run fast in anything other than glassy water. They are made in both aluminum and fiberglass. Research...
Catamarans – As blue water fishing boats, cats can rival center console when it comes to utility, 360-degree walking around, but have fat more deck space, are more stable than a rolly deep-V, and are relatively fuel efficient. Research...
Center Console Boats – These are the second most popular boats on the market today, and virtually all are fiberglass. Their namesake feature is the operating helm station, on the centerline amidships. Placement of the helm there allows anglers to work a fish 360-degrees around the boat without the intrusion of the helm – and also balances the boat, since the helm and it occupant is not on one side of the boat or the other.
Over the 60 years of their existence, these relatively simple boats have evolved into more complex vessels with many enhancements making the premium-quality brands quite expensive. Because there are so many center console brands, consumers can find one of almost any size, sophistication and price point. There are literally tens of thousands of them on the used boat market at price points for any purse. Research...
Convertible – These boats get their name from the fact that they can be “converted” from a fishing boat to a cruising boat, and handle each mission fairly well. They range in size from about 45’ to 92’ with custom vessels even larger. They were very popular in the heyday of blue water big game fishing, and are well known for their relative comfort in a seaway due to their low center of gravity and reduced windage, compared to a conventional motoryacht. There are many on the used boat market, and are a good place look to get a lot of boat for the money. Research...
Dual Console – As Mentioned in the cruising boat section, these boats can be fished from, and most have live wells and fish boxes, as well as rod holders in the gunwales and transom and perhaps elsewhere. Serious anglers will generally not buy a dual console, because a fish can’t be worked around the perimeter of the vessel. However, casual anglers who want to provide a comfortable boat for friends and family, will often choose a dual console over a center console. Research...
Express Fishboat – These are boats purpose-built for serious fishing, with cruising as a secondary activity. These boats may be open or have a coupe configuration. If open, they typically have hardtops and provision for isinglass so the bridge deck can be protected from rain and a chill. In most cases the engines are under the raised bridge deck which gives the skipper good visibility for handling the boat when a billfish is on.
It is not unusual for these boats to be equipped with a tuna tower, or a half tower to enable the captain to spot potential feeding grounds at greater distances. The bridge decks of these boats are always open aft. The come in both outboard and inboard models and most have a modest cabin forward and an enclosed head. Research...

Distance and Offshore Cruising

Catamarans – Catamarans for distance cruising have been popular for over 50 years, but the type was slow to catch on in U.S. primarily because it was different. But, today, Americans are making up for it and cats of all sizes have become popular. They are easy to push, so fuel consumption is low, they are stable, and the main and flying bridge decks are huge. These boats are built all over the world (except in the U.S.) in the large offshore cruising sizes – and are now approaching 100’ in production molds in a couple of cases.
Cats are also used as liveaboards from the mid 30’ range on up. Because they are stable, and have a lot of deck space, even more so if there is a flying bridge, there is quite a bit of living room on these boats. Research...
Commuters -- Commuters are indigenous to Finland and Scandinavia where a significant percent of the populations of those four countries have summer houses, or year-around second homes, on islands stretching from Finland’s south coast all the way west to Norway. During the summer and shoulder seasons, these Nordic boaters literally commute from their main residence, or their offices in cities on the mainland, to their second homes regularly.
The design of these boats are particularly suited for hauling family, friends and light cargo back and forth. They can be equally functional in northern latitudes in North America, and on the opposite side of the globe in Australia, New Zealand and in southern South America. At this point, there are not a replacement for express cruisers, as they are generally narrow and their on-deck cabin is made even narrower by the 360-degree walk around that they all have. The result is their interiors are more like an automobile with seating forward in two rows. Large models have sleeping cabins forward and aft or in both ends. Research...
Electric/Hybrid/Solar Powered – This type of boat is in its infancy, and the number of boat models on the water that are true hybrids is small. However, for long-distance cruising, they are gaining traction, and we think eventually all long range cruisers and trawlers will be some mix of hybrid.
Harnessing solar power and storing it in lithium batteries is and obvious way to save money and reduce emissions. We do not yet have a category for these boats, but we can recommend two boats that are the pioneers in both the solar and the hybrid category: Silent Yachts and Greenline.
Express Cruisers – The modern generation of this type of yacht has developed over the years from an open cockpit boat, to a coupe to, to enclosed cabin – and all three iterations are still built by many brands. In a previous generation they were simply known as “cabin cruisers.” In no matter which configuration they are quite versatile and can be used for near-home entertaining, day boating, and weekending. They have the added advantage of being able to go on long cruises. These are substantial yachts, and represent a leap from day boating to overnighting, on both short or long cruises. Research...
Flybridge Cruisers – These days we see many builders start with an express model, then a year or so later introduce a flying bridge model on the same hull. Typically, the boats are nearly identical below the flying bridge. In some cases, the lower helm is eliminated to add room below. There is also a very fine line between a “Convertible” and “Flybridge Cruiser,” the former being for hard-core fishermen, and the latter being for people who mainly cruise, but like a cockpit for entertaining purposes and casual fishing.
While any boat with a flying bridge could be considered a flybridge cruiser, we consider them boats with an open cockpit, a main cabin that is over the engine room, with accommodations forward and below, and a fly bridge on top. These vessels are quite versatile, large and comfortable. Research...
Convertible – While this type is at the pinnacle of sportfishermen, they also make excellent distance cruising boats. They can handle rough seas better than almost any other type, because they are designed to go blue water fishing in almost any condition. They also, generally, carry a substantial fuel load, which means at displacement speeds they have considerable range. Research...
Motoryachts – The word “motoryacht” in today’s lexicon generally refers to a boat that has a large cabin on deck with accommodations below, and a top deck which contains the helm forward, a boat deck aft, and entertaining and lounging space in between. But the appellation “motoryacht” can also be applied to large convertibles, express cruisers, or flybridge cruisers. Motoryachts can be any size, and are usually considered the pinnacle of yachting/boating, with the largest ones -- which are all custom-built -- called megayachts, and superyachts. They have price tags to match. The largest ones are how billionaires announce that they have arrived. Research...
Sailboats – This type of boat, of course, is what started the whole notion of long-distance cruising. For those who truly want to go transoceanic, we recommend buying the largest sound boat you can afford, simply because they are the most comfortable. Nevertheless, any size well-built sailboat can go around the world and many have. The key is the word “well-built.”
Because they use wind power, little money needs to be spent on fuel, depending on the amenities aboard. Classified websites are full of ads for fiberglass boats going back the mid-1960s. Incidentally, for both power and sailboats, boats built in the early days of fiberglass construction from 1960 to about 1975, depending on brand, were over-built, because engineers truly did not know the strength of fiberglass laminates, so most choose to error on the stout side. The downside for these really old boats is which the hulls are strong, wiring and most anything you can’t see is suspect. Research...
Trawler – The modern day recreational “trawler” can trace its roots back to the to the 1965 launch of the 36’ Grand Banks trawler called “Hoot-Mon.” Grand Banks is still in business today, building some of the most complex, sophisticated, state-of-the art long range cruisers on the market. Trawler yachts usually have raised bows, and squared off sterns, and a flying bridge. When the type was conceived, they were meant to be operated at displacement speeds to maximize range.
The first people to adopt trawler yachts were sailboat owners who getting older and were tired of sailing on their ear. Then there was the fact if there was no wind, or it was coming from the wrong direction, they had to use the iron jib. But, beyond that it is difficult to describe them as they come on all different shapes and sizes. Some brands we have put in this category don’t call their boats trawlers, and prefer the phrase “long range cruisers.” The pages of classified listings are full of old trawlers from that era, and they are sold at all price points, but buyers must be sure to have a good survey done when buying old boats, including trawlers. Many brands were started but few survived. Research...

Specialized Boat Types

Wake Boats – These boats are the specialized ski boats of yore, that morphed into wakeboard boats, and now wake surfing has captured the imagination of young (and young of body) people, so now they are called “wake boats.” There are about half a dozen companies that specialize in these boats and all have single inboard engines. These boats were ideal for water skiing back in the day, but are equally well-suited for wake surfing now.
Because the prop is under the boat, it is safe to be on a boars balancing on a board three feet from the transom. Because surfers want high wake, the boat needs to dig a deep hole in the water as it travels along, which means the object is to sink the transom with water ballast inside the boat. But, with the stern down, the bow goes up, so the boat’s sheer is sliced down, so to speak, to give the operator better vision forward. For this reason, these boats are best suited for lakes and rivers.
Sterndrive Boats – Volvo Penta and Mercury Marine both make sterndrive lower units with props that face forward, ahead of the lower unit, and 26” forward of where it would be in the aft configuration. This position makes it safe for surfers. These sterndrive models are made by the builders sterndrive powered bowriders, and have all of the advantages of normal bowriders, which means they are able to handle choppy conditions better.
Jet Boats – these boats make ideal wake boats because they have no propellers below the stern, and with the addition of ballast, they too can dig a hole in the water and create good wake. They are also easier to dock than they once were. Research...
Personal Watercraft (PWC) – These are lowest priced boats on the water with internal engines. They are also, quite possibly, the most fun. Because they are jet-powered, they are relatively safe so long as they don’t hit anything. They typically have engines that can rev to 6000 rpm to the twinkle of an eye, and will turn on a dime as the tremendous suction of their jet water pump keeps them glued to the surface.
The USCG has asked the builders of these craft to govern the speed below 60 mph for the riders’ own safety. One of the most popular applications these days is as mini fishing platforms – affordable and double the fun. Research...
High Performance Boats – At one time high performance boats were very popular with boat owners who wanted to have the fastest boat on the lake, or at least fastest in the marina. The TV series Miami Vice further added to their glamour in the 1970s and ‘80s.
Then the inevitable happened; people that loved speed, had money burning a hole in their pockets, and thought the boats “cool” bought them in fairly large numbers. Since in most state people back then didn’t have to take a boating course or prove anything other than they could write check, drove these fast boats into trees, docks, navigation markers and about anything else on the water or close to it.
Offshore racing which was the pinnacle of the sport became a magnet for drug dealers, and one ended up becoming the Offshore Powerboat World Champion. Insurance on these boats is relatively high now, and only a few carriers will write the paper we’re told. But driven carefully and with skill, they are exhilarating to drive and they make the fastest commute on the water. Research...
RIB Inflatables – Rigid inflatable boats (RIB) are now used for almost anything imaginable. They have fiberglass V-bottoms and Hypalon has proved over 50 years to be a remarkably durable material for the inflation tubes, which usually have multiple chambers for safety. We’ve never heard of one sinking.
Their center of gravity is about as low as possible so they can be run fast in relative safety. In Europe, cruising RIBs 36’ and larger are reasonably popular for island hoping. They are ideal tenders for larger boats, and all sorts of utility work. They are also more expensive that you might think. Pairing them with electric outboard motors is a particularly compelling use for the new electric technology. Research...
Electric Boats – We have covered these boats in other places, but because they are so new, they are still considered a specialty vessel. These boats tend to be expensive for their size because of the cost of lithium-ion batteries and the technology that goes along with them. More hours are spent engineering their software than any other boats built.
People always ask how fast they go, but that is not the way to use them. By traveling at from 5 to 8 mph their range and endurance can be 6 to 8 hours going 30 to 100 miles, depending on the boat. When they are run fast, many kilowatt are used and the batteries are quickly depleted of charge. Research...
Foiling Boats – These boats are very much in the early stages of their development, particularly concerning monohulls, which take training to handle safely, and are ultra lightweight for the most part. Currently, the most successful are foiling powerboats are Catamarans. Larger, heavier boats are problematical because it takes so much power to get them up out of the water.
Racing sailboats are another matter, as seen in the recent America’s Cup held in Barcelona, Spain. Smaller, foiling one-design sailboats are being introduced and look to have a good future.
One-Design Sailboats – Just as the name implies, these boats are all “one-design” built to rigid specifications so that one boat is identical to another in all respects, save the color, name, and perhaps deck hardware. They are absolutely the best and only way to have fair apple-to-apples boat racing where the skill of the skipper and crew can be demonstrated. The smallest such boat is a 9’ Optimist Pram, which are used around the world to teach youngsters how to sail, and tens of thousands have been built. One-design boats range in size up to the Volvo Ocean 65 which were first built for the 2014-15 around the world race. Eight have been built so far

VI. Time to Do Your “Due Diligence”

You now know precisely why you are buying a boat, what it’s for, and by this time you should have been able to choose the type of boat that fits your needs and desires. Now comes the hard part.

It’s time to begin your boat search, and a whole set of new questions arise.

Such as – “Is this the right time to buy...and how is the right way to buy?”

Stay tuned.