what is a good boat to buy for a first time boat owner?

Question

my husband and I are about to move to the beach and we want to buy a boat. Niether of us have ever owned a boat before, but we are interested and looking. We want a boat with a small cabin that at least has a bathroom. What type of boat should we purchase? any advice?

Answer 1

fresh or salt water boating+ ?????

Answer 2

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
what is a good boat to buy for a first time boat owner?
my husband and I are about to move to the beach and we want to buy a boat. Niether of us have ever owned a boat before, but we are interested and looking. We want a boat with a small cabin that at least has a bathroom. What type of boat should we purchase? any advice?

Answer 3

On a boat, the "bathroom" is called a head. The smallest boats with a head are about 19' long. This would be a very uncomfortable unit with very little privacy and headroom. A "stand-up" head with a sink can be found in some boats at about 23' and up. If you want to trailer the boat then you should look for a boat less than 25' long. If you are going to be aboard for several days and nights then a 26' cruiser with a 9.5-10' beam would be a starting point.

Answer 4

I agree that there is no sense in starting out small. We purchased a 1986 22' Four Winns Cuddy Cabin about 8 years ago and after the first year we were wanting something bigger. Get something that you will want to keep for some time and something that your family will be comfortable and able to grow into. Buy as big as you can afford. Be careful if you are a first time buyer, GET A BOAT SURVEY done before buying anything. The survey will look over all aspects of the boat and give you a written report on all damage, improvements, and things that will need to be corrected in the future. Also have a engine survey completed with a compression test done! Depending on the size of the boat and size / number of motors this will cost you a couple of hundred dollars. A boat survey usually costs about $15 to $20 per foot of boat Length and the motor survey about $68 dollars per hour. It may seem like a lot of money but it can save you big time from buying lemon w/ blistered and cracked hulls or motor damage. Believe me there is plenty of things with boats that are much different from buying a house, cars, or RV. Just consider the environment they are used in. I would recommend somethingin the 28 to 30' range. It would have been the perfect starting boat for me and my wife but we went small to start and shouldn't have. Also look into USCG Aux Safe Boating Classes. You will learn allot from these classes and some states require that you have it. Visit my 360 page, I have several pictures of my boat on there. It is a 1997 Maxum 2800 SCR 29'9" LOA (lenght over all). It sleeps 4 very well, but can sleep 6. Kitchenette, bathroom / shower, dinette, aft cabin double bed, forward Vee berth, a/c, heat, fridge, 2 burner stove, and most of the pleasures of home. I also have a Honda 2000 generator that is a carry aboard and used to keep the batteries charged on long weekends on the water and to run the a/c and heat. There is also plenty of room on the swim platform for me to mount a 10' mercury inflatable so we can get back and forth to shore.
Dont be scared to start with a larger boat. You will learn how to navagate / handle it in no time.
You can check the following sites for boat sales new and used. I paid $35,000 for mine, $ 900 for generator, $1500 for inflatable, $1200 for outboard motor.
Also be prepared for high fuel prices and high maintenance costs. Boating is not a cheap hobby. Once you get started there is no stopping. You will addicted for life.
One more thing to look into is boating assistance w/ on water towing. Boat US has a great deal to check into.

If you have any questions you can email me as well. I would be glad to help point you in the right direction.

Happy boating!

Charles S.
USCG Master Captain 50 GT

Answer 5

First Time Boat Buyer

Answer 6

A boat is a "hole you pour money into" and usually considered as a luxury item. I own and live on a 36' Columbia and have done so for 14 years and would not change it for the world. Yes it can be expensive but the pleasure I get out of life far out weighs the maintenance cost and I don't pay rent!! You can't move an apartment or house but you can a boat. It's pure freedom!

Answer 7

start small until you get the "Boating" thing down, less expensive as well, the initial cost is the cheapest part of owning a boat, it's Maint. and storage that get's pricey, Boats also Nickel & Dime you death, you should take a safe boating course given by the coast guard, at least then you'll have some idea of the rules of the road, it's a beginner's course, and you get "certified", as well as recieving a 20% discount on boating insurance. Boats use a large amount of fuel as well, a small boat uses less fuel, so it's more affordable to operate, many people buy a boat TOO BIG, and it's too much to handle, It's the NO. # 1 mistake first time "boat buyers" make, you can't store it in your driveway (SAVES BIG TIME $ on winter storage costs), you can paint the bottom of it yourself in the driveway (no boat yard will let you do that), and "Dockage" and "Dry Dockage" is charged per foot of the boat, so if you want to save even more, yu can trailer the boat, If it's small "Dockage" is cheaper so you may not even need to trailer because now it is "Affordable".

Answer 8

I recommend a small sailboat. Because a smaller percentage of population sail, you will get more boat for your money. Additionally, the hull is not tweaked from engine torque. Pay attention to the sails, that they are crisp and watch for chafing points.
The sailing community are a tight group, not snobs, but , I guess respectful of one another, as if learning equates to responsibility. Finally, it's great fun.
Most private owners should be willing to put in for you.(demonstration) Boating is a pass time, sailing is a sport
Good Luck

Answer 9

Look around and think what type of sailing you want to do. ?dinghy sailing, cruising.racing. My wife and I started with a 22' Kestral a little cruising vessel with fin keel. For such a small boat she could sleep up to 4 (3 realistically). She only required 2 to sail her and some would sail her single handed. She was ideal as a learner boat whilst we did some of the RYA shorebased and practical courses. All this for an initial outlay of £4000. We are now hoping to upgrade to a 27' Jaguar, and then who knows?????? Good luck!!!

Answer 10

A used boat, probably 24' with a motor (no sail). You can get one for probably under $4,000 depending on where you live. That size should have a flushing toliet. A boat with a bathroom, like on a RV will probably force you to get a larger boat.

Answer 11

these do not have a cabin but they are all great boats it all depends on how much or how little you want to send.
here are a few boat companies they all have very nice boats.
Lund, Skeeter, sylvan, ranger, tracker, polar craft, yarcraft, crestliner they are all priced at anywhere from $14,500 to $36,000, they all have a gas tank of 25 to 58 gallons and they are all from 16'-22' with a 50hp-300hp hope this helps