Light Reading for Boat Shoppers
Whether you're ready to buy right now or are just starting your search, here are some things to consider...
At Pier 99 we get a lot of customers who tell us something like, "We're looking for an open bow boat," or "I need a boat bigger than 30 feet".
The "open bow boat" guy might turn out to be planning long days on the river with his wife and kids, and they might not appreciate having to use a porta-potty out in the open. The person looking for the 30+ footer might really be looking for a way to have two couples share a boat on weekends, and figured he'd only find a 2-berth configuration in a larger boat.
Start your search by thinking of what you're going to be doing with the boat. Wakeboarding and nothing else? A few hours on the river now and then with your kids? Weekend trips up and down the river or on lakes? Want to head for the ocean to fish? Are the San Juan Islands on your list for summer vacation?
Once you get a clear idea of what you want to do, all the different boats for sale will start to fall into place. It's easier to find the perfect boat, if you know what you're going to do with it.
This is also a great chance for a reality check. Do you need a boat big enough to take up to Southeast Alaska every summer, but you also need to haul it to the regional lakes with your 1992 Ford half-ton pickup? Do you need a boat big enough to sleep six, that's no more than three years old, for less than $10,000? Oops! Time to revise your search!
If you are a first time boat buyer, don't worry too much finding the "perfect boat"
Every boat shopper spends a lot of time trying to find the boat that's going to fit just right. But if you've never owned a boat before and don't have a lifetime of boating experience behind you, searching for an exact match to your needs is more likely to be paralyzing than satisfying.
RELAX, and consider this. No matter how hard you search, you won't find the perfect boat. Search and shop for a good quality boat that gets close to what you think you'll want, then breathe deep and take the plunge. After a couple of seasons of owning the boat, you'll discover what really works for you.
And who knows! Maybe the first one you buy will be the right one after all.
A used boat is... a USED BOAT
At Pier 99, we generally don't take major project boats to sell. Even so, from the "nearly new" to the "well used" craft, there's not one of them that is brand new, fresh out of the shrink wrap.
If you're picturing yourself atop a pristine, gleaming boat without a scratch or a smudge anywhere, that you bought for half the cost of a new boat, sorry, it just isn't going to happen!
Lots of our boats for sale are in amazingly good shape, with motors that are still fresh and barely used. Even some of the older ones here are incredible finds. But "used" means exactly that.
Search online but decide in person
At Pier 99 we post lots of pictures when we sell a boat. But no matter what we put on the Internet, there is no substitute for standing in the cockpit or snuggling into the aft cabin to get a feel for the boat. Use the Internet to get a list of boats to look at, then use your eyes and ears and full stand-up height to make sure that your first impression was a good one.
Throw away those Kelly and NADA books!!!
Lots of people use online and printed valuation guides to find out what a boat is worth. These are wholesale guides (even though some list "retail" prices). At best these guides are misleading and don't reflect the real market for a given vessel. At worst they create confusion and suspicion.
Who says that these valuation guides ARE accurate? Usually, it's the guides themselves that say so.
Here's how Pier 99 determines the value of a boat. We look at the current market, and see how similar boats are being priced to sell right now. We look at similar boats that have sold in recent months, checking both the sale price and the price that had been asked for the boat.
We also consider the current state of the market for boats overall, given the season and economy. We factor in high or low demand for the type of boat in question.
Then we consider the specific quality and features for the boat, and the degree of motivation that the seller has.
That online guide you looked at, that shows a value of 60% less than our asking price? They did an aggressive depreciation of the boat based on its age, forgot to add the value of the trailer, and didn't take into account that boats in the Northwest US run substantially higher than the national average price. They also can't factor in the current state of the market and the relative quality of the boat.
Rather than using an artificial price guide that has no bearing on reality, go search for comparable boats and see where the market is. We're always happy to help with that, by the way. After all, our business is to find and make the market for boat sales -- we know prices!
Remember to budget for surveys and sale expenses
Buying a boat normally costs some money. Once a sale price is agreed on and the river trial is over and approved, we strongly recommend that every buyer obtain a mechanical evaluation of the engine and drive system. No matter how new or how recently a boat might have been serviced, it's in the buyer's best interest to protect himself.
Mechanicals typically cost around $150 per engine, but the exact cost will vary depending on who is doing the work.
Depending on the age and size of the boat, and your own comfort zone, you may (or perhaps should) obtain a marine survey to evaluate the boat. Again, cost will vary by surveyor, but a good rule of thumb is to expect to pay $12 - $14 per foot on the boat, plus a haulout fee if the boat does not have a trailer.
Planning to live aboard? Think carefully!
Living on board a boat sounds pretty wonderful, and for the right person or people it can work out great. But not everybody is ready for life in a small, floating cabin. Before you make the leap, consider it carefully.
Are you somebody who needs a lot of STUFF? Big screen TV, kitchen full of tools, lots of furniture, three closets full of clothes, boxes full of books and papers? Where are you going to put it all?
Will you mind living in an environment where winter may bring a lot of howling wind and rain that is surprisingly close to you?
For some people, it's no big deal, and it's an ideal lifestyle. But make sure you've thought it through first!
Boating can be one of the most rewarding hobbies/lifestyles in the world, but like anything else look before you leap! Do your homework! Research, look, make the offer, take a river trial, get a survey and close the deal.
THEN...
LET'S GO BOATING!
Pier 99
|
1441 North Marine Drive Portland, OR 97217, USA |
Toll-free 877-469-9429 Tel 503-286-8221 Fax 503-286-6184 Email Us Toll Free: 877-451-3916 |
