Thinking About Getting Into Boating!

[buellbrewer]

some

Best option is rent one when needed, have it at any vacation spot you choose, walk away when finished!! It’s best to drop a few thousand throughout the year and not worry about transporting it, cleaning it, maintaining it and insuring it. I did just that a couple weeks ago and had a blast. Arrived on a Thursday evening, woke up the next day to the boat pulling up to the dock. Just plain awesome!! Oh, some big ass bug was in the pool, thought I’d scoop it out until it swam down, stuck to the side, looked at me and dared me to go swimming!!!

type of skimmer/dragonfly. they were all over the place coming out of the water last time i was at Hamburg State Park.

 

[Miatadude]

How do you check to see if its stolen?

In my case, the thief was very good. They made new hull ID stickers and plates that looked just like Tracker factory ones. The only way I found out it was stolen, is I took it to West Georgia boat center to fix a small leak and add Mercury vessel View to the motor. When they called Tracker marine to see if the leak would be covered under warranty and gave them the hull ID, it came back as not in their system. They do hide the hull ID somewhere in the boat. When West Georgia boat looked at the real ID, it came back stolen 18 months prior up in Fulton county. My boat was impounded and I lost over 15k. Law enforcement did not give a damn and would not lift a finger to do an investigation. This was for a 2015 Bass Tracker 175.

 

[fuelman1]

I have been boating since I was a kid. Went with dad when he bought the family's first boat. It was a yellow runabout and he didn't inform mom he was buying a boat. That went over well. Boats were part of our family life growing up. We spent tons of time on Lanier before it was crowded. I currently own a 23' Grady White offshore, a 18' Carolina Skiff that I bought new when I moved to the coast, and a 14' jon boat that I bought ridiculously cheap. I also have 3 kayaks that I don't use near enough. I use the skiff the most. It's perfect for where I live here on a saltwater river. I have a ramp less than a mile from my house. I keep my across the street neighbors yard mowed and I get to use their dock. Pretty sweet to walk across the street and get on the boat and go. Boats can be expensive but if you can work on them yourself it's not bad. I can't imagine living where I live and not having a boat. I'm probably going to sell the larger boat this summer since I rarely go offshore anymore. I'll put that money towards a jet ski to rig up for fishing. The one downside down here is cleaning. You have to do a thorough washdown every time the boat goes in the water. Salt will eat up everything if you let it.

 

[mfoster]

Buy the kind of boat you gonna use it for.i have a fishing boat (stick steering w/40hp) had it 20 years and love it.

 

[Trailrider]

The pain in the ass of:
Buying a boat
Paying for the boat
Repairing the boat ( props, skags, lower units, etc..)
Loading the boat for a day on the water
Fueling the boat
Hauling the boat
Launching the boat
Parking the trailer
Paying launch fees ( park fees)
Putting the boat back on the trailer
Hauling the boat home
Cleaning the boat to get ready for the next trip …………..

All goes away when you’re ripping across the water on a 6 inch chop at full trim with the wind in your face….

Agreed but I always spent WAY more time with all the other stuff than I did ripping across the water. That's when I realized I was done with boats. Hell just the loading gear, fueling, hauling, launching, parking, putting back on trailer, hauling home, then cleaning took more time than I was actually out on the water most days. Then add the repairs on top of it and paying to launch/park, etc.

Don't get me wrong, if I ever wound up with a house on a lake I'd have one again just to skip all that other stuff that takes all the time up.

 

[CAMSDADDY]

When someone tells me they are about to buy a BMW I always suggest they don't buy one but of course they never listen and in time they call me and mention that they should have listened. Well Im really excited about buying a boat this weekend. I found it on marketplace and come to find out the guys brother in law is a member here and we were able to work it out. I may one day look back and regret buying a boat. I can tell you if I take my family out and we make memories it will be worth it. Of course if those memories are us being stranded on the water then I will come back for I told you so. Ive been told I told you so before. Other wise no one can piss on my campfire we are going to have fun.

 

[Grdbreaker]

When someone tells me they are about to buy a BMW I always suggest they don't buy one but of course they never listen and in time they call me and mention that they should have listened. Well Im really excited about buying a boat this weekend. I found it on marketplace and come to find out the guys brother in law is a member here and we were able to work it out. I may one day look back and regret buying a boat. I can tell you if I take my family out and we make memories it will be worth it. Of course if those memories are us being stranded on the water then I will come back for I told you so. Ive been told I told you so before. Other wise no one can piss on my campfire we are going to have fun.

Sweet ! Be careful ...Holiday wknds are the worst.

 

[CAMSDADDY]

Sweet ! Be careful ...Holiday wknds are the worst.

A new guy in a new boat on a holiday weekend. What could go wrong?

 

[mfoster]

A new guy in a new boat on a holiday weekend. What could go wrong?

You will have more fun at the boat ramp watching the loading and unloading

 

[Grdbreaker]

You will have more fun at the boat ramp watching the loading and unloading

UM,I think he will be the one getting watched this first time...