New boat vs Old boat for new owners

[SS MAYFLOAT]

I've noticed many people new to boating buying brand new boats. Thats fine, but for all practical purposes of learning the ins and outs of boating, they don't know what they are up against. This is especially true if they are a fit and finish buff on their boat. I've seen people at the ramp wiping and polishing their new investment at the ramp only to come back complaining about new scratches, drifting into some rocks, anchor bumping the gell coat, scratches from someones shoes, and many other things that happen during usage. Most of the time, the owner is not very happy at that point. Sure takes the fun out of boating if you ask me.

Then if they manage to keep a guard up watching for those scratches, they overlook that they are in a foot of water and tear the outdrive/prop up or put some deep gouges in the hull.

I've read plenty of posts here about these things happening to brand new boats and new boaters.

My suggestion to new boaters is to get an older boat first. It is almost like buying your 16 year old a new Vette to learn to drive with. If anything rent a boat first. There are more variables to boats than that of land based vehicles. Get experience first! Then it will give you the experience to prevent mishaps on your new investment.

When I go boating, I don't want to be overly cautious about the condition of my boats finish. I'm there to have fun and relax. Constantly telling friends to be careful of this and that can take the fun out of things for the owner and his friends. Guess that is why I prefer to have an older boat that it is not a concern on flaws and scratches.

Sure I would like to have a new boat after all my 30+ years of boating, but I can still see myself telling others to be careful of things while trying to relax and have fun.

Rev's post on his nightmare hasn't even begun yet. It will begin when his boat is in the water getting its use. Then when the scratches start to happen, he won't be able to get the factory to make those right due to his own doing.

I wish all the new owners/boaters well with their new investment..Please make it a great adventure with tons of fun!........SS

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: New boat vs Old boat for new owners

A new boat is only a new boat until you tow it off the lot. After that it is a used boat.

A new (used) boat, is a boat where every little mistake you make, is a very expensive mistake. It doesn't matter if it is new or old boat, you will make the same mistakes in both. Each mistake will just cost you a lot more, per mistake, in a new (used) boat.

Buy used or near new, and save yourself the heartache of having to be the one that pays for those invariable, expensive, first dings and scratches.

New stuff is a magnet for scratches, whether it be a boat or a chainsaw.

I have a 13 year old car with just one small dent about the size of a nickel on the whole car. I found it after I parked it at a shopping center (all by itself, 800ft from the next car) the day I bought the car. It still is the first thing I see when I walk to the car, and even after 13 years, and it still makes me mad.

Had I bought the car used with this ding, I probably wouldn't see it or care anymore.

 

[Kev144]

Re: New boat vs Old boat for new owners

Cars or boats i like to buy maybe a year used or so. Let someone else take the initial hit. Car/truck wise i like to buy under 20 000 K/M. They say when you buy a boat/car and take it off the lot it's already depreciated 30% of its value!

New boaters should defiantly buy used (my recommendation) so they can get used to the scene and then if they like, buy new the next year or year after!

Happy boating to all!

 

[bigb2008]

Re: New boat vs Old boat for new owners

Being that I just boat my boat new, I'd like to add to this. I bought a new boat mainly because I didn't want to deal with someone else's headache. I like the fact that I have a warranty, and I like knowing that it's new. Makes me feel better knowing that I don't have to find leaks, I don't have a motor that is not quite right, I don't have to worry.

As far as the bumps and scratches, it's going to happen. Am I a little more cautious when taking the boat out, or course. But I think that makes me a better boater. I'm the guy that raises my prop 40 feet earlier than anyone else. I'm the guy who takes it a little slower coming in. I'm the guy who is paying attention to what I am doing, and what those around me are doing a little more.

Yes, I'm that guy.

I know it's a matter of time before it gets scratched, and bumped a bit, but that's ok with me. It's going to happen, and I'm thinking it's just going to be a lesson learned, and make me that much more cautious.

Am I having fun? Of course. Will I cry when I first scratch the boat? Probably not. I didn't buy it expecting it to stay perfect. It's a toy.

I think the people who buy new boats are probably more inclined to may attention to what they are doing, and think about doing it better before they even try.

 

[triumphrick]

Re: New boat vs Old boat for new owners

Hey Snappin Turtle, if you haven't used that paintless dent removal service yet, you'd be surprised at how good they could make that ding look. My son is the accessories manager at a local dealership. Had a warranty emission problem on my Sienna. He drove it in for me and when it came back he had had their dent guy give it a once over. Man, I could not believe that the three dents on that thing just disappeared. Trust me, I looked, I felt and man, they were gone. Don't know if you have that available in Germany, however I would think so.

Wonder if that guy can come look at my gelcoat.

Back to this post, Mayfloat makes a good point. As many years as I have owned boats, over thirty, I still have problems. At the dock, in the wind, barnacles on the flats and all those things are magnified if you are a new boater. But Hey, sometimes that urge for the new rig is like a powerful drug!

 

[tommays]

Re: New boat vs Old boat for new owners

I always find it interesting that the people who insist on buying used are the same ones who would never let anybody borrow there boat because they fear they would munch it up

 

[Don Dickinson]

Re: New boat vs Old boat for new owners

i think its just personality. some people really care that their stuff looks nice; to impress others or just because its what they like to do. personally, i want to fish and the boat is the vehicle for doing that. i don't worry if my boat is shiny, but i want the engine to run good and hull to remain sound so i can wet a line. a new boat isn't really a consideration. my first boat (10 years ago) was from 1968 (30 years old when i bought it). my current boat is 20 years old or so (1987). neither turned anyone's head, but they make me happy because they function great. if i get a scratch, i really, really don't care. i feel the same way about my care ... if it gets a scratch or dent it really doesn't bother me. different strokes for different folks. some people are happy driving a shiny new looking thing, others care about the things they do when their vehicle gets them there. different strokes for different folks.

-don

 

[240sx4u]

Re: New boat vs Old boat for new owners

A new boat is only a new boat until you tow it off the lot. After that it is a used boat.

A new (used) boat, is a boat where every little mistake you make, is a very expensive mistake. It doesn't matter if it is new or old boat, you will make the same mistakes in both. Each mistake will just cost you a lot more, per mistake, in a new (used) boat.

Buy used or near new, and save yourself the heartache of having to be the one that pays for those invariable, expensive, first dings and scratches.

New stuff is a magnet for scratches, whether it be a boat or a chainsaw.

I have a 13 year old car with just one small dent about the size of a nickel on the whole car. I found it after I parked it at a shopping center (all by itself, 800ft from the next car) the day I bought the car. It still is the first thing I see when I walk to the car, and even after 13 years, and it still makes me mad.

Had I bought the car used with this ding, I probably wouldn't see it or care anymore.

You sound like a good candidate for paintless dent removal... 60 bucks will wisk your heartache away!

You guys are dead on though.

Evan

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: New boat vs Old boat for new owners

my advice to a new boat owner, is go ahead and scratch it. now you can enjoy it. i have not bought a new boat since i bought my 1969 Cobia, it's been long gone. ran that boat to death, before i learned how to take care of one.

 

[tysonnathan]

Re: New boat vs Old boat for new owners

I dont know if i will ever buy a new boat... I would rather buy one that needs some work, and redo it how I want it. I dont trust boat manufacturers... I feel more comfortable with a boat that I have rebuilt than a brand new one.

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: New boat vs Old boat for new owners

You sound like a good candidate for paintless dent removal... 60 bucks will wisk your heartache away!

You guys are dead on though.

Evan

I tried them, asked three different local experts. All said the same thing, it is too deep. The dent is only the size of a nickle, but about a inch deep. Don't know what they dropped on it but ...

Sorry! Off Topic

 

[109jb]

Re: New boat vs Old boat for new owners

I think it depends on the person. I know people that trade their cars in every 2 years like clockwork. I on the other hand am the one who buys those 2 to 5 year old cars out there. Their reasoning is that they have a warranty, they have a car that they don't have to wonder how it was cared for, and it will be more reliable over the time they have it than an older car. No worrying about batteries, exhaust, tires, etc. My reasoning is that even with possibly increased maintenance, the used car is still cheaper per mile than a new one. I drive my cars into the ground.

Boats are the same way and there are going to be people that want the warranty, new engine, new trailer, etc. For me, a used boat for my first was the way to go and I still don't have a new boat and probably never will. One thing I will say for new boaters getting a used boat would be to find someone or hire someone who really knows boats to help you find a GOOD used boat. There are plenty out there, but there is a lot of junk too. I just recently bought a new to me used boat after looking at about 10 of them. All of them (except the one I bought) were advertised a good boats, but many of them had rotted floors, engines that wouldn't start, transoms about to fall off, etc. If you don't know boats you could easily be taken to the cleaners on a used boat and have it wind up costing you much more than the boat would ever be worth. This could be as bad as the instant depreciation of driving off the lot with a new boat.

BTW, the boat I just bought has rotten floors and stringers, but a great outboard on it and I knew what I was getting into.

 

[Zero Balance]

Re: New boat vs Old boat for new owners

I worry far more over my gear being misused/abused than those minor boat tragedies. Bang the dock scratch the hull stuff. My gear and added accessories are far more expensive than replacing a 35 year old boat. Don't get me wrong. I don't take scratches or dings mildly as my boat is in great shape for it's age. It runs like a top and fishes in just about any weather but I can swap out a hull for around 3K and some sweat, as with replacing gear just on the electronic end 3K would take about 15 minutes to spend should something come up missing or be otherwise destroyed.

I also think owning an older boat draws more appreciation to the effort of maintenance that one should put forth on a new boat. If you ever owned an older boat I'd imagine the amount of maintenance on a newer boat would be a breeze.

Additionally, considering making payments, No thank you. I think the effort you save in maintenance would come back in payments on a new boat.

I've learned much more than I would have working on my ole barge than I would have with a new boat. I'm sure of that.

I reckon it all depends on what type of boat you want or in what you want out of the boat you'll own.

 

[winenut]

Re: New boat vs Old boat for new owners

We bought a new boat after having rented one a couple of times to get the feel. I'm not worried about scratches, that kind of stuff is unavoidable. We bought new because several of our friends have bought nothing but used and their boats don't work 5 times out ten when they want to use them. Neither my husband nor I are handy with engines (although we can do some mean cabinetmaking! ) I guess it all comes down to personal preference. I like the fact that it has a warranty, just like we always buy new cars for that reason... I don't want someone else's headache.

 

[Marcq]

Re: New boat vs Old boat for new owners

Even if I would win the lottery, I would never buy a new boat, instead, I'd search for an old classic and refinish it. New boats today, they all look the same. Right now I have a 1979 17' Aquasport CC and I love her, every time I take her out I get compliments on how good she looks even if she as scratches and dings, I also have a 1973 16' trihull Chrysler that I would love to keep but can't lack of space

Marc..

 

[ekinnee]

Re: New boat vs Old boat for new owners

I'm going for a new boat, partly because I am SO overwhelmed by the choices in used boats. Also, I don't want to come up with $20,000 all at once, for what I want. Given that, the interest rates are MUCH better on new rig than a used one. Not to say I wouldn't mind a nice, well cared for used one. Heck I normally buy used cars.

So, advantages to new:
It's new, not just new to you
Better interest rates if financed
Warranty
No unknown history or hidden surprises
I can pick the options I want, so it's my boat, the way I want

 

[dingbat]

Re: New boat vs Old boat for new owners

I'd never buy a new boat. Far too many people buy new boats and then sell them in a year or two with little to no hours on them because of the work involved in maintaining them. I?ll let them take the deprecation hit and all the anger and frustration of working the kinks out of the new boat.

I was able to sell my last 3 boats for a profit after 3-5 years of ownership. I doubt that any new boat buyers could say the same.


Having said that new boat buyers, buy, buy your hearts out. I'll be looking for a new boat in a couple of years.

 

[triumphrick]

Re: New boat vs Old boat for new owners

I'll be looking for a new boat in a couple of years.

Someone here may hold you to that.

 

[greggholmes]

Re: New boat vs Old boat for new owners

If it wasn't for us people buying new boats none of you would be able to buy used boats...

 

[ekinnee]

Re: New boat vs Old boat for new owners

If it wasn't for us people buying new boats none of you would be able to buy used boats...

ZING!