The Bottom Line On Boat Ownership
It's a dream that starts young and can become a life-long attraction. People often think of boats in terms of multi-million dollar yachts. But you don't need that to enjoy the water. A row boat is enough. Mark Curry built his own.
"The seals come up and visit you, and it's the things you don't hear," he said.
"It's quiet out there you get away from the city in the middle of the bay it's totally quiet and calm."
Aaron Fell of Breakwater Marine says boat prices have fallen dramatically.
"It was not uncommon for a boat like this [21 foot model] five years ago to sell for $80,000. Today this boat sells for $46,000 Canadian," he said.
And that's made used boats much cheaper too. If you are buying a used boat you need to get a Marine Survey Inspection -- a top to bottom inspection.
"Unlike the auto industry if there has been a large insurance claim or what not on a boat sometimes it's not often noted or it's very hard to trace," warned Fell.
And unlike a car, you can finance a boat over many years -- up to 20 years in some cases just like a house. For a smaller power boat that fits on a trailer you can expect to pay about $2,000 per year in insurance and maintenance costs.
Bigger boats have moorage and more complicated systems that add to that cost. Ask to see the maintenance records and ask about fuel consumption. Usage is not measured in miles per gallon, but gallons burned per hour.
A little sailboat is fun, and won't break the bank. And there are other options as well.
"You can rent a boat you can charter boats you can hire someone to take you out boating a lot of people have put time share systems into the larger vessels so people can own quarter half or full shares in larger yachts so that's a very, very realistic thing," suggested Fell.
The type of boat you choose depends on what you want to do and your budget.
You should also consider taking a boating course through the Canadian Power and Sail Squadron in your area. The course would include things like how to properly handle a boat, weather, tides and currents, how to read charts and navigation signs on the water. Things you really should know.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Chris Olsen.
It's a dream that starts young and can become a life-long attraction. People often think of boats in terms of multi-million dollar yachts. But you don't need that to enjoy the water. A row boat is enough. Mark Curry built his own.
"The seals come up and visit you, and it's the things you don't hear," he said.
"It's quiet out there you get away from the city in the middle of the bay it's totally quiet and calm."
Aaron Fell of Breakwater Marine says boat prices have fallen dramatically.
"It was not uncommon for a boat like this [21 foot model] five years ago to sell for $80,000. Today this boat sells for $46,000 Canadian," he said.
And that's made used boats much cheaper too. If you are buying a used boat you need to get a Marine Survey Inspection -- a top to bottom inspection.
"Unlike the auto industry if there has been a large insurance claim or what not on a boat sometimes it's not often noted or it's very hard to trace," warned Fell.
And unlike a car, you can finance a boat over many years -- up to 20 years in some cases just like a house. For a smaller power boat that fits on a trailer you can expect to pay about $2,000 per year in insurance and maintenance costs.
Bigger boats have moorage and more complicated systems that add to that cost. Ask to see the maintenance records and ask about fuel consumption. Usage is not measured in miles per gallon, but gallons burned per hour.
A little sailboat is fun, and won't break the bank. And there are other options as well.
"You can rent a boat you can charter boats you can hire someone to take you out boating a lot of people have put time share systems into the larger vessels so people can own quarter half or full shares in larger yachts so that's a very, very realistic thing," suggested Fell.
The type of boat you choose depends on what you want to do and your budget.
You should also consider taking a boating course through the Canadian Power and Sail Squadron in your area. The course would include things like how to properly handle a boat, weather, tides and currents, how to read charts and navigation signs on the water. Things you really should know.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Chris Olsen.