Boats come in all different shapes and sizes. From a humble wooden canoe up to a luxury yacht you can spend the rest of your life in, traveling across the water can be done many different ways. Before you just go out and buy a boat and assume it can work on any type of water, you need to do some research to find what best matches what you want.

Still, Flowing, or Ocean Water

A first major factor you need to consider is what type of water you are planning on being on and what is nearby. Boats designed for lakes or ponds might not do well in a river or the ocean. This can also be true of the opposite way too. Boats meant for the ocean might not do well in a river or lake.

Look at your local aquatic sources to see what is most common. Are you next to the ocean but not a ton of large lakes? You might consider getting an ocean boat. Far away from the ocean but have some rivers and lakes? Look for boats designed for those environments.

What Activity is the Boat For?
 

Not every boat is made for every activity. Fishing from a jet ski is impractical and a fishing boat is not built for white water rapids. You should determine all of the aquatic activities you want to do with your boat and see where overlaps with boat types can be.

A good inflatable raft could be used for fishing, going down a river, white water rafting and more. You could find a kayak that works for ocean and river trips. A motor boat could let you do waterskiing and wakeboarding, fishing, and just relaxing with friends on the water.

List out everything you want to do and pick which are the most important. Find a boat that can fill those activities. 

Getting the Boat to the Water
 

Unless you live right on the water, you’ll need to figure out a way to get your boat to the water. For some boats, like an individual inflatable kayak, these could fit in the trunk of a car. Other boats might fit in the bed of a truck or on top of a car, like a small canoe or raft. Larger boats though, might require a trailer and big truck to haul to the water. Even larger boats might need to be kept at a dock year around, requiring you to pay for a spot.

If you don’t have the means to transport your boat, you might need to invest in the tools you need to do so. That might mean buying a truck to haul it and trailer with the boat. If you need to get a new truck, Pioneer can help with an auto loan to match your situation.

Shopping for the Boat
 

The larger the boat, the more exclusive the seller is. You can find small kayaks and canoes at Walmart and local sporting stores, but going larger than that you have to do to specialists. To buy a larger motor boat new, you’ll need to visit a dealership.

A lot of the same rules for buying a car apply for buying a boat too. You should thoroughly inspect any boat you plan on buying, compare prices to make sure it’s a good deal, and if possible, take it out for a test drive. Look at different models and years to find exactly what you want and be willing to negotiate a little bit.

If you need help buying your dream boat, Pioneer is ready with an RV loan. With a competitive interest rate and flexible payment options, we’ll get you floating on the water in no time!

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