Your Guide To Buying Your First Powerboat

Table of Contents

Page 3.....Introduction
Page 5.....Assessing Your Boating Needs
Page 9.....Different Types of Powerboats
Page 12.....Inboard Engines
Page 13.....Outboard Engines
Page 14.....Inboard/Outboard Engines (I/O)
Page 16.....Different Types of Hulls
Page 18.....Different Types of Hull Material
Page 20.....The Electrical System
Page 23.....The Fresh Water System
Page 25.....Marine Navigation System
Page 28.....Other Systems To Consider
Page 32.....Power Boat Accessories
Page 34.....New vs. Used Power Boats
Page 36.....Common Safety Equipment
Page 42.....The Importance of Training
Page 44.....Super Yachts
Page 46.....Buyer's Checklist


Introduction

So‚ you are ready to buy your very first powerboat! How exciting! You can
probably already see yourself out on the high seas‚ enjoying the wind‚ the sun‚
and the waves - doing what you know you love - boating!

If you're like most soon-to-be power boat captains‚ you've already planned your
first boating trip‚ and the only thing stopping you from leaving this very minute is
the fact that you haven't bought the boat yet.

The first question you may ask when you arrive at the dealership will most likely
be 'how much does it cost?' But this really isn't the first thing to consider. Neither
is 'how fast does it go?'

While these are questions that need to be asked at some point‚ they aren't the
first things to consider. A great deal of thought and research needs to go into
purchasing a power boat - even if it isn't your first one! There are many decisions
to be made.

First‚ you need to understand that certain elements of a power boat have a huge
effect on the boats performance‚ handling‚ and safety. Not taking these things
into consideration could result in a disaster on the open seas that you don't even
want to think about right now. Let's just say that not taking the time to select the
right boat for your boating needs could result in a tragedy‚ such as death.

That's what this guide is for - to help you learn everything you need to learn in
order to make the right decisions when you go power boat shopping. By the time
you finish studying this guide‚ you will arrive at the boat dealership well-prepared‚
and while you will still have plenty of questions of your own to ask‚ such as 'how
much is it?' and 'how fast does it go?' you will be able to answer all of the
questions that the salesman needs to ask you as well. Together‚ with help from
your salesman‚ it won't take very long at all to find and buy the perfect power
boat for you.

Just so that we are on the same page‚ so to speak‚ let's start by defining exactly
what a power boat is. A powerboat is any boat or water vessel that is powered by
an engine.

The engine may be an inboard engine‚ and inboard/outboard engine‚ or an
outboard engine. The engine may be powered by gas or diesel fuel‚ but diesel
fuel is usually used for larger powerboats.