3 Effective Ways for Boating Enthusiasts to Save Money

As any longtime marine enthusiast can confirm, boating is far from an inexpensive hobby. Purchasing a boat, paying docking fees and dealing with constantly fluctuating fuel costs stands to create a substantial hole in your bank account. In fact, the myriad expenses associated with boat ownership frequently cause sailors and fishermen to sell their watercraft. Being forced to give up a lifelong hobby on account of overstrained finances can deal a tremendous blow to one’s self-esteem and leave people with nothing to occupy their free time.

If you’ve recently found yourself overwhelmed by the enormous cost of boat ownership, there are several steps you can take to reduce the expenses synonymous with your chosen hobby. Although owning a boat has always been pricey, it’s a common misconception that boating is a hobby that only the wealthy can afford. Provided you play your cards just right, owning and maintaining watercraft is well within the means of any comfortably well-off individual. If you love being out on the water but can no longer cope with the aforementioned costs, put the following tips into practice.

Say Goodbye to Marinas

While it’s true that marinas provide privately-owned boats with protection from vandals, thieves and other ne’er-do-wells, the cost of storing your boat at one of these facilities is oftentimes astronomical. Sure, it’s convenient to keep your watercraft in a place so close to the water, but such convenience is hardly worth upwards of $600 per month. If storing your boat in your home’s garage or on a friend’s property is out of the question, consider renting a storage condo. These spacious storage lockers feature reasonable rents and are designed to accommodate watercraft, automobiles and other large vehicles that standard-sized storage units are unable to fit. Although this will entail hitching your boat to a trailer and driving down to the lake every time you wish to hit the water, the money you save will be well worth this minor inconvenience.

Be Open to Purchasing Pre-Owned Watercraft

If you don’t yet own a boat but are interested in buying, keep yourself open to the idea of purchasing pre-owned watercraft. Not only should your local classifieds contain an assortment of used boat offers, many marine specialty shops feature impressive selections of pre-owned boats. Additionally, a number of well-known watercraft manufacturers offer fantastic deals on previously-owned boats through their respective online stores. Much like when purchasing a pre-owned automobile, you stand to save as much as 50% off a boat’s original sticker price when buying used.

Pool Your Resources with Friends

If you always go out on the water with like-minded friends, why not pool your resources to purchase a marine vehicle? Instead of shelling out the cash to rent a boat every time you want to go fishing or enjoy the scenery of the lake, you can evenly split the cost of a new or pre-owned boat, as well as subsequent storage fees. When two or more people are taking care of the expenses, boat ownership becomes considerably more affordable.

Long regarded as a hobby for the upper crust of society, boating can be surprisingly affordable if you familiarize yourself with a few practical money-saving tactics. The open water is meant to be enjoyed by individuals from all walks of life, and with a little bit of financial knowhow, you can ensure that you always have a place on the lake.

About the Author: Daniel Wayland is a Phoenix-based construction foreman and longtime boating aficionado. Fed up with his marina’s exorbitant storage fees, he recently rented a super-sized storage condo from Big Boys’ Toys. Happy with the company’s spacious RV and boat storage services, Daniel advises all cost-conscious boaters to pay a visit to BBT’s website.

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