There’s no better way to spend your days than by driving a boat on your favorite waterways. Whether that’s the ocean, a bay, or your nearby lake, time on the water is priceless. Plus, being outside, in general, is good for your health.
But as you dream of spending more time on a boat, you’re faced with a dilemma; buying vs renting a boat.
Both have their merits, and there’s no shame in either approach. It all depends on your situation, your goals, and how much time and money you have available.
So how do you decide if you should buy a boat or rent a boat? Keep reading to find out now.
Benefits of Buying a Boat
When you buy a boat, you get to choose exactly which boat you want. This might mean a sports boat, it might mean a fishing boat. It could be a pontoon or an electric boat. Whatever it is, it’s the perfect boat for your needs.
Along with having the perfect boat, you get to use it as much as you want to. No planning necessary. Just show up to the water with your boat, and you’re good to go.
Owning a boat allows you the flexibility to get on the water more. Of course, it comes with the cost of buying and maintaining a boat. But you won’t have to pay high rental fees each time you want to get on the water.
Benefits of Renting a Boat
When renting a boat, you get to learn the ins and outs of boating at a lower cost. While daily rental fees may not be cheap, at least you don’t have to make payments on a boat each month, pay insurance, pay for a place to store it, and spend hours each week cleaning it.
You just get to show up to the water, use it whenever you want, and hand it back to someone else when you are done. Sure, it costs money, but it’s hassle-free.
Buying vs Renting
When it comes down to it, buying or renting is really determined by how much time you have to boat each month. If you work a full-time job, and you’ll only get on the water two or three times per month, it’s probably better to rent.
But if you’re retired, or if you live near the water, you’ll be able to spend much more time on the water. In this case, buying may be worth it.
What to Know Before Getting on the Water
Whether you rent or buy a boat for sale, you need to invest in your abilities. Boating is way more fun when you are confident on the water and are capable to handle any situation that comes your way.
For one, you should take a boater safety course in your state. Even if you already know how to drive a boat, you’ll learn a lot from this course.
There are many scenarios you’ll need to be prepared for, especially as you start spending more and more time on the water. Along with a safety course, you’ll want to brush up on boating safety tips to ensure you are always prepared to keep yourself, your boat, and your passengers safe.
Just Get Out There
There’s no wrong way to boat; buying vs renting is an important decision, but it’s not life or death. What matters is that you are able to spend as much time on the water as you want to.
For some that means owning a boat, for others it means renting whenever they get some free time.
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