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Find
The Perfect Boat (21-1)
by Dusty Miller
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 The
Toronto International Boat Show provides the perfect
oppourtunity to buy a boat. The array of models just
shine on the showroom floor and immediately cause you
to start dreaming of cruising open water.
But remember, it’s always wise to do your homework
even before considering buying a particular model. It’s
easy to do, it’s fast and will definitely help
you find the right boat for your needs.
Write down what you (and your family) want to do on
the water this season. Be specific. The more detail
you have, the better the choice you will make. Consider
where you want to go boating on a regular basis. Do
you want to cruise on a small landlocked lake, on a
river, canal, or larger areas such as Lake Huron or
the Bay of Fundy? As many regions significantly vary,
so will your requirements.
Once you decide where you want to cruise, write down
the main activities you want to do. If there are many,
prioritize them. A boat to live aboard along the ICW
will be quite different from a boat for wakeboarding
and quite different from a model designed for island
cottages. The list of questions will get longer the
more you think about it.
Also consider the time of year you want to go boating.
Obviously, most of your boating will be in the summer,
but if you want to go fishing for salmon early spring
or late fall, you’ll probably want a cockpit that
can easily enclose. How many people will you take along?
Will you and your guests be able to climb up to a fly
bridge? Or, should you have a model with one level?
Once you have your list (and set of priorities), decide
what qualities you really want and what you can do without.
As you get swept up in the elegance of the fit and finish,
remember to step back every once in a while and look
at your list.
There is one more vital step – a sea trial. Many
times I have checked out boats that look wonderful on
paper, on a showroom floor, and even on the water, but
once underway, the touted “ease of handling”
and “quiet running characteristics” are
sometimes not what they are claimed to be.
When you’re looking at a model 30 feet or under,
you have a choice between a direct drive and a stern
drive engine. Try both. Also determine the difference
with duo props. Don’t just take a model out into
heavy water and drive fast. That’s not nearly
as important as going slow around the docks or bringing
it up to a wall to determine its maneuverability.
For larger models, don’t expect it to pop out
of the hole like a sport boat. However, if your cruiser
strains to get up on plane, imagine how much more difficult
it will be when its laden down with guests, food, fuel,
water and the many other essentials you have onboard.
If you just want a model to keep in a slip at your favourite
marina, power may not be a top priority. In this case
accommodation and entertainment features are much more
important.
So here are your steps: Set your priorities with all
the detail you can imagine. Then go see the boat. Look
carefully. Step back and decide on a model’s strengths
and how well they meet your need(s). Of course, you’ll
have to make trade-offs, but that’s why it’s
so important to set priorities – choose a boat
that meets your demands without having to make major
adjustments to your plans. Take it out into the water.
If the boat you’re considering hits 80 percent
of your list, buy it, but be thorough.
Go through the boat and check every system. Flip every
switch, turn every knob, open every cupboard, and look
under all the seats. Also check to see that the doors
fit perfectly in their frames, the latches are easy
to use and there’s nothing sticking out to catch
you or your clothes when you walk by. Make sure the
controls are free and easy, not cumbersome or stiff.
All gauges should function properly.
There is no greater pleasure than taking your new boat
out for a spin. If you do your homework before buying
it, that pleasure will last a long time. (Page
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