What to Look For When Buying a Used Sportfishing Boat
What to Look For When Buying a Used Sportfishing Boat
These days the used boat market is largely a global marketplace. Listings from across the United States and abroad are connected not only by boat shows and the internet but yacht transportation services, as well. While this opens a wide array of buying possibilities, it can also be a bit intimidating—especially to an inexperienced boat buyer.
With all of the options available, how do you find the right sportfishing yacht for you? What should you look for when buying a used sportfishing boat? What follows is some tried and true guidance to finding and buying a boat that will best work for your unique situation.
Understanding the Experience that You Would like out of Boat Ownership
This is perhaps the single most important consideration in the boat buying process. People often put their focus on the boat without thinking about how they plan to use it. For some, a sportfisher is a lifestyle tool, for others, it’s a fishing platform, for others a traveling condo that is used for family time.
When it comes to boat ownership, there is no right or wrong—there is just what’s right for your situation. When trying to decide which boat best suits your needs, you can start by asking a few questions…
How do you plan to use the sportfishing yacht?
The hardware and power package necessary to support a high-end traveling, tournament program will be quite different from the boat needed for family cruises. Changes in layout and equipment packages influence not only the price of the vessel but how well it performs certain activities. Having the right packages for the activities that you plan for your boat can also impact what it takes to maintain the vessel.
Understanding your plans for boat ownership might dictate such things as how many staterooms you need, the range you will need for your operation, and even what types of interior layouts might work best. When understanding your plans for boat use, consider such things as:
What activities would you like to do on your boat?
What is the primary purpose of your fishing boat ownership experience? It could be anything from fishing, cruising, diving, staying aboard the boat for long periods while traveling, or a combination of many things. Would you like a boat that cruises at 40-knots, or do you want an 8-knot trawler type that is comfortable, slower, and more economical to operate?
How much travel will you do on your sportfishing boat?
Considering the amount and type of travel you would like to do can go a long way into ensuring that you get the right type of boat. Not only do your travel plans influence such things as range and electronics package, but also considerations such as draft.
If you plan to spend quite a bit of time in the Bahamas, you’ll want to make sure that your next boat meets the draft requirements of where you plan to keep it. If you plan to keep the boat in remote areas for long periods, you’ll want to make sure that you have freezer capacity, a water maker, and an ice machine on board. Buying a boat that has all of the equipment and hardware you’ll need can be much less trouble than undertaking a major refit once you’ve taken delivery of it.
Operating budget: How much are you comfortable spending to use your boat?
Armed with an idea of how you plan to use the boat, you can create an operating budget. This will help make sure that the boat you purchase fits with your lifestyle and budget.
There are the “standard” budget inputs—like fuel burn—but there are several other, less obvious variables that are involved. A knowledgeable yacht broker is a great source of advice for how to factor this type of information.
Galati Yachts Sales was founded as a service company. Everyone on the Galati team can provide expert advice and perspective on how to factor and project your boat’s operating expenses—with an eye for making sure that the boat you select fits comfortably within the budget range that works for you.
Maintenance and Ease of Operation: Buying a used sportfishing boat
Sportfishing yachts come in all shapes and sizes. Some are more complex and intricate than others. The bigger and more complicated a boat generally speaking, the more it takes to maintain.
The needs of someone who plans to be an owner/operator—running and taking care of the boat himself—might be very different than someone who plans to hire a full-time captain and two mates. Understanding where you will fall on the spectrum can help you navigate the range of options that exist between the day boat and the sportfishing yacht.
Written By:
Elliott Stark
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