What Are the Top 3 Factors People Forget to Think About When Considering the Cost of to Buying a Boat?

Unless you have a private dock, year-round-boating climate, or your own personal insulated boat storage shed; you are going to need to consider storage and dockage for your boat each year. Maintaining your beautiful boat, and investment, correctly from the beginning, will ensure the longevity of your favorite past time! Consider heated storage, especially if you are in an area prone to mold and mildew from the extreme changes in temperature and moisture. With the huge rise in the interest in boating over the past few years, wet dock slips may be harder to come by in some areas more than most. If you cannot find dockage directly on the water, see what marinas offer dry dock/rack services. It may be a little higher in cost, however, the boat being only put in the water, when you want to use it, can lower the ware and tare that would normally occur from the environment and other boaters. Our dry rack services are a flat rate for the whole summer season, compared to other marinas, who may charge you per boat launch on top of your seasonal fee. Winter storage also requires proper winterization of your engine as well. So don't forget to factor that into your annual costs.  

The main operational cost is fuel. The lower the ethanol content in the gas, the better it will be for your engine, which is more expensive than your normal car fuel. Some marinas will try to help lower the cost of fuel and also lower the effect of ethanol content in it by putting gasoline additives such as ValvTect. Lighthouse Harbor Marina uses ValvTect in their marina fuel for rental fleet and their public gas dock. If you are considering a higher horsepower engine, running your boat for motor sports or design a boat with multiple motors, expect your gas usage to be higher than most.  

It's highly recommended that you get your boat engine put through the service department for basic maintenance every 100 hours of engine runtime or annually. Just like you would a car, your boat engine should get engine filters, fuel filters and oil change. It's also recommended, especially if you plan on using your boat in salt water, to get your boat a basic detail cleaning each year! Whether you have a pontoon or a fiberglass boat; your beautiful boat deserves some love! Your boat gets exposed to UV radiation, nature's elements, changes in temperature, and different saline environments; causes the furnishings on the surface to start to face and wear off over time. Detailing helps to remove contaminants that can wear down a boat's exterior materials, such as fiberglass or wood! We recommended getting your boat detailed on the inside and outside, to not only keep your boat looking beautiful and new, but to help prevent corrosion and other damage that can affect the performance of your boat.