Buying and owning a boat
When considering the purchase of a boat you need to think about whether it can be trailored or whether it is too large to be trailored and therefore needs a mooring, e.g., at a marina. If it needs a mooring at a marina the you should check with the marina or boat mooring that you intend to use the cost per metre to moor the boat per year. Prices vary right across the coast and even from marina to marina. This needs to be taken into account for the annual cost of running your boat. The cost of boat parts are usually quite expensive and therefore the annual boat maintenance costs can be quite high, again depending on the age, type and size of the boat. Boats that are moored in the water will need to be anti-fouled (paint on the hull of the boat) each year and this alone can cost upto £500 for an 8 metre boat. So these costs of owning a boat need to be born in mind.
For each type of boat be it a motor cruiser, speed boat, yacht or even a dinghy there are many different varied sizes, layouts and makes. So after you have decided the type of boat you are purchasing you then need to make the decision on the size and model. You may want to leave it open and retain flexibility on the make of boat you wish to purchase.
From my own experience and if you are deciding to buy a boat in and around the time of the Southampton or London boat show then this can be the perfect place to choose the make and layout of the boat you want, as there are so many boats there!
Then once you have chosen the boat you want there are many places to purchase boats from, including magazines, websites (privately or via a brokerage) and boating brokerages.
Check this Websites for boat brokers and boats sales:
Boats For Sale / Brokerages
www.boatsandwatersportswebsite.co.uk
www.ebay.co.uk
There are boat brokerages at nearly every marina, so it is also worth while contacting your local marinas. The very large brokerages are also very good to visit if you are still unsure of the type of boat you want, e.g., Essex boat yard, Essex always has a huge stock of boats.
If you are buying a boat second-hand do not be afraid to barter. More oten than not the boat is up for sale at a much higher price than the current owner is prepared to except.
If you are spending in excess of about £12,000 on a boat you should also consider getting a full boat survey.
After you have brought your boat enjoy !!
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