Is it a bad idea to buy a new boat for your first boat?

[Ancient canoe]

Used is far more practical, but there is nothing wrong with buying new as long as you aren't stretching your budget too thin and understand all the costs associated with owning a boat. Which is it guys buy your second boat first, or buy a starter boat first?

I would test drive some older model 24' to make sure that the new features you think you want are really worth it to you.

 

[Shuck Water]

I bought new, but took it from a different approach. First, for the cost factor, I promised myself I'd own the boat for more than 5 years to lessen the depreciation pain. Second, and more importantly to me, I wanted to learn how to maintain the boat mechanically, but do so gradually. You buy a used boat and two days later you could be wrist deep in complicated repairs. Learning as the boat ages has made me much more confident that I can handle things as they come up and next time I purchase, I'll feel more informed and will consider buying used. And lastly, there is just something about buying new. No blemishes, only an hour or two on the engines, the smell of fresh fiberglass and vinyl, makes you take pride in keeping it looking new.

 

[waternutt]

Wow. This question garnered far more responses than I thought it would. First of all, thanks to everyone for their comments. This forum has been great in answering my questions in my journey to boat ownership. I like to think of myself as frugal, but as my wife mentioned the other day..."get what you want, you always do this" i.e. start by saying I will be frugal, but end up buying a new-ish, top of the line ________. Cost is not an issue, but as someone mentioned, I am sure there will be unexpected expenses that pop up. Our last three vehicles have been purchased new, paid off, and we hang onto them. Still driving a 2011 and 2012.

I am fairly certain my family will enjoy boating. The kids use our pool everyday in the summer, but come the weekend, we want to get out of the house. We have been out with friends on their boat and we love it. We actually wish they would go out more often and we would get invited, but they don't so we started looking for our own. I foresee us taking friends out as well for the day.

One reason is I like a warranty piece of mind. The second reason is I know how the boat has been taken care of, I don't have to take somebody's word.

That piece of mind is a big deal to me.

I say buy new. Lets be honest, these boats are pure indulgent purchases and not necessary so if you are going to buy, buy what you want and like and go have some fun.. you only live once.

That is my thought process now. It is a luxury...might as well enjoy it.

...my perspective is that you want to do all that you can to ensure that your family's introduction to boating is a positive one that will create the foundation for years of great family time.

That is it in a nutshell. I understand owning a boat will cost money and involve a lot of work (on my part mostly), but if the family enjoys it the memories will last a lifetime.

Lastly, speaking of insurance, I have asked some friends who they use, but does anyone have a good suggestion for insurance?

 

[MrMoose]

Regarding insurance, I use Foremost. $461/yr

 

[merlinjet]

IMHO, you should never buy new unless you just can't find what you want preowned. Why pay the stealership commissions, taxes and fees? Let the original owners subsidize that for you. We're talking thousands of dollars here. Yep, I agree, those brand new boats sure look good on the showroom floor but they aren't worth the premium. I have purchased several boats (cars, trailers, campers, etc.) over the years, all preowned. Never regretted it once. Yes, it takes a little more work to seek out that good buy and maybe you'll have to travel a bit to get it but the reward is well worth the effort. However, as someone said above, if you have the money to burn, buy new, why not?

As for the type of boat you are considering for your first boat, a 24', twin engine, jet is a handful. Although I have a 19' now because it fits my modest needs, I have owned a 30' twin I/O. I worked my way up to the 30'er from a 21'er and damn glad I did. I hear all the "buy your second boat first" rhetoric and it sounds good until the digs and scratches start mounting up. This first boat will be a learning experience not only for you but your "crew", the folks that will help you launch, dock, recover, etc.

The warranty issue seems a moot point to me. First, Yamaha builds a simple, solid boat, most things that can break, a guy with good handyman skills can fix. Yeah, all the bells and whistles on the fancy models will increase your maintenance risk but that's your call if you think you need that stuff. Speedo, tach, depth finder/GPS and you're good to go.

My 2 cents. Good luck!

 

[swatski]

@waternutt Great thread!
I guess a lot depends on how comfortable you are taking care of the boat and the trailering part, too. Basically - how far along are you on the learning curve. Only you know that. It reminds me a bit of riding motorcycles, too, lol. (Oh, boy... thinking about my early experiences... lol, glad my new AR240 wasn't it).

Now, if you know what you are getting into - a new boat is an awesome awesome experience.

Keep us posted!!!

--

 

[rrmidden]

Regarding Insurance, I have everything, including the boat, with American Family. Not the cheapest, but I've never had a problem dealing with them, so I just stick with them.

 

[mattschepker]

Insurance, I am with State Farm. Also if you take the boating safety course that will save you money.

 

[mraz72]

I would say it is a mistake to buy new for your first boat. You have no idea what you want and don't want. I would say look for a lightly used boat, try it out for a few years and then you can sell it if you want to change.

I'm selling my 2015 sx 192 and the person buying it will save ~ $10k off of a new sx 195, I believe they said 37k after tax and everything from the deal.

I realized that I need a lot bigger than 19' to go boating all summer they way I do, so I needed to upgrade.

 

[Matt Phillips]

I believe the key here is to determine what you want to do with the boat, and then map the boat to how well it does those things. Other things to take into consideration is the area you boat and any special considerations that may mean for you. For example, up where I dock in Lake Tahoe the past three seasons, I've been practically guaranteed to have to clean invasive milfoil out of my jets...if I had another type of jet boat I wouldn't have been able to complete this process. Additionally, the depth two years ago at my slip was down to 2'. Again, if I had an I/O, I wouldn't have been able to get into my slip (as the guys on either side of me couldn't). Again...just something to think about.

As for your original question of new vs. used, again, get the boat that's going to meet your needs. When I bought the 232, it was new, but a 3-year-old holdover...although new, it still had some creaks and groans from sitting around unused for three years on a dealer lot. Even though I do my own maintenance, my recreation time is limited and for me it's worth the price to pay for a newer boat that I know has less of a chance of needing unplanned maintenance.

As others have said, the Yamaha's are very dependable, so if you can find one that meets your needs that's in good shape that's a few years old. If not, pull the trigger on a new one. Regardless, you'll be out on the water creating memories with your family/friends.

A couple of other things to remember:

1. Be humble enough to realize when your approach (to a dock, slip, trailer, down boarder) is off; so it's OK to circle around and line up on it again;
2. Boats don't have brakes so never approach ANYTHING faster than you're willing to hit it;
3. Finally, if the above two fail you, it's a boat and it will get dock rash...it's just a matter of time. Luckily most of those can be buffed out so they aren't that big of a deal;

Enjoy!

 

[NewBoater]

I test drove 19' 21' and 24'. 21 and 24 seemed much more stable in ocean and rough waters and I liked the size overall better. I was able to snag a 2015 SX210 in 2016 (leftover model) for a very fair price even being brand new with warranty and all. It's my first boat and was a great price (being a leftover model) and new trailer and 4 year warranty was a nice bonus. Couldn't have found a used one much cheaper. Sure I made a few mistakes and got a few small little scratches here and there over the first year of boating. But she still looks beautiful (nice
new and shiny) since I give it full detail after every outing! I say if your getting a fair price on a leftover model go for it!

 

[merlinjet]

Finally, if the above two fail you, it's a boat and it will get dock rash...it's just a matter of time. Luckily most of those can be buffed out so they aren't that big of a deal;

For sure! Buffing out those dings is just another way to get some "quality time" with your new toy

I just bought a 2014 SX 190 with about 20 hours on it for a song. The guy I bought it from had never owned a boat before, and it showed. The interior was pristine but the exterior was, well, let's just say it needed some serious attention. But two weeks in the garage with some gelcoat, 8 grades of sandpaper, polishers, wax, etc., she looks brand new. That two weeks probably saved me about $8-9K conservatively. Everything you need to know to get the job done is here on the internet somewhere.

 

[Paul Early]

I'm in the used camp. My buddy bought a new AR190 2 years ago and I loved it. I searched high and low and found a 2008 AR210 with 25 hours on the engines. I paid almost exactly half the price he paid for his boat and its 2 feet bigger. Because of the high cost of new ones, used ones retain value very well. In fact, looking online at ads, it looks like I can sell mine today for more than I bought it for. There is not a single feature of his "new" boat that I don't have or couldn't easily add.

Maintenance on these is so easy. Youtube is your friend. This forum is your friend. I'll never buy new. Looking forward to selling mine soon and upgrading to a slightly used 24 footer.

 

[captras]

24 footer for the wife. ..that's one HELL of a deal! Just always remember. ....if it flies, floats, has wheels, or Boobs, you WILL have trouble with it!

 

[waternutt]

Update...thanks everyone for your opinion. Unless a screaming deal on a newer used boat pops up, I am leaning heavily towards a new boat.

As for what boat, that is where it becomes more difficult. I was out on a test drive today on a new 2016 Chaparral 243 VR (no tower) with the 4-TEC 200 ECT motors. Very nice boat. I had this in the back of my mind, but it was priced a little higher than the 242 Limited SE. Well, the salesman says they are needing to get it off the lot and offered it to me at what he claims is dealer cost. So here is my predicament in choosing between two new boats...

2016 Yamaha 242 Limited S E-series vs 2016 Chaparral 243 Vortex VR

Cost - Almost identical OTD. Literally less than $200.
Warranty - 4 yrs on Yamaha and 5 yrs on Chaparral.
Accessories - Nothing thrown in with Yamaha and Chaparral includes pump out porta potty, beachweave carpet upgrade, Wetsounds audio system upgrade, Medallion touchscreen, galvanized anchor, mooring cover, upgraded aluminum trailer with aluminum wheels.
Dealer - Have Yamaha dealer in town while nearest Chaparral is 1.5 hrs away.
Pickup - The Yamaha is not at my local dealer. It is 8 hrs away. Chaparral is 1.5 hrs away.

I am certain both boats would fit my family's needs just fine for our first boat. As I said, I test drove the Chaparral today, but I have not and cannot seem to find a Yamaha dealer near me that will offer a test drive. I am very much a details matter type of guy. I could go from bow to stern and tell you some things I like better on the Yamaha and some I like better on the Chaparral. I fully understand that the decision is mine, but hearing others opinion does help me think through it and possibly see something I am missing.

So, what would you do?

 

[mraz72]

I went with Yamaha since I was so happy with my sx 192. I love the layout and the swim platform is hard to beat

a pump out head is awesome BUT, how much will you use that. On a boat that you would sleep on that would be more of an issue, it seems from reading these forums that most folks don't use the heads for anything other than storage. I just boat my 24' so I don't know what its like having a head, I'll find out this summer.

it sounds like you like the Chaparral better but are hesitant because the dealer is 1.5 hours away. I would say get the boat you like better, don't worry about the distance.

 

[waternutt]

Honestly, I do not anticipate using the head all that much. Just more for emergencies for my wife and two little girls.

I am not hesitant that the dealer is 1.5 hours away. I am hesitant that I would have to drive 8 hours one way to pick up the Yamaha. I like both boats.

 

[2nazt]

Not bashing either boat and trying to not be biased. The chap of you go that route I would look into the diagnostic software for the computer you buy. I think there is a 25 hour dealer required service unless you buy the Candoo system. I've also read a few bad sensor threads also. Granted all easy stuff and just as likely to happen on a Yamaha as Connext has its own faults.

 

[waternutt]

Anything other than an overboard discharge toilet/porta potty stinks...literally. Not even worth having one if it doesn't self discharge. Its basically a glorified bucket.

Understand. Just stating what additional options were on the Chaparral. Even the salesman said the "pump out" capability was not worth it. He said it would get cleaner to take it out, dump it, sanitize it, and put it back in.

 

[tdonoughue]

Pickup is a one-time issue. Yes, that is a long drive. I am surprised, though, that the Yamaha dealer in town will not have it sent to him. Even if he passes some of that cost on to you, seems like it might be worth it.

Second thing: update your profile with your location. Maybe one of us can offer you a ride on a Yamaha, as your dealer is not being helpful (mine would not sea trial mine until I had a check in hand).

Third, obviously I decided on the Yamaha (key factors for me were reliability of the engines, generally, their experience with jets, and the basic notion that most of the 'upgrades' from other places were already in the boat (snap in carpet, mirror, etc.)). But really I don't know that you can go much wrong either way. I am also a details guy and have not been impressed with the Yamaha fit and finish (I think I have pulled all of the screws, put Loctite on them, and retightened them--and checked all the band clamps). But when I got mine, they were quite a deal relative to the very new Chaps (if they were even available yet?--I think it was the first season or preview).

In short, I don't think you can go badly wrong here.