Before You Choose Your Next Boat, Ask How You'll Actually Use It

Day boat or overnighter? Jeff explains what to ask before buying your next boat, why boat shows matter, and why you should never skip a sea trial.

Size, price and features are usually where boat shopping starts. According to Jeff, they shouldn't be where it ends. The first question he wants every buyer to ask is much simpler.

"What are you gonna use it for?"

Day Boater or Overnighter?

A boater who heads out for the day and returns to the slip every night has very different needs from one who plans to stay aboard. For day boaters, trips are usually a half hour to an hour each way. A modern boat with good docking tools makes getting in and out of the slip easy. If anchoring is part of the plan, good anchoring gear and possibly a windlass will make life better.

Jeff and his wife have moved toward weekend overnights, and that changed their priorities. Good cabin space and air conditioning became essentials, not extras.

Where Boaters Are Heading

Jeff has watched trends come and go over five decades. Right now, day boats and large center consoles are popular, and he has friends running big Formulas with walkthrough bows and plenty of seating. But he is also seeing a shift back toward the overnighter, including aft cabin cruisers and boats like the 43 Carver Super Sport he runs himself, where everyone can jump aboard and enjoy a comfortable salon.

The tradeoff, he notes, is that overnighting often gets compromised on smaller, sleeker boats. If staying aboard is in your future, factor that in now.

Climb Aboard as Many Boats as You Can

Jeff's single best piece of advice for anyone taking the next step: go to a boat show and climb in and out of as many boats as possible. The variety in today's marine market is remarkable, and there is something to fit nearly every budget, personal preference and style of boating.

"To go out and buy a boat and not see the other boats available, chances are you're gonna miss something," he said.

Never Skip the Sea Trial

Once you narrow it down, sea trial the boat. Jeff has talked with plenty of people who never did, and it is a mistake he wants buyers to avoid. Get a real run on it. Get behind the wheel. Check how comfortable you are with the controls, the visibility over the dash, and the seat itself.

Those details feel small at the dock. Six months in, they are the things that tell you whether you made the right choice.

The Takeaway

Start with how you boat, not what looks good on the spec sheet. Shop wide, climb aboard, and take the helm before you sign.

The Next Boat Journey is a series from Dock Side Live Radio, where the music meets the water.