by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor)

Welcome to a new multi-part series on Getting Started in Boating!

Over the next few months, as the northern hemisphere slowly freezes solid and experienced boaters climb the walls waiting for spring, we’re going to walk down that path that can get you out on the water some day as skipper of your own boat. At the least, we’ll try to get you out on a boat to hook you on the idea.

Whether you’re dedicated to getting a boat next spring come heck or high water, or you’re just aqua-curious because boating sounds cool, we’re talking to you. In this series, we’ll explore how to figure out what kind of boat and boating you might like, what kind of commitment it is, what it might cost to buy AND own a boat (two very different calculations!), how much work it will take, and of course just what kind of fun you can expect to have.

EXPERIENCED BOATERS! Don’t tune out! There’s going to be something in her for everyone, and if we get you thinking about helping get someone on the water to fall in love with the sport, then that’s a win for everyone. So we’re going to count on you here, both to help the newbie boaters when you see them, and to speak up in the comments with ideas.

Why do you want a boat?

This is the most important question you can ask a prospective boater. There is no wrong answer, but every answer shapes your choices. Media and advertising present the boating lifestyle in many compelling ways, showcasing fast power boats, parties at anchor, and calm sunset sails. There is no wrong way to enjoy boats.

So maybe you’re in it to go places and travel, or you want to chase the fish around the bay instead of standing on shore, or you just watched that “Yacht Rock” documentary on HBO and you suddenly realized that Christopher Cross tune has been the background track of your life and now it’s time to do something about it. There are no wrong reasons.

But there are some fantastic right ones.

Some great reasons to own a boat

• Travel. Whether it’s just across the bay for lunch, or a week of harbor-hopping down an island chain, or sailing to another continent, boats take you places. And a day trip on the water to a place you can drive to, when you arrive by water just feels…different.
• Water sports. Tubing, waterskiing, wake boarding, swimming, snorkeling, and diving are just a few activities you can do with a boat.
• Fishing. This is a huge driver for a lot of boaters. And you can fish from almost any boat.
• Family & Friend time. Boating is a great way to spend time socially. While you’re doing all the “boating” activities, you’re rarely by yourself. A family weekend away on the boat is great together time.
• Competition. Racing sailboats is a popular sport in many coastal towns, and a fun way to get on the water, meet people, and sharpen your skills. If you’ve really got “the need for speed,” people race power boats, too!
• Group activities. Poker runs, club cruises, weekend meetups and flotillas – there are a lot of ways boaters meet up on the water in numbers to multiply the fun.
• Just messing about. The Rat in The Wind in the Willows was absolutely right when he said, “There is nothing–absolutely nothing–half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.”

Are there wrong reasons?

It’s a good question, because a boat is a commitment in time and money. If you look in most marinas on a gorgeous summer weekend, there are a lot more boats sitting in their slips than there are empty slips. And it’s an excellent question to ask “why?” Why would someone go through the expense and effort to own and maintain a boat and not use it?

Some people have reasons for buying boats that don’t work with developing a long-term passion for boating. And that passion gets boats used.

Buying a boat to just have one to impress people, well certainly that’s someone’s prerogative. It’s a lot of effort and money just to drop “my yacht” into a conversation if you never use it.

But the reality is a lot of folks over-estimate how much time they have to boat, or how much skill or confidence they have, or make many misjudgments about how a boat fits into their lives. I doubt many people buy a boat without envisioning themselves at the helm every weekend with a grin in place and a boatload of smiling people behind them. But reality often intrudes, whether it’s work, family obligations, weekend sports for the kids, or so many other things.

“To make money” is a complicated reason. Running a charter business can be a great way to earn your livelihood doing something you love, whether you’re taking out sailors for day sails or long cruises, or going after tuna offshore. But there’s a fair bit of skill, licensing, and paperwork you need to make that happen. You can’t just buy a boat and start charging people for rides, that’s illegal on multiple jurisdictional levels. So it can go very wrong if you’re not thinking it through.

So the trick is to ask the right questions and decide accordingly.

What kind of boat is right for you?

That’s a big question, and the answer is at least one full-length article in the coming series. Maybe two, since we probably need an article specifically for sail and power boats.

But the general criteria is the right boat for you is one which meets the following criteria.

• The boat can what you plan to do with it. Meaning it’s the right boat for the activities you’re planning.
• You can afford to buy it, own it, and operate it. You need to make a budget.
• You have the skill to comfortably and safely handle it.
• You have the confidence to take it out (see “skill”).
• It’s a good boat for the waters you plan to use it in.

How will I know the right answers?

That is the trick, and what this series will try to help you with. We can’t answer the question for you, but we can help you explore what the answers can be. And give you some idea how you can get the information you need to make a solid decision you won’t regret.

In the coming months we’ll talk about reasonable ways you can get on the water without a boat to see what you like, how to look at boats and understand them, the differences between buying new and used, and how to level up your boating skills. We’ll explore many other pieces of key information to bring you to that happiest of days when you take delivery of your own bit of floating freedom.