All Boats

You don’t need to be an expert on geography to know that Australia is an island or a demographer to know that the vast majority of Australians live on or close to the sea. And all that means is that boats and boating plays a huge part in the life of millions of Aussies.

Your boat could be a small runabout ideal for a spot of fishing or a massive ocean-going yacht with all the sails and challenges such a form of boating brings. But a life on the water is hugely popular today and with good reason.

There are so many different types of boats available and so many places in which to go boating. It might be on the security and relative calm of a lake or reservoir, on a river or water way or of course in a bay or the open ocean itself. Mooring spots, slipways and entry points make it relatively easy for anyone to launch their craft and enjoy their time on the water.

For beginners there are secondhand boats of varying sizes but with a starting price at entry level making the cost of boating within almost everyone’s financial reach.

For the keen angler there are all manner and size of outboard and inboard motor powered boats for fishing in salt and fresh water. Just the number of television and radio fishing shows and reports indicates the huge popularity of this sport and recreational activity.

But to start with there is the business of buying a boat and this raises two questions:

• What type of boat?
• What type of boat vendor?

Going boating means you have a huge choice when it comes to the type of craft you purchase. The type of boat you buy will be influenced by many things not least of which is the price. But even within your price range there are issues such as where you want to go boating, is it for fishing, water skiing or sight-seeing? Are you sailor in the true sense of the word? All these issues need to be sorted before you make your purchase. And in some ways, it’s a bit like buying a car. If you’re not a marine expert, you’ll want to hire one to help you give your potential purchase the once over. Boats like cars and houses can have things go wrong so inspect twice and pay once is a good piece of advice.

Then there is the issue of the boat vendor. You could buy at a boat yard, through a broker or simply a private sale. The huge coverage given by the internet means that there are thousands of boats which are up for sale online. You can check out the photos and details of the boat before you go anywhere near an inspection. But as with all things, make sure you are equipped for that type of boating and take advantage of a professional if you are not an expert. They will know all about the condition and capacity of the boat you are keen to buy.