Boat vs Fun car idea

[CobraBob]

If you have to actually choose between the two, boat comes second. Biggest reason being it's more of a recreational use item. A nice car you can drive pretty much all the time. I'd buy the car first, and then maybe down the road buy a boat for recreation. A friend of mine did this very thing. Fortunately he can afford them (two nice cars plus a 40' sailboat). JMO.

 

[derklug]

When my dad had his place on the lake and I could leave my boat there, it was worth the hassle and expense. When he died and we sold the lake property, getting out for a weekend became a PITA. The last summer I owned the boat, between the kid's schedules, weather and family commitments, I took the boat out twice. Next spring I sold it.

 

[ur bittn]

Get the Boat! especially if you have never owned one. I've owned 3 and 2 seadoo's, a lot of wonderful memories. And all toys are money pits, it's the American Way!

 

[beau t]

Bought a boat this season that needed some maintenance ( boat not that much, trailer a lot) both worked fine just stuff i wanted to change, anyhow since it was the wife and daughter that pushed getting a boat both have been in the garage helping get everything sorted out, before this i could probably count on 1 hand how many times they had been in the garage. For me it is worth it because of the family time, and so far i have been able to do all of the work, if i had to pay someone i might have a different attitude.

 

[SID297]

What type of boat are you thinking of getting?

 

[nxhappy]

pair of slightly used jet skis

I have owned many boats...but now I prefer the PWC

 

[weems]

Depends on where and what type of boat you are looking at.

I have had several sports cars and several boats, and I can tell you this, there is NOTHING that beats a weekend on the water with good friends, or a day at the sandbar with 50 other boats just out there having a good time.

The old saying "boat owners two best days are when they buy and sell" couldn't be further from the truth.

A properly maintained boat is no more expensive than a sports car. I do the 100 hour services myself at about 150-200 bucks, and the boat runs like a top, yeah its little things here or there, but nothing over the top expensive.

My current boat is a 20ft Scout with a 150 yamaha 4 stroke.

 

[PaxtonShelby]

I know a bunch of guys who own or have owned boats. The guys who live right on the water (literally less than 100 feet away from it) love their boats. The ones who live any further away either have sold them or always bitch about what a PITA the boats are to maintain.

 

[Equalbracket]

I loved my boat, had so much fun with it with friends. First summer I bought it we took it out 4-5 times a week, all summer long. It was only 6 years old but that's almost too old for a boat. All the small things breaking started to add up, then all the local waters are murky so I hit stuff under the water often, and it would be 500-1000 to fix and it would be 2-4 weeks before I was back on the water.After cracking the lower unit on a log there was no way to see, then the skeg. Then the maintenance.

And one factor in me selling it is, everyone you know happens to love boating, they love showing up right at the dock, then at the end of day just getting in their car and going home. While you load the boat, take it home, put $100 in gas in it, clean it up.

I would defectively buy another boat vs another fast car, but it would be pretty new 1-3 years max. And I would go prop less, that or a houseboat and jetski.



Edit. How are you local lakes etc? If I to buy, it would be a Yamaha 212 limited.

 

[DriftwoodSVT]

I'd buy a boat if I lived near the water. But I don't want to tow one 25 miles every time I want to use it.

 

[IronSnake]

At any given moment, I am about a mile from a major river. The perks of living in the lowcountry.

However, as a huge lover of boats and all things water related, I wouldn't own a boat without a slip. It's just not worth towing it around. The only way I'd own one is to have it stored, cared for, and deployed from a waterfront slip so I wouldn't have to do anything but boat and beer drink.

At least a car can stay in your garage and you can go for midnight joy rides or wrench on it. I don't think cars should be considered a social buy/hobby as it's really not consistently a social affair. Boats generally speaking are social devices but they certainly aren't a mechanical tinker type toy. You fix it when it breaks, and use it when it's right.

 

[oldstv]

If the family likes "loves" the boat it can be the best thing you will ever buy. If they don't you won't go buy yourself and you will sell it. I have had a boat since 1982 and can't imagine my life without one but it is all about the people that you surround yourself with. My girlfriend at the time "became my wife" and my two children enjoy the boat as much as i do and would leave me if i sold it.

 

[limitedex]

If I had to seriously chose one or the other I would go with a boat. Probably because it's so much fun with friends and family. Everything about being on the lake trumps any day on the street in my drop top GT500. And don't take that lightly. I LOVE my GT500.

 

[ViciousJay]

What type of boat are you thinking of getting?

maybe a 17' speed boat, nothing crazy.

 

[coposrv]

Personally I'll take a boat over a car any day. I grew up on boats around the cape and islands during the summer. The best way to enjoy the boating life IMO is to keep it in the water for the season. Boats are mega money to keep up with though. Depending on where you are a mooring or slip can easily be a few grand a year if you can even get in there. I think my dads marina in Newport RI was a couple year wait list. The boat needs constant maintenance as well. fuel at the dock is a couple bucks extra and anything marine is more expensive. that said though there's nothing better than getting out with friends and family on the water.


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[smitty2919]

A car is much more logical. Can use it a lot more, costs less (depending on your modding), less hassle to use (jump in and go).

The problem I see with people and their "toys" is sometimes they lack direction. People own a 600+ hp nice weather car then get bored with it. Or it sits because they don't use it. or get bored with it BECAUSE they don't use it and then it turns into "taking up space".

I'm a huge advocate of doing things with a purpose. I really enjoy autocrossing my 95 Camaro Z28. It's a 80% DD and my one true hobby. Every mod I do is for one reason or another to improve on course. I don't mod the car so I can say I did it. If you can give the car (or boat) a purpose then it makes it more justifiable in the end.

I know for a fact that people I know think I'm nuts for putting so much money into a old Fbody. People I race with (that own C5's) keep telling me to save the money and just buy a C5 to be fast. People that don't understand racing think it's weird to spend money on a car like I do. Then there are people in the middle that wouldn't spend money on said car, but see the reason I do it.

I enjoy the tinkering journey.

 

[SID297]

maybe a 17' speed boat, nothing crazy.

I have a Jet-Ski I'll sell you.

 

[phillycobra99]

Go with two PWC's. The most fun I've had on the water is on one.

 

[apex svt]

I love boats, absolute blast to have no speed limits and listen to twin big blocks with open long tubes rip 5400rpm down the lake skating with little to nothing touching the water!
TeamHustler!!

 

[jtkz13]

I own both, so I have a pretty good perspective I think. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my Cobra. Its fast, sounds amazing, and is dead nuts reliable. But its not a boat.

I'll echo what some others have said, and just make sure you can use the boat at least 2-3 times a week during the boating season without worrying about the gas money.

I keep mine at a marina that is 15 minutes from my house, and I can be on the open water within 5 minutes of pulling up t my slip. I use my boat all the time, whether it be with friends & family, with the dogs, or by myself. There is NOTHING like being out on the open water on a calm, warm summer evening. Nothing.

Or do like me, finance them both (within reason) and enjoy your youth.