What Will Owning a Boat Cost You?

Whether it's sailing the open sea, boating around a lake, or cruising your speed boat along the coast, there are few things as freeing as driving a boat. Being out on the water, soaking up the sun and enjoying the cool spray is truly special. If you’re someone who enjoys being out on a boat you’ve probably thought about what it might be like to own one someday. Well, there are a lot more costs to boat ownership than just the sticker price. Here are three considerations on price you need to make to figure out the real cost of boat ownership.

Upfront Expenses

First and foremost, and most obviously, there are the upfront costs of buying a boat. This will include the sticker price, taxes, and so on. When buying a boat there are a lot of buying options that crossall sorts of price ranges. From yachts that cost millions of dollars to dinghy that can cost you as little as a hundred dollars, you have tons of options. Think about getting a boat in the same way you might think about getting a car for joy riding. It is a luxury, not a necessity, so only put forth the money that this luxury is worth to you and that you can afford. Renting a boat whenever you want to take one out on the water may be expensive, but on the other hand is much cheaper than owning a boat if you only take it on the water twice a year.

Ongoing Costs

Once you have gotten past the upfront expenses, there are significant ongoing costs to boat ownership that will get you year in and year out. Firstly, you are going to need boat insurance. You need boat insurancein all but two states, but it’s a good idea to have regardless. You wouldn’t drive a car that is uninsured, and the same logic should apply to boats. You are also going to have gas costs, which add up if you take your boat out often, as well as maintenance costs. It is a lot like owning a car, so think about ongoing costs in the same way.

Dock Fees

Last, there are all the costs of boat ownership that are not actually for the boat itself, but costs necessary to use the boat. The first and foremost thing is goingto be a dock fee. This is applicable if you don’t have waterfront property that backs up to the one piece of water that you plan to use. If that is you, you’re a very lucky person! Otherwise, be ready to pay rent for dock space, which can easily cost upwards of several thousands of dollars a year, depending on how desirable the dock is and how big your boat is of course.

Owning a boat is a wonderful choice for boat enthusiasts. But boat ownership comes with a lot of costs, some upfront and some hidden. Consider these three aspects of the cost of boat ownership before taking the dive.

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