GoFastScott

I wish I would have known if I was going to end up spending 3 times, or 4 times as much as I thought I would to maintain and run it.

However much you are thinking it will actually cost, double it and you'll still be light

Jpzaluski

PROPERLY maintaining a boat is far more expensive than you may expect. I'm not talking oil changes and drive fluid checks. I'm talking recommended service intervals for valve springs, full drive rebuilds... etc. I suppose it's the preventative maintenance that is sometimes insane. Seems like there are two groups of thought on this. There are the hammerheads that go run the dog scrap out of their boat and won't turn a bolt until something breaks in half. The other group does every maintenance item by line when it's called for. I think that a large performance boat is much like staying on top of a house. You have to stay on top of maintenance and improvements or things can get away from you and deteriorate fast.

An old friend of mine that was in the rental property business would tell me that the best indicator of a tenant was the condition of the car they drove. He said 99 times out of a 100 if their perspective tenants car was dirty, full of trash with bald tires they were getting ready to trash your property and leave you with a few months rent. Those that cared for their vehicles, no matter what year or tier were the best tenants. I think this thought process can be useful when buying a private party boat. Look beyond the cosmetic condition of the boat... the owners lifestyle and other possessions could potentially shed a bit of light on how the boat may have been cared for.

Just my 2 cents... I'm sure some will disagree.

LAriverratt

+1...anybody interested in a 32' sunsation

CigDaze

(1)Don't buy a new boat. You may as well burn your money in the fireplace.

(2)Get the boat you really want. If you can't, then wait. I bought a 22' boat, which I ended up trading in on a 25' boat 8 months later, and then 3 years after that I got a 35' boat. You don't make money trading boats.

Dave M

If your goal is to go fast, buy a fast hull. Don't buy a slow hull and think you will make it faster with crazy power upgrades.

BillR

Best advice on here!
Buy what you want to end up with eventually. It will save you multiple thousands of dollars!!!

racer-x6

Walked away and saved the money.

twin screws

Very true, I made that mistake.

LAriverratt

that's no fun!!! but good advice

X-Rated30

Yup. And the gray hair. And the loss of hair.

Bright side is once you buy your first boat, you have had your worst boat. It is a learning process. I can't imagine having a better boat for what I want to do than the one I have now - fast, big enough for any water I care to run, yet small enough to trailer with a good truck.

Every step of boat ownership makes the next one easier. You'll get the first boat, trade to something with the amenities you want, then get the performance you want, then whatever you want after that, and so on.