It’s Spring! Not only does that mean longer days and better weather, it means it was time to get the boat out of winter storage, and get it ready for open water. It’s an exciting time, re-rigging, getting the gear loaded in, and planning the first few destinations. For some folks though, they may be giving some thought to buying their boat for the first time, or perhaps an upgrade is on the horizon. These thoughts were on my mind when I visited my Princecraft Dealer to pick up my boat. Ryan Scharringa is the Owner / Operator of Trailerworld Industries in Brantford Ontario, and is the local Dealer for Princecraft Boats. It was Ryan and his team that sold me my first, and second new boat. In the video below, Ryan provides a few tips if you are thinking of purchasing a boat.
Having conducted my own boat search, I’ll add a few thoughts of my own as well.
Are you looking for a fishing boat? If so there are lots of ways a person can fish! Will you be trolling, down rigging, casting, jigging? Will you be on big water or closed lakes. Will the boat be docked for the year or will you be trailering it with you. These questions will help you understand your needs as far as size of the boat, horse power of the engine and overall layout. I like to troll, and so I’ve always preferred a tiller boat because of the added control it has as well as the open floor plan. Often these boats have smaller engine sizes when compared to a side console of comparable size though. The number of people you plan to fit in the boat at any given time is also a key consideration.
What is your budget? Like shopping in general, if you look at the most expensive item first, the lower cost products often don’t look at nice. Starting your search at $50000 boats when your budget it $15000 is simply not smart. Be clear on how much you can afford (either straight up or via payment), and be clear with the dealers as to what you budget is. Also clarify if your budget is including engine and trailer (normally sold as a package) and if you plan to add in things like fish finders and trolling motors. These add ons are not cheap, so avoid sticker shock or not having resources to complete the package. A quality dealer will not try to “up sell” you, but they will try hard to make sure you are not disappointed with your purchase!
Learn the differences between Brands. When I went shopping for my boat, I did a lot of research online before heading to the Toronto Boat Show. I had narrowed down my make model to a short list of about 4 brands and wanted to see them “in person”. The boat I had thought I was most likely to buy fell down the list once I realized it was being outfit with out of date electronics, and the dealer was just taking an order rather than learning my needs. This may not be a reflection of the overall brand, but at that show is was a deal killer for me. After talking to several dealers I kept coming back to Ryan with Princecraft. I was impressed with the fact that the boat was made in Canada, had superior fit and finish, but what really sold me was the care, knowledge and expertise he and his team brought to the table. I have to assume that Princecraft values that approach in their dealers.
There are so many great boats out there that it can be overwhelming. Doing some homework in advance, checking out the various shows and dealers will help narrow down your search. Seeing all of the features and asking yourself what you really want will help make the process easier, but will also help you end up with a great boat. Questions, feel free to reach out at scott@canadianfisherman.ca.
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