Posts Tagged ‘Buy Boat Online’

Buy a Boat, the Ultimate Holiday Gift

The holidays are coming. Wonder if those big red bows come in boat size? A boat is the ultimate holiday gift and surprisingly affordable when you buy your boat online at Boatline.com. Shopping for a boat, whether it’s a luxury yacht or tricked-out fishing boat, is easy too when you shop on Boatline.com. While your other half fights the crowds at the mall, you can putter around the Boatline website for happy hours checking out the features of various boats until you find the boat you’ve always dreamed of owning.

Who needs another tie or box of golf balls? Tell your honey you want the ultimate man cave! Where else but on a boat can you and your buds really get away from it all and leave your troubles behind for a few hours? And don’t be shy about buying a boat for yourself. A recent survey by the National Retail Federation found that 25% of Americans plan to buy gifts for themselves this holiday season. After all, it’s the only way to get when you really want.  

Granted, buying a boat will take a bigger bite out of your budget than a new power drill, but boat ownership has advantages for the whole family. Boating is a great way to pry the kids away from the X-box and create some family memories. It’s healthy outdoor fun that brings families together. And if your honey still needs convincing, mention how romantic it will be to cruise into the sunset while sipping champagne!

How to Choose the Right Engine for Your Boat

When you buy a boat, don’t let the need for speed cloud your judgment. A bigger engine doesn’t always make for a better boating experience. Why plunk down a wad of cash on an engine you don’t need and won’t use? Correctly sizing the engine to your boat’s size, weight and intended use will improve handling and fuel efficiency and save you chunk of money!

Bigger, more powerful boat engines require a stronger hull with more stringers and bulkheads to withstand the pounding the boat will take as it strikes the water at high speeds. Durable, high-tech materials like Kevlar and carbon fiber that are used to strengthen high-performance boats also drive up boat costs.

When choosing an engine for your boat, weight and speed are your primary considerations:

  • The weight of your boat is the most crucial consideration. You need an engine powerful enough to move the weight of your boat without strain. An undersized motor can put too much stress on the engine and damage it.
  • Speed is the second most important consideration. Because faster engines are generally heavier and more expensive, give careful consideration to how you plan to use your boat. If you just plan to putter from one fishing spot to the next, an engine capable of moderate speed will suit your needs. However, if you plan to engage in competitive bass fishing, you’ll want the fastest motor your boat can manage and your budget can afford.

Special Online Features Lure Boat Buyers

The boating season may be wrapping up in northern climes, but boating is a year-round sport in sunny southern waters. Sun lovers can find some great boat bargains at online classified ad sites like Boatline.com. Northerners who are preparing to upgrade their craft next spring or who would rather sell their boat than pay winter storage fees are already listing their boats for sale on Boatline.

Boatline’s generous free ad policy — on Boatline your classified boat ad runs free for the first 4 weeks — is attracting many private boat sellers and boat dealers willing to offer generous discounts to generate fast sales. For boat buyers, this means more boats to choose from and greater bargains. Smart boat shoppers use Boatline’s helpful search features to save and track their favorite online ads. Our handy Auto-Notify feature ensures that you’ll be notified the instant a new ad posts that meets their search criteria.

A national leader in online classified advertising, Boatline makes it easy to buy or sell your boat online. Both boat buyers and sellers will find plenty of helpful tips and valuable links on our website. Boatline’s listings cover the full range of recreational boats, including power boats. sailboats, fishing boats, personal watercraft, dinghies, pontoon boats, houseboats and much more. If it floats, you’ll probably find it for sale on Boatline.com!

Tax Info You Need to Know before Buying Boat

Fall classified boat ad listings are starting to pour in on Boatline.com, attracting boat buyers eager to spend next year on the water. Whether you’re buying your first boat or trading up to a bigger, more luxurious model, don’t forget about taxes and registration fees when calculating the total cost of your boat purchase. Sales taxes, use taxes, registration fees and tax credits for boats purchased in another state vary from state to state. Many states also require that boats be registered within a set number of days after the sale. Miss the deadline and you might have to pay an additional fee.

National boat owners’ association Boat U.S. has created a handy state-by-state guide to state boating tax and registration requirements. With a couple clicks of your mouse, you can quickly access boat tax and registration information for any state with helpful links to the proper websites. Individual state sites also provide the following useful information:

  • Rate of state sales and use taxes
  • Registration grace period
  • Whether you can claim a state income tax credit for tax paid to another state if you purchase an out-of-state boat
  • Whether a state decal is required
  • Whether boat titles are issued
  • Any special requirements unique to that particular state such as sales tax caps and county or municipal registration requirements

Tips for Buying a Boat Online

If you’re in the market for a boat, chances are you’ve already started looking online. According to J.D. Powers & Associates, 80% of buyers research vehicle information and pricing online before making a purchase. Thousands of motivated boat buyers visit Boatline.com every month. They come not only to research boats and compare prices but to buy.  On Boatline.com boat buyers know they’ll find thousands of well-organized classified boat ads gathered on one convenient site. Boatline provides buyers with a far a greater selection of boat types, makes and models at a much more attractive price spread than can be found at local marinas.

So how do you buy a boat online? Follow these boat buying tips:

  1. First, decide on the type of watercraft you want to buy: power boat, sailboat, fishing boat, pontoon boat, personal watercraft, etc. 
  2. Browse the new and used classified boat ad listings on Boatline. Make a list of the features you’re looking for.
  3. Use Boatline’s Advanced Search feature to narrow your search. Boatline allows you to search by make, model, price, year, length, location and more. You can save your search results and favorite ads for easy comparison. If you’re looking for a particular make or model, use Boatline’s handy Auto Notify. You’ll receive an email notification the minute a new ad posts that meets your specifications.
  4. Find helpful information on prices, insurance, financing, transport and more on Boatline’s Research page.
  5. Use the handy email form on the seller’s ad to contact the seller and start negotiations!

Mega-Yacht Has Boaters Drooling

Anchored off the coast of Sausalito, California is a $300 million mega-yacht that has been drawing salivating boaters and crowds of awe-struck gawkers. Owned by Russian billionaire Andrey Meinichenko, the 390-foot yacht, christened “A,” is impossibly sleek with a futuristic command tower rising mid-ship. One gawker, echoing the sentiments of the shoreline audience, described the boat to Silicon Valley’s MercuryNews.com as looking “like something out of a James Bond movie.”

Dripping in luxury, the yacht is 62 feet wide at the beam, sporting a 2,583-square foot master suite, 6 cabins, three swimming pools, hot tubs and spas. The ship carries a crew of 37 and staff of 5. Safety and confidentiality are assured with a fingerprint security system on all doors.  

The opulent white master suite is wrapped in bombproof glass. A king-sized bed sits on a rotating platform that allows uninterrupted views of the sunset from any angle. A 60-inch plasma TV retracts from the ceiling. White stingray hides cover the walls of one room. Chairs crafted from Kudo horns and alligator hides sit on the main deck.

The vessel is powered by twin 6,000 HP engines. Cruising speed is 19.5 knots, but the yacht can reach speeds of 24 knots and travel 6,500 nautical miles without making port. Click here to take a tour of the A.

Mega yachts of this class are out of the price range of all but a few people, but you’ll find plenty of affordable yachts and boats for sale on Boatline.com.

Planning to Live Aboard Your Boat? What You Need to Know

Life aboard a boat seems like an idyllic existence. Boat life conjures up visions of turquoise blue waters edged with warm sand beaches, palm trees swaying gently in the breeze while the water laps softly against the hull of your boat. It’s an appealing  fantasy and a retirement choice being embraced by a growing number of retirees. But fantasy is not reality. Before you decide to sell your house and move into a cabin cruiser, sailboat or yacht, rent the boat of your dreams for an extended vacation. A few weeks of onboard life should help you decide if living on a boat is the right choice for you.

Before buying a boat and moving in, consider the following:

Space. Boats are compact. You’ll have to sell or store most of your possessions. Can you live without your knickknacks and treasures? Can you downsize and make do with a limited wardrobe and basic kitchen set?

Compatibility. If you plan to live with a spouse or partner, can the two of you cope with the loss of privacy and personal space demanded by a boat’s close quarters?

Legal. If you plan to keep your boat primarily in one location while living aboard, as opposed to traveling, make sure you get the proper legal permission. Not all marinas allow live-aboards.

More tips on living aboard your boat next time

Pontoon Boats Offer Relaxing Family Fun

Pontoon boats are the perfect vacation antidote to the busy, over-scheduled, over-programmed activites that typify American family life. Board a pontoon boat for a cruise down a scenic local river or across a beautiful lake and you can feel the stress ooze away with each put-put-put of the motor. Pontoon boating has become a popular family activity on America’s recreational lakes and waterways.

Pontoon boating is ideal for family boating excursions. Pontoon boats offer plenty of space for family and friends, picnic coolers, water toys, even the family dog. Many families load up to spend a day on the water. Pontoon boats are a versatile launch point for a host of enjoyable family activities.

  •  Use your pontoon boat as a swim platform or give the kids a ride on a towed inflatable.
  • Bait some hooks and indulge in a few hours of leisurely fishing, beer and snacks at the ready.
  • Cruise across the lake to explore small islands or spend at day at a secluded beach.
  • Putter slowly near the shore and watch for wildlife and migrating birds.
  • Enjoy ringside seats to local boat races or fireworks.
  • Take a relaxing sunset cruise.

Pontoon boating lets you and your family power down and enjoy life in the slow lane for a change. Buying a pontoon boat is an investment in family fun and leisurely relaxation. You’ll find a wealth of wonderful pontoon boats to choose from on Boatline.com.

Buying Fishing Boat Is Investment in Family

There’s something about fishing that brings families together. Buying a fishing boat is an investment in family togetherness and may even net a few good meals as your skills grow! But it’s the chance to develop a special relationship with your child that has many child psychologists recommending fishing as a parent-child bonding activity. 

Life is hectic when you have kids. The family schedule is crowded with practices, lessons and sports games. Fishing is a way to slow things down and focus on building a deeper relationship with your child. Child psychologists say that close bonds forged when children are young help parents navigate the tough teen years more successfully.

The quiet, unhurried nature of fishing lets you to sit back and relax with your child. You can focus on your child without any distractions. For parents with multiple children, fishing provides an opportunity to focus on a single child during special one-on-one outings with dad or mom.

Child psychologists say that having an activity like fishing to focus on helps parents and children who may find it difficult to communicate bridge the silence gap. Boys, in particular, who are reticent about sharing their feelings often find it easier to discuss tough subjects when the focus is on fishing. Unrelated activities seem to deflect the emotional edge that can make such discussions uncomfortable, particularly for teens and their parents.

Buy a fishing boat and invest in your family’s future. Boatline offers many affordably priced fishing boats for sale online.

Power Boats Satisfy Need for Speed

Rooster tails filling the air with thick mist, sleek power boats roared down the Detroit River last weekend at the 101st American Power Boat Association Gold Cup. Skimming the water’s surface on delicate hydrofoils like water spiders flitting after prey, the brightly-painted power boats reached speeds pushing 158 mph in boating’s equivalent to Indy’s Formula One auto racing. 

After a memorable series of crowd-pleasing heats, Dave Villwock emerged victorious, capturing his eighth Gold Cup and 60th career win. Sunday’s win puts Villwock in the running to tie Bill Muncey’s record 62 wins and brings him closer to challenging Chip Hanauer’s record 11 Gold Cups.

Power boats are all about the need for speed. People who want to spend a quiet day on the water immersed in nature buy sail boats. Folks who like their boating adventures to have a purpose (or who need an excuse to relax in the sun undisturbed) buy fishing boats. But boaters who love the adrenaline rush of knifing through the waves and slamming into the swells buy power boats.

What power boat owner hasn’t imagined himself throttling past 100 to see just how fast he really can cross the lake? What power boat owner doesn’t love to spin the wheel and send a rooster tail shooting up into the sky? Power boats allow boat owners to live their James Bond dreams. Putter sedately out of the no wake zone and it’s time to shove the throttle and fly!