Next to your house, your boat may well be the biggest investment you ever make. Buying and owning a boat involves one baffling decision after another. Yet informed, impartial guidance is almost impossible to find-until now, that is.

Bob Armstrong is a respected boating author and journalist, a U.S. Coast Guard-licensed Master, and a boat captain since 1962. He has written hundreds of boat reviews for magazines, has worked as a surveyor, agent, and expert witness, and has bought and sold more boats than he can recall.

Preface	p. IX
Do you Really Need to Buy a Boat?
Do I Need to Read This Chapter?	p. 1
Owning a Boat Can Be a Bittersweet Pleasure	p. 1
Viable Alternatives to Ownership	p. 5
It's a Wrap	p. 16
Choosing the Right Boat
Do I Need to Read This Chapter?	p. 17
The Wrong Boat Can Never Be Right	p. 17
Things to Consider Before You Buy	p. 18
List Your Priorities	p. 42
Make the Sea Trial Count	p. 43
It's a Wrap	p. 44
New or Used?
Do I Need to Read This Chapter?	p. 45
Which Is a Better Buy?	p. 45
Let the BUC Stop Here	p. 50
Dealer or Private Sale?	p. 51
Repossessions	p. 53
"Ugly Ducklings"	p. 53
It's a Wrap	p. 56
Package Deals
Do I Need to Read This Chapter?	p. 57
What Does the Deal Include?	p. 57
Final Thoughts	p. 67
It's a Wrap	p. 68
Financing
Do I Need to Read This Chapter?	p. 69
Who Needs Financing?	p. 69
Boat Loan Basics	p. 71
Money Sources	p. 79
Registration: More than Fifty Ways to Pay the Piper	p. 81
It's a Wrap	p. 85
Where Will you Keep It?
Do I Need to Read This Chapter?	p. 86
Where Will Your Boat Sit When It Isn't in Use?	p. 86
It's a Wrap	p. 95
The Joys of Trailering
Do I Need to Read This Chapter?	p. 96
Why a Trailer?	p. 96
What, Exactly, Is a Trailerable Boat?	p. 96
The Realities of Trailering	p. 99
You'll Need Some Education, Too	p. 105
It's a Wrap	p. 105
Choosing the Right Dealer
Do I Need to Read This Chapter?	p. 106
What Makes a Dealer "Right"?	p. 106
It's a Wrap	p. 110
Be your Own Surveyor
Do I Need to Read This Chapter?	p. 111
Narrowing Your Choices	p. 111
Reading the Telltale Signs	p. 111
Assessing Value	p. 124
Checking Out New Boats	p. 129
The Sea Trial	p. 133
It's a Wrap	p. 138
But you'll Need a Professional Survey, too
Do I Need to Read This Chapter?	p. 139
Why Have a Survey?	p. 139
Types of Surveys	p. 140
How to Find a Surveyor	p. 147
Specialty Surveys	p. 148
It's a Wrap	p. 149
Insurance: Another Way Boats are Different
Do I Need to Read This Chapter?	p. 150
They Have You Covered	p. 150
The Devil Is in the Details	p. 152
Policy Limits	p. 152
Filing a Claim	p. 158
Keeping Premiums Low	p. 159
It's a Wrap	p. 161
Maintenance
Do I Need to Read This Chapter?	p. 162
Maintenance Options	p. 162
It's a Wrap	p. 168
Warranties
Do I Need to Read This Chapter?	p. 169
All Warranties Are Limited	p. 169
What Isn't Covered	p. 172
It's a Wrap	p. 174
Education
Do I Need to Read This Chapter?	p. 175
What Kind of Education?	p. 175
Course Options	p. 177
It's a Wrap	p. 182
When It's Time to Sell
Do I Need to Read This Chapter?	p. 183
Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow	p. 183
It's a Wrap	p. 189
Gallery of Powerboats
Bowriders	p. 191
Center Consoles	p. 192
Convertibles/Sedans/Sportfishermen	p. 193
Cuddy Cabins	p. 194
Deck Boats	p. 196
Express Cruisers	p. 197
Houseboats	p. 199
Motoryachts	p. 200
Performance Boats	p. 201
RIBs	p. 202
Runabouts	p. 203
Ski Boats	p. 204
Trawler Yachts	p. 205
Wakeboard Boats	p. 206
Walkarounds	p. 207
Resources	p. 208
Index	p. 215
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

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