Taking the Plunge, Buying the Right Boat

Buying a boat is not an easy task, especially considering the complexity of the Lake of the Ozarks. Some days the Lake is a mirror of Heaven; other days it is a boater’s Hell. Picking the right boat for the right reasons is vitally important. Safety is paramount here, but having fun is a close second.

Boats typically fall into five categories: Fishing boats, power boats, sailboats, personal watercraft and self-powered boats. Keep in mind as to whether you will moor the boat or trailer to your destination.

Consider these questions:
What is important? Fishing, cruising, skiing and tubing?
How often will you use the boat? The answer might mean the difference between owning a boat and trailer, or docking your boat full-time on a lift.
How much will it cost? A general guideline for boat cost is to take the boat’s monthly payment and double it for estimating your total monthly outlay.
Where will you use the boat? Fit your boat to the type of waterway you frequent. The Lake of the Ozarks requires a different type of boat than Truman or Table Rock lakes.

If you’re in the market for a boat, there are several options. You can reference LO PROFILE advertisers or you can shop the many marinas at the Lake. These offer new and used boats for sale either from a dealer or manufacturer. Check the Internet as well.

Boats of the same size, make and year can vary in cost by 100 percent. There is not always a good reason for this. A newer small boat costs as much as a 10-year-old bigger boat. Some boats are not ‘seriously for sale.’ The boats may be advertised, but owners hope for a higher price so they can upgrade to a larger boat.

The two most widely-used sayings about boats are that they are “holes in the water, into which you throw money” and “the happiest day of a boat owner’s life is the day they buy the boat and the day they sell it” Although many people believe these axioms are true, they don’t necessarily have to be if you approach boat ownership with an understanding of what is involved.

However, the best option is probably working directly with a salesman who can guide you through the process and who can match your needs, wants and budget to just the right boat. After all, buying a boat from a reputable dealer will leave the door open to further purchases.

“When people come in, we’re not just selling a boat, we’re selling a lifestyle,” explained Mark Niedergerke, Glencove Marine’s Hwy. 54 Showroom sales manager. “We work with customers to determine what boat, or what course of action to take to suit their needs.”

The Lake of the Ozarks can have its challenges, and most boat salesmen are aware of that. While they are interested in making a sale, they also want return and referral business. If a salesman fails to understand a buyer’s criteria, it could result in a dissatisfied client or, worse yet, lead to personal injury or boat damage.

“It could be a nightmare if we sold a boat that doesn’t meet the needs of a customer,” Chad Crouch of MarineMax explained. “That would not serve the customer’s best interests nor ours. A lot of people misunderstand their needs, and that’s why it’s important for us to go through the interview process. We want them to experience every possible condition that the Lake offers before they make a decision.”

Among the first questions asked by Mark Bowman, salesman for Kelly’s Port, is if the customer has ever boated and, if so, if he or she has boated on this Lake. The number of passengers and the type (open bow vs. cuddy) also is important in leading the customer to the proper boat.

“One thing I’ve learned is that if you do a good job and take care of the customer, they’ll come back to you,” Bowman said. “If they have a problem, the first thing they’re going to do is call the salesman. That’s why we want the customer to make the right decision.”

Glencove, MarineMax and Kelly’s Port are among others that use an interview process.

“We identify their needs first,” Niedergerke explained. “Some salesmen are more eager to make a sale than match a customer to a boat. We don’t want to make it a difficult process.”

Niedergerke, Bowman and Crouch say that customer satisfaction is a driving force in their respective company’s mission. JD Power and Associates offers a variety of ratings that can help guide the customer.
Crouch, Bowman and Niedergerke agree that the ‘sale’ is only part of the process.

“It’s all about building relationships,” Crouch said. “You have to understand that people don’t ‘need’ a boat. It’s a discretionary item. That’s why we want to make sure the buying process is fun for the whole family.”
Service is key. With so many dealers offering so many high-quality boats, it’s the little things that can make the difference. Randy Kelly, Kelly’s Port owner, tries to give every buyer his business card with his home and cell phone numbers. “If there’s a problem, he tells the customer to call him,” Bowman pointed out.

Follow-up is key as well, says Mark Niedergerke of Glencove Marine. “The sale is just the beginning,” Niedergerke explained. “We have follow-up procedures second to none. We don’t just flip our customers to a delivery captain after the sale. Upon a boat delivery, our sales staff will spend as much time as needed with customers making sure they understand and are fully capable to drive, dock and use all the systems on the boat safely and comfortably.”

And what about pricing?

Your boat’s price tag and the interest on your boat loan, if you have one, are foreseeable, obvious costs of ownership. It’s the not-so-obvious costs, however, that can take the wind out of your sails if you have not budgeted for them. These include one-time fees like sales tax, or recurring ones like storage, personal property taxes, slip rental maintenance and insurance.

BoatUs.com says to keep in mind that the yearly cost of operating, maintaining and repairing or replacing equipment averages could cost as much as 10 percent of your boat’s value. Age, use (racing, rather than daytrips, for example), hull material, and quality of construction all affect annual expenses.

Most boat dealers offer financing through their parent companies, or can offer an array of local lenders. Shop the boat shows this winter in Kansas City and St. Louis where hundreds of boats will be on display. Several local marinas will have their wares on display. Boat shows are a good place to kick some tires in anticipation of the coming spring season.

New vs. used

According to www.BoatSafe.com, a brand new boat can be beautiful to look at, but you should be aware that it can also have its own problems. Sure it’s under warranty and you don’t personally have to spend time on maintenance and repairs. However, you can’t use the boat when it is in the shop.

Used boats don’t come without problems either and to find that perfect one can be a time consuming headache. If you are spending a considerable amount of money on a boat you might want to consider having it surveyed by a qualified marine surveyor.

Ask at a local marina for a recommendation and make sure that they are a member of either, or both, of the marine surveyor associations. You can call the National Association of Marine Surveyors NAMS or the Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors SAMS and they can recommend a surveyor in your area.

Boat Shows of Interest
Kansas City Sport Show Jan. 7-11
Lake of the Ozarks Marine Dealers Association in Overland Park Jan. 22-25
St. Louis Boat and Sport Show Feb. 11-15
Lake Ozark (LOMDA) In-Water Boat Show April 17-19

Tags: Glencove Marine, Kelly's Port, MarineMax, Powerboat

Category: Economic Business