All Hands ON DECK
Expert tips on buying a boat
Last year, most of the boat show organizers in Connecticut cancelled their events because of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, with only Steelpointe Yacht & Charter Show in Bridgeport going on as scheduled with an abundance of safety precautions in place.
This year marks the return of The WoodenBoat Show at Mystic Seaport—the 29th annual scheduled for August 2022; the Progressive Norwalk Boat Show will resume September 23-26 at Norwalk Cove Marina; Bridgeport Harbor Marina is the site of Steelpointe’s luxury event this June 17-20, and the Hartford Boat Show will recommence at Mohegan Sun next January. It’s a chance for veteran sailors and power boaters, as well as the newcomers to the sport, to shop in person rather than virtually.
In early May, the Connecticut Spring Boat Show in Essex opened what promises to be a busy season at the shows and
on the water as people, trapped in their homes for the last 14 months, clamor for fresh air, the feel of the sun on their face, and the wind in their hair.
The interest in boating intensified during the pandemic, according to marine experts, as people sought safe places to be and fun things to do outside. “It’s the best place to go. You’re out in the wind and the waves. It’s probably the safest place to be, outside, on the water,” said Christopher Tack, owner of Captain Tack’s Charter Long Island Sound Sail and Dine in Milford. His own personal boat is a sloop called Valiant Esprit, which has been in his family for 30 years.
“Boat sales are up. People want something to do,” said Grant Vogt, the new general manager of Port Milford Marina.
Those planning to purchase a boat this summer need to be patient. Just as cars are in short supply, so are boats. “Boats are off the shelf. There’s been an explosion of interest. People have discovered boating. Here was a way to safely gather in a socially acceptable format,” said George Hallenbeck, an education officer for the Stamford Sail and Power Squadron.
“People are definitely buying boats. Used boats are going hot and heavy. People want to get out on the water,” said Tack, who offers some useful tips to people waiting for a boat to become available for purchase. Do your homework, he advises. Before selecting a vessel, consider all the associated logistics and costs of boat ownership. Get a good survey of the boat you want because “there’s so much that can go wrong. And be ready to pay a lot of money,” he said, not just on the purchase but for the upkeep.
Hallenbeck said that includes insurance, dockage, general maintenance, and where you intend to use the boat, whether on Long Island Sound or on a lake. “A general rule of thumb for expensive boats is expect to pay 10 percent per year of what you paid for the boat in maintenance, docking, and hauling fees,” Tack said. As an example, he said, for a $100,000 boat, plan to budget about $10,000 each year for various expenses.
Attending the boat shows is a great way to familiarize yourself with brand name boats, from the modest to the magnificent. At last year’s Steelpointe Yacht & Charter Show more than $68 million in boats were on display “including exhilarating, ocean-ready Fountain, HCB, and Everglades center consoles, and yachts from Fairline, Sunseeker, Cruisers, Prestige, Gunboat, Christensen, Absolute, Zeelander, Beneteau, Feadship, and more, allowing visiting boaters to step aboard the boats they’re considering,” according to the Steelpointe Yacht & Charter Show website.
People are definitely buying boats... People want to get out on the water.
At this year’s show, running through June 20, one of the display boats will be the Summit 54 MotorYacht, a timeless design, and “our newest line of boat,” said Ford Bauer, of Kadey-Krogen Yachts, Inc. “We build live-aboard trawler-style yachts ranging from 44 to 58 feet,” Bauer said.
Vogt has another suggestion for people to fill the wait time to purchase a boat: “They should really take a boating course,” he said.
“A lot of people already bought boats but don’t know how to use them. People think they can slip into a boat, push the throttle, and go,” said Hallenbeck, who teaches the teachers who offer basic boating skills courses.
A list of boating courses offered by the Sail and Power Squadron, available by zip code, can be found at usps.org. Safe boating courses are also available through the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 24-03 in Milford (details available at a0142403.uscgaux.info/boatingclasses.html), and through the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. A copy of the Connecticut Boaters Guide is available at portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Boating/Connecticut-Boaters-Guide.
According to its website, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 24-03 offers free vessel inspections. Take advantage of the vessel safety check to make sure your boat meets federal and state requirements. This is an especially valuable service for those who are new to boating.