Sea Grant Specialist talks about tips for buying a boat as part of Your News Now's "Discover Better Boating" Series

With the stretch of warm, sunny weather we've been having, many people are enjoying some time out on the water. But if you don't have a boat yet, it is not too late to buy one. We have some tips to help you pick the right boat in this month's edition of Discover Better Boating.

Syracuse, NY, July 21, 2012 - "Welcome aboard Discover Better Boating. I'm Dave White and thanks for coming aboard! As we continue through summer it is a great time to think about buying a boat. Joining me today at Morgan Marina here on Keuka Lake is Jeff Kennedy."

"Jeff, what is the first thing we need to think about when buying a boat," asked White.

"The first thing you should think about is 'How am I going to use the boat?,'" said Kennedy. "Are you going to use it for fishing, skiing, maybe just general pleasure with the family. So, you really need to determine the specific use  and then try to fit the boat to that use."

"Should I consider buying a new or used boat?," asked White.

"With used, obviously there is going to be a savings in cost," said Kennedy. "You can find some boats that are certified pre-owned, which will give you a little bit of a warranty. One of the main advantages of going new is a longer warranty. There is a lot of new inventory that still remains in dealer's stock today and they may want to be moving that, so it may be a great time to buy new."

"What about the cost of buying a boat?," asked White.

"We have great bank rates. Terms are perfect. And you really should visit your local marine dealer and he can put a great package together for you," says Kennedy.  

"Thanks Jeff, that was great advice," said White. "Be sure to join us next month for Discover Better Boating, when we talk to a launch steward about invasive species and how you can make sure you are keeping them off your boat, keep your boat protected."

"Keep yourself protected and wear a life jacket," added White.

New York Sea Grant and the Boating Industries Association are partners in the Discover Better Boating series, from which segments will run on YNN stations every third Saturday through October. The YNN channel, based in Syracuse, telecasts two separate program feeds, one to Central/Northern New York; one to the Southern Tier. YNN is available to nearly 600,000 cable subscribers across a 25-county, 15,000 square mile area.

For more on better boating, check out the "news" section of NYSG's related Web site, www.nyseagrant.org/marina.