Before you make that purchase of a boat,check out Boatmo.com‘s following along these simple tips will ensure you and your passengers get the most of your time out on the water.

1. Don’t ever pay full retail price for the boat. There are plenty of places online where you can get manufacturer coupons and promotional codes that will drop the price of a new boat significantly. Boattrader go here!

2. Consider the benefits of buying a used boat. Someone eager to get out of the deal soon after buying a boat may toss in all the extras they bought to improve their time on the water. Make a deal for the entire package and you could save a small fortune.

3. Call the local marina and find out all the costs involved with keeping you boat docked their for the year. Compare the price of the slip fees to that of buying a new trailer to tow your boat. Towing isn’t as convenient as hoping in the boat that is already in the water, but it will certainly cost you less money over the long haul.

4. Always invest your time in a boat safety class even before your boat hits the water. Your job as captain of the boat is taking care of every passenger on board. This is more involved than simply buying and slapping on life vests on all your guests. Things can go very bad very quickly on the water, so the better prepared you are the better chance everyone is fine until help arrives.

5. Be certain all your papers are in order before going out on the water. This means your license, insurance, and any permits needed to fish in your area. Registration stickers much be clearly visible on your boat, and marine authorities will take you in and tow your boat if they find your papers are not in order.

6. Consider where you are going to store the boat when the cold season arrives. Unless you live in a region that is warm all year long, the boat will have to be dry docked and winterized too. The marina has staff on hand that will do this for a fee, just be sure of that cost and see if it’s included in the marina fees or additional costs.

Now your checklist is complete, stick to this basic list and you will make the most of your boating experience. Never buy a boat on impulse, always think things out long in advance so you don’t have buyers remorse next year.