Buying Materials And Tools For Your Company

Make Sure You Consider These 3 Additional Costs When Purchasing A Custom Wood Boat

28 October 2016

Judith Anderson

When budgeting for a custom wood boat, there are many factors besides just the cost of the boat to consider. If you're looking at custom wood boats for sale, make sure you take the following three additional expenses into account before purchasing any particular boat -- or else you might not have enough funds left over to enjoy your new watercraft.

Navigational and Other Equipment Costs

Even if you're getting a custom wood boat because you like the antiquated look of handcrafted wooden boats, you don't want to rely on old-fashioned equipment when on the water. You'll need several pieces of equipment to help you navigate and stay safe while boating:

• a depth finder, to see how deep the water you're in is
• a radio, in case you need to call someone for help and don't have cell phone coverage
• a compass, to help you stay on course when navigating

Of course, you'll also need ropes, anchors, and life jackets if you don't already have them. You may also want to get specialized sailing or fishing equipment, depending on how you plan on using the boat.

Docking, Mooring or Launching Fees

The size of boat that you purchase will significantly affect how much it costs to store your boat when not using it. You may want to store your boat at a dock, at a mooring or on a trailer. Docking and mooring fees are often assessed based on how large your boat is. The more space it takes up at a marina, the more you'll have to pay to keep it there.

Trailering your boat is often the cheapest option, since you can keep the trailer on your own property. If you want to trailer your boat, though, you'll be limited to smaller models. A full-size yacht will be too big for towing down a public road.

Annual Maintenance Fees

Wooden boats require a lot more maintenance than fiberglass ones. To keep your custom wooden boat looking good and seaworthy, you'll need to do the following:

• paint the bottom of the boat
• wash and sand the bottom and sides of the boat
• sand and varnish the sides of the boat
• replace any rotting boards

If you don't want to or aren't able to do this work yourself, you'll have to pay someone to do it for you. Even if you plan on doing it yourself, you'll still have to pay for the paint, sandpaper, varnish, and boards -- and these expenses don't include maintaining the engine or sails, which must be done on all boats.

For more information and assistance with buying a wooden boat, contact businesses, like Beebe Boatworks.

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