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Things Boat Owners Must Know

By Tim Tetaj, August 31, 2018

Trailering

You’re approaching the off-season, there’s only one way to get your boat from point A to point B and that’s by trailering it. Having your boat in your backyard, would most likely mean to use of a trailer also. If not then you’d be looking to trailer your boat to a storage facility for the winter. A trailer for a 22-foot sailboat can run $300 used on Craigslist to more than $2,000 for a new one. You’ll also need to register your trailer with your state DMV. An estimated cost for all of this prep would be around $1,000.

Winter Storage

Don’t live in a sunny paradise such as the Florida Keys? Or do you live in an arctic climate like Anchorage Alaska? This could be the difference between you leaving you boat in your yard and getting a winter storage unit. A budget for storing your boat or PWC should be in place for winter months. It can range anywhere from $100-$2,000 a month depending on the size of your boat.

Maintenance

Annual maintenance is roughly 10 percent of the cost of the boat, this is data compiled by over 10 different boat forum websites. That includes painting the hull every year, cleaning the deck, and replacing the sails every few years. So for a $20,000 boat, that 10 percent comes to $2,000 annually. Always have money put aside for maintenance.

Gas

How much you pay for gas may vary. There is no solid answer for fuel consumption costs. Unless of course you use a electric boat, or a very...classical sailboat.

Safety Items

You’ll want to purchase a life jackets for each member of your family and have a few extra on hand for visiting crew. At about $70 a pop, a set of five life jackets adds up to $350. A safety kit, including a horn, visual flares, fire extinguisher, and other items, will run you about $150.

Navigation Equipment

Some modern vessels come equip with on board GPS tech and radars. If you’re one of those people then you’ve got nothing extra to worry about. If your boat didn’t come with a GPS and you find yourself wanting to navigate the deep waters, you’re going to want to keep a GPS on board. A low-end marine GPS starts at $200. A fancy computer system can soar into the tens of thousands.

A Boat Cover

The only person who loses when passing over the best protection for their boat is you. Here at Seal Skin Covers we come from a family of boat owners who’ve come to love and treasure our boats. That’s why we don’t just use any old tarp or shrink wrap on our boats, we use high quality boat covers. The value that comes from our covers is unmatched. Don’t get fooled into buying a fully custom cover for thousands of dollars when our Seal-Fit boat covers are matched to your boat. Our boat covers are made from marine polyester and completely waterproof and breathable.

Seal Skin Covers has a guaranteed fit for your boat, we’re extending a 10% off discount towards your purchase. All you have to do is enter promo code “COVERME” and we’ll even include free shipping. We hope you choose the best option for your boat!