A pontoon boat for fishing can be a relaxing and fun experience. With a pontoon boat you can be free from worrying about the sturdiness of your vessel and the likeliness of it tipping over when you have a larger catch. With all the options available on a pontoon boat it is often more comfortable as well to fish on a pontoon boat.
However, when it comes to buying a used pontoon for sale you should use great care. There are many benefits to buying a used pontoon for sale rather than a new one. The biggest benefit is that you will save a lot of money by buying a used pontoon for sale. Also a used pontoon for sale will have more room for negotiating than a new one. To get the most from your buying experience consider the following tips.
If you are buying your used pontoon through a dealer then it is important to research and make sure they are a member of all the relevant state and national boating industries. This means you will be getting professional advice that comes from the backing of an industry code of practice.
Be sure the pontoon boat is on a trailer or some form of platform so that you can walk around the boat and inspect the pontoons to make sure they are in sound condition. Ask the owner how many hours they have placed on the engine. It is a good idea to get copies of all receipts from the owner for work they did on the boat including engine repairs, steering maintenance and pontoon repairs. It is advisable that you take the pontoon boat for a water trial in order to assess how well it does in the water.
Conducting a marine survey is the best way to find problems with a used pontoon for sale as well as helping you to determine the true condition of the boat and to ensure that everything works properly. If you want to get finance for a vessel then an insurance company will often require a marine survey. The marine survey is the responsibility of the buyer and they will often have to pay for the survey as well as to have the boat lifted out of the water. Any problems that may be uncovered during the survey can allow you to negotiate more on the final price. The used pontoon for sale should be surveyed both in and out of the water and the survey should be done by an independent marine surveyor.
It may be a good idea to consider purchasing pontoon boat insurance. While this can be large expense you can reduce it by choosing a high deductible, making sure you have all the necessary safety equipment and that you have a clean insurance record. Even when the boat is not in the water it is a good idea to get the insurance started right away. You may even be able to add a small pontoon boat onto your house insurance policy so you should talk with your insurer first.