How long did you shop for your boat?

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steve1313
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How long did you shop for your boat?

#1 Post by steve1313 » Tue Jul 24, 2018 3:16 am

A friend of mine just got his new to him boat after shopping around for almost a year. When I decided I wanted a new Pontoon, I started looking on a Tuesday and signed the paperwork the next Monday (six days). My Sea Ray before that was about three weeks from the start of the search until I signed the papers.

I can't imagine spending much more time than that shopping for anything. Heck, on July 1st, I decided I wanted to buy a new house. Signed the contract on July 14th! Of course, I do have one advantage because I'm not married, so I don't have anyone else involved in decisions of major purchases! Maybe I'm just a bit impulsive! :biggrin2 :biggrin2

So how long did you spend shopping for your boat???
Steve
"Serendipity" - 2017 Sweetwater 2286 WB Tritoon w/ 150HP Yamaha
Slipped at Lake Anna, Virginia
Primary Residence: Richmond, Virgina
Lake House: Lake Anna, Virginia

riplipper
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Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2018 8:00 am
Location: St Augustine, Florida

Re: How long did you shop for your boat?

#2 Post by riplipper » Tue Jul 24, 2018 4:10 am

Once I decided on a pontoon boat I did research for about a month and then took about a week to go to various dealers, look at brands and negotiate.
Signed my paperwork this past Saturday. Not the cheapest but had almost exactly what I wanted.
I am the guy at the boat ramp that gives you dirty looks when you are a complete idiot and too stupid to know it.

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bansil
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Location: Watâ'gi lake...Beautiful Waters

Re: How long did you shop for your boat?

#3 Post by bansil » Tue Jul 24, 2018 8:32 am

about 2-1/2 years
Check out "Dudes" site www.whereisdude.com

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ROLAND
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Re: How long did you shop for your boat?

#4 Post by ROLAND » Wed Jul 25, 2018 1:38 am

all together I probably boat shopped for about a month. But I started out with the plan to buy a bass boat.. after a couple of week ends looking at bass rigs, I was "nudged" to look at pontoons set up for fishing.. If I remember correctly it was about 2 weeks after I started looking at pontoons before I pulled the trigger..
Roland & Jo
2010 Bennington 20 Sfi
Yamaha 75 4 Stroke
Shreveport, Louisiana

Aluminum Maiden
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Joined: Sat Nov 22, 2014 3:39 am

Re: How long did you shop for your boat?

#5 Post by Aluminum Maiden » Wed Jul 25, 2018 6:03 am

Same here, planned on a bass boat but realized a pontoon was a better idea. It was the summer of 2015 and I saw a lot of pontoons in miserable shape for the $8500 that I had to spend. Saw mine on craigslist in excellent shape and less than 100 hours, checked NADA value 16000$ at the time :thumbsup and made the call. The boat was sold, I put a bit of a personal touch by telling him of my lousy search, the fact that I just got married and live on the river. Next day, done deal.
I went drifting through capitols of tin
where men can't walk or freely talk
and sons turn their fathers in.

2008 Palm Beach Castmaster 200 Yamaha T60 18 mph upriver 22 mph downriver
2019 F150 EcoBeast 3.5 Supercrew 4x4 Max tow, Truetrac . Mods' a plenty

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Marc K
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Location: Eustace, TX

Re: How long did you shop for your boat?

#6 Post by Marc K » Wed Jul 25, 2018 6:35 am

Mine was already on a sling in the boathouse of a home the we bought in January.

Our new home was previously used as a "weekender" for two family's. When they sold it to us, they wanted to just leave behind everything on the property including the pontoon boat with trailer. tube and different sized water skis, peddle boat, six rod/reels,riding mower and other yard equipment.

I did not want to hurt their feelings by declining the offer.......... :biggrin2

Now I have to force myself to wait until after work to take the boat out. My wife and I have a small wholesale business, so some days the office is only 25' x 8' :lol3
Big and ugly but we love our 1999/2000 Crest II DL with a Yamaha F115

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bansil
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Location: Watâ'gi lake...Beautiful Waters

Re: How long did you shop for your boat?

#7 Post by bansil » Thu Jul 26, 2018 3:17 pm

:happy

Thats the job i need :thumbsup
Check out "Dudes" site www.whereisdude.com

playcraftray
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Joined: Thu May 31, 2018 7:16 am

Re: How long did you shop for your boat?

#8 Post by playcraftray » Fri Jul 27, 2018 9:06 pm

16 hours.....it is our 7th boat and we knew exactly what we wanted. Going from a 25 ft Cobalt to a pontoon.....gotta make some changes as you get a little older and love the Playcraft step built into the pontoon.

broken paddle
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Re: How long did you shop for your boat?

#9 Post by broken paddle » Wed Aug 01, 2018 8:37 pm

How long did I shop for my Toon ? think it was about an hour. I was walking around inside bass pro shops being overwhelmed by how ridiculous that store is and found myself in the boat department. the rest is History.
2018 sun tracker party barge 22 XP3
2018 Mercury 150 ELPT fourstroke
2018 tandem axle trailer with brakes
only option, is a billet ski pylon

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guy48065
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Location: Atlanta, MI

Re: How long did you shop for your boat?

#10 Post by guy48065 » Thu Aug 02, 2018 8:48 am

We probably all know a guy with infinite patience who will wait forever for the perfect deal. Or the guy who walks around with a fat roll of cash in his pocket so he can pounce on a deal when he finds it (usually when NOT looking).
For the rest of us--if we're honest--there really isn't enough difference between a "great" deal and a "so-so" deal to be worth all the effort & frustration.
Mark
1996 Sweetwater 180EX + Johnson 40
Rush Lake, Atlanta, MI

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zoom650
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Location: Macon, Panama City Beach

Re: How long did you shop for your boat?

#11 Post by zoom650 » Fri Aug 03, 2018 5:19 pm

I sold my center console in the summer of 2013 and was jonesing for a new boat immediately. I started looking and waited until the boat show in Atlanta so I'd have a better idea of the big bucks I was about to spend. Ordered the boat in late February. Got it just before Memorial Day in 2014.
Michael and Laura
'12 Ford F150 Lariat SuperCrew Ecoboost
'14 Harris Solstice 220, P3 tritoon, Mercury Verado 150, Enertia 14p.
prior boat: '02 Century 2600CC, twin Yamaha EFI 200's, full instruments.

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Rick McC.
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Re: How long did you shop for your boat?

#12 Post by Rick McC. » Fri Aug 03, 2018 8:23 pm

One day.
Rick

Sights are for the unenlightened.

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