Here in the United States, boating for recreational purposes is very much on the rise. As a matter of fact, recently gathered data has shown us that more than 85 million people – around 87 million people, to be just a little bit more exact – now participate in some form of recreational boating on a regular basis. In many ways, this is due to the fact that boating, particularly recreational boating, has become more accessible now than truly ever before in the United States.
For many people, boating has become more affordable than ever, something that makes it a possibility in the first place. Whereas once boating for recreational purposes was likely though of primarily as an activity for the very well off, this is certainly not the case anymore. While wealthy people and those who are financially above the average certainly do still enjoy boating recreationally, they are far from the only ones, as more than 70% of all boaters here in the United States alone make less than (or certainly no more than) $100,000 for the entire household over the course of the year, making recreational boating a firmly middle class activity in the vast majority of this country.
In addition to this, boating recreationally has simply become hugely accessible from a physical standpoint as well, especially now since just about every household owns at least one car, if not more than one. After all, up to 95% of the total population of the United States actually live within no more than an hour’s drive of at least one navigable body of water. For some lucky people, more than just one navigable body of water will be highly accessible.
But before you can take up recreational boating, you’ll need to first buy a boat. Ideally, you’ll go through a reputable boat dealer to find your boat, something that shouldn’t be all that difficult, as there is typically at least one boat dealer around who you can contact. Once you have found a boat dealer you find that you work well with and a boat dealership that you like as well (as boat dealer and boat dealership, of course, very much go hand in hand), you can begin to discuss what you are looking for in a boat. At this point, you’ll want to ask your boat dealer any questions you might have, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant you’re afraid that they are. After all, the boat dealer in question will know very well that buying a boat is a very big decision, and one that requires a good deal of time and careful thought alike.
For instance, those who fish might be interested in the purchase of a fishing boat, of which the boat dealer in question is likely to be able to produce a number of. But while fishing boats are ideal for regular fishermen and fisherpeople, using a fishing boat for any other purpose is unlikely to be particularly comfortable or even enjoyable. Therefore, pontoon boats for sale are likely to draw in a considerable amount of people. And as any boat dealer can tell you, pontoon boats for sale are ideal for a number of reasons.
For one thing, pontoon boats for sale are quite small. As up to 95% of all boat owners here in the United States own a boat that is no greater than 26 total feet in length, it’s clear that smaller boats are very popular, much for the fact that they can easily be trailered and transported – and much more easily stored than larger boats as well, something that is a necessary consideration in so many parts of the country where the winters are long, snowy, and icy. For this purpose, pontoons are perfect.
And used pontoon boats for sale are a possibility as well, as a boat dealer can show you, and can be a great way to save a good chunk of change at the end of the day. After all, even many used pontoon boats are still very high in quality and will last a new owner many years.
