You know damn well that no matter what you plan to do with your boat, you NEED at least a few boating accessories, and no matter how cheapo you are, you cannot help but buy certain accessories, either because they are vital for your life on the sea or essential to the durability of your boat. I have already discussed twelve such important accessories in this article. So what is the purpose of this article?
A lot of people buy a boat without a good idea of what accessories they would need; however, merely knowing the names of some boating accessories is not just enough! You also need to know about the best places to buy boating equipments from, where to get quality products at good bargains, etc. Well that s exactly what this article is all about!
a) Your Local Boating Store is Just not Enough: Yes, it is true! There are a lot of places you can buy your boat equipments from, other than your local brick-and-mortar retail store. For example, a lot of boating magazines often advertise special deals and deep discounts on boating equipments available at certain stores for a certain amount of time; you would want to take advantage of these deals.
Alternatively, in order to get even better deals, you can check out the internet! Generally speaking, you are not going to get your equipments any cheaper than the online price! Of course, this ‘cheap’ factor comes with a catch – more often than not, you have to pay extra for shipping (and this factor is often not advertised by the seller, due to obvious reasons).
b) Should You Shop Online: For example, if you are looking for Pontoon boating accessories, or just about kind of boat accessories for that matter, you would often find them online at Amazon and EBay. Certainly, these two are not the only online shopping centers, but they are pretty much trusted by most people. There are several joys of buying online, such as –
– You can look up the reputation of a seller through a Google search or via the BBB (Better Business Bureau). If the seller seems to have a questionable reputation, you can choose not to do business with him; it is as simple as that!
– You can compare the prices of the same equipment at different online stores easily, without leaving the comfort of your home! This enables you to get the best bargain possible. You would not want to spend much time on this though (of course, there are plenty of product comparison sites online that would make your job easier).
That said, once in a while, you would come across a specialty equipment manufacturer/trusted brand who may not compromise on the price, but depending on the situation, sometimes it may be a good idea to invest a bit extra to get good quality equipment. As you might know, more often than not, the quality of your boating equipments often determines the lifespan of your boat!
When shopping online, you would want to look for three things carefully: the reputation of the seller, the shipping and return polices, as well as the warranty!
c) Factory-certified dealers: Sometimes you may not have the slightest idea of what boating equipment you really need (but I would throw in a little hint below for you), or what is the right price of such equipments (a price that is neither too cheap nor too exorbitant). Bottom line, if you are new to boating accessory shopping, you may want to turn to factory-certified dealers for help. These dealers not only sell quality equipments, they also sell them at a fair (often cheaper than a regular retailer) price; plus you also get a decent warranty on your purchase!
As a matter of fact, when you are out to buy boat equipments, you would find several accessories belonging to different categories, such as:
a) Equipments that help ensure the safety of you and your boat: Such as engine, special electronic accessories without which your navigation would be difficult one – perhaps even impossible, life jackets, first-aid kit, anchors, buoys, paddles, lights, your boat registration certificate, etc. In addition, if you want to do something special with your boat, such as using it for fishing, then you would also need fishing rods, fishing rod holders, fishing reels, fishing lures, etc. Likewise, if you want to do some water sports or skiing, you need to take the accessories required for that special purpose.
b) Maintenance accessories: Such as wrenches, screwdrivers, etc. By keeping these equipments handy, you can repair small any wear and tear of your boat in an emergency situation (when you may not have an expert around for help)!
c) Equipments that make your journey enjoyable, pleasurable, remarkable and memorable!
d) Equipments that help increase the resale value of your boat (helpful if you plan to sell your boat later on)
As a rule, if you are on a right budget, you would want to focus on the first two categories above; you can always buy the other equipments later on if you want to!
To learn about other important boat accessories and equipments, as well as purchasing guidelines, please visit, [adrotate banner=”7″]