10 Ways BoatU.S. Can Help You Buy A Boat
For The Savvy Boat Buyer

With over 650,000 members, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatU.S.) knows how to help boaters find and purchase the right boat. Here are 10 (many free) ways BoatU.S. can help you find your dreamboat:

1. Read Up: Being a smart consumer will save you money, so make sure you review the BoatU.S. Guide to Buying and Selling a Boat at http://www.BoatUS.com/guide. This comprehensive online guide explains the buying process from soup to nuts.

2. Once you have your eye on a particular boat and before you start negotiating, get a "Value Check" from the BoatU.S. Value Check service at http://www.BoatUS.com/valuecheck. Unlike "Blue Books," we'll share with you the actual recent prices BoatU.S. members paid for the same model.

3. Sign Up: For the bimonthly online BoatU.S. Classified Ads eNewsletter at http://www.BoatUS.com/ClassifiedsNewsletter. Take your pick of powerboat, sailboat, fishing boat and trailer boat classifieds.

4. If the used boat you have your eyes on could "talk" to you, what would it say? Find out by calling the BoatU.S. Consumer Protection Database at 703-461-2856. It's the only source of consumer complaints and safety information reported by boat owners, the U.S. Coast Guard, manufacturers, marine surveyors and marine technicians.

5. Get a professional look-over from a marine surveyor who can point out a boat's hidden flaws or other items that may help you negotiate a better price. You'll find a roster of surveyors at http://www.BoatUS.com/surveyors.

6. Get free advice: Post your boat purchase question on the message boards at http://www.BoatUS.com/forum where fellow boaters can share their own knowledge or experience with a particular boat. You can also post a question at the new Boat Group forums at http://www.BoatUS.com/boatgroups.

7. Need financing? Get a boat loan commitment, or U.S. Coast Guard documentation (sometimes needed for larger vessels) at http://www.BoatUS.com/boatloan. If you're not using a boat broker, BoatU.S. also offers a Settlement Service to help make the purchase process more secure at http://www.BoatUS.com/settlement.

8. If you plan on insuring your boat you can learn about the five basic boat insurance policy types and get a free online quote at http://www.BoatUS.com/insurance.

9. Learn about boating safety or the rules of the road at the BoatU.S. Foundation's NASBLA-approved Online Boating Safety course at http://www.BoatUS.org/onlinecourse or, review specific topics in the "Boater's Toolbox" at http://www.BoatUS.com/toolbox.

10. Looking for a boat name? There are over 8,000 to choose from, as well as a way to custom design and preview a proposed name — without having to pay upfront — at http://www.BoatUS.com/boatnames.