Guide
Costs new owners forget, and what to do before you sign
A checklist of the money a boat asks for beyond its price. No prices here: they vary by boat, water and year, so ask for quotes and put them in the planner.
At purchase
- Required safety equipment. Federal rules set what a recreational boat must carry, such as life jackets for everyone aboard, and, depending on the boat, fire extinguishers, visual distress signals and sound-producing devices. The U.S. Coast Guard's Boater's Guide to the Federal Requirements for Recreational Boats lists them by boat length and type. A used boat's gear may be missing or out of date: budget to replace it.
- Registration and title. Motorised boats must be registered with the state where they are mainly used, unless federally documented (same Boater's Guide). In Ohio a registration is valid for three years (Ohio Revised Code 1547.54). Other states differ: check your state's boating agency.
- Sales tax and dealer fees, a trailer if you will tow, electronics, covers, dock lines and fenders. Put them in "one-time extras".
- Boater education. In Ohio, anyone born on or after January 1, 1982 needs a boating education certificate to operate a powercraft over 10 horsepower (Ohio Revised Code 1547.05). Course costs vary; other states have their own rules.
Every year
- Insurance. Get a quote for the exact boat before you buy. Lenders and marinas may require cover; ask them what they need.
- Where it lives: slip or mooring for the season, winter storage, shrink wrap, haul-out and launch.
- Service: engine service, winterising and spring commissioning, bottom paint, batteries, the repair you did not plan for.
- Registration renewals and local fees, such as ramp passes.
Before you sign
- Get a pre-purchase marine survey from a surveyor who works for you, not the seller. The two major credentialing bodies are NAMS (CMS) and SAMS (AMS), and there are a handful of smaller surveyor organizations; NAMS and SAMS both also have apprentice members who are not yet certified, so ask. A lender financing a used boat may require a survey report, and your insurer may have its own rules about whose survey it accepts: ask both before you book one (Virginia DWR, Hiring a competent marine surveyor).
- Have the engine checked by a certified marine technician. The same article notes that a general survey usually stops short of a full engine inspection (such as oil analysis and compression checks), and surveyors often recommend a separate mechanic's check.
- Read the loan, storage and club contracts for fees, booking rules and how to leave. If anything is unclear, ask the lender, the marina or a lawyer: BoatProblem cannot tell you what a contract means.
- Run your numbers with real quotes in the Cost Planner, and compare renting, a club and sharing before you commit.
Checked against the linked sources on October 15, 2026. Rules change: the source is what counts.