All Hands On Deck

BOATING IS A POPULAR PASTIME IN TEXAS

BY PETE ALFANO

According to Statistica.com, as of 2022, more than 567,000 recreational boats were registered in Texas. That is an armada exceeded by only six states, with Florida leading the way with more than one million registered recreational boats.

Boats come in all shapes and sizes, anda new boat can cost, on average, between $60,000 and $65,000. You can spend much less, of course, and if you are dripping in some of that Texas oil,you can purchase a yacht for well overa million dollars. So, the first order of business is determining your budget, the size of the boat you want, its purpose, and whether you are in the market for a new or used craft.

Perhaps your primary reason for boating is that you enjoy fishing. Maybe you want a boat for relaxing family daytime outings, such as a deck boat or Catamaran. For the more adventurous, you may want a sailboat that requires substantially more effort and skill. Or you might want a cabin cruiser with one or two rooms below deck for sleeping on overnight trips. And we haven’t forgotten all you maritime Dale Earnhardt's who want a sleek, high-performance craft, popularly known as a speed boat.

Just like a car, other factors when budgeting for watercraft include maintenance, storage, and, yes, insurance. Unless you have a smaller boat and do your own maintenance, which still isn’t free, the cost of upkeep can be in the several thousands. Storage may be as simple as towing a boat and keeping it in your garage. You may pay for an indoor or outdoor self-storage facility. You may choose wet storage, which is keeping the boat in the water at a marina, or dry-stack storage, where boats are kept on shelves levels above the ground. Dry-stack storage can generally accommodate boats between 35 and 40 feet long.

Unlike owning a car or house, Texas law does not require a boat owner to have insurance. Nonetheless, insurance is not an option unless you have money to burn. A boat owner can purchase insurance that covers the physical part of the boat, for instance, the engine, transmission, cooling system, and electrical components. This type of insurance runs from about $750 for full boat coverage to more than $1,000 and higher for a boat with a cabin.

You will also want to protect yourself with comprehensive coverage for damage, either from an accident or natural causes such as storms or fires. This will include liability coverage to provide medical coverage for an accident, which, on average, costs up to $1,000 a year. Again, a lot depends on the size and type of boat.

Finally, watercraft must be registeredin Texas and renewed every two years. Anyone born after Sept. 1, 1993, mustpass a safety course and acquire a boater education card or license. Also, to avoid fines, all boats from inflatable dinghiesto million-dollar yachts must have life jackets for anyone aboard. For motorized boats, a fire extinguisher and bell or horn is required too.

It may be a costly hobby, but recreational boating can be a relaxing way to spend time with friends and family.