Saturday, March 27, 2010

How to Financing A Fishing Boat

Whatever you do, make sure you've carefully thought out what your expenses are going to be. You don't want to spend all of your money on just the boat itself. When you purchase the boat, you'll need to have enough money for taxes, registration, storage, towing insurance, gas, equipment, and even minor repairs if your boat requires them.

When buying a fishing boat, used or new, cash is always better than financing. And you can save money with cash, as there are no finance charges. Financing charges can get high, very high in fact if you don't know a lot about it.

Have you decided to buy a fishing boat? Have you decided on how you are going to pay for it. This type of purchase will involve some type of financing, whether it's a credit line through the home, an unsecured loan, or a boat line. Choosing the right financing source can be just as important as choosing the right boat.

When choosing a source of financing or payments over time, there are several things to consider. The first thing is how long you plan to keep the boat. If you are buying your first boat, it will make more sense to get a loan that will have an early payoff option via private party or even a trade in.

If you are purchasing your dream boat, you should think about financing for a long term. A fixed rate loan with terms that have for a low monthly payment will be easier on your monthly budget.

Another important factor is the down payment. Lenders or dealers like to see at least ten percent down. Zero down payments do exist for those with good enough credit but the interest rate is often a huge penalty. Normally, the down payment doesn't significantly change the monthly payment for your boat loan but makes a big difference over time.

Choosing the right type of boat loan is also important and part of the entire buying process. Start with a boat finance brokerage. Finance brokers can show you how each of the available loan programs fit into your budget.

Following these few simple steps will give the knowledge and ability you need to negociate the loan that best fits you and your budget. Then you can concentrate on the important things like taking your new boat out for a spin.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Shallow Water Fishing - Best In Florida Bay

Ever been to the Florida Bay? If you want the best of shallow water fishing, you can't afford to miss this natural fisherman's paradise. Most of Florida Bay is considered part of the Everglades National Park. As such, it combines fresh water from the Everglades with the salty brine from the Gulf of Mexico, working together to provide some of the best fishing around!

First of all, to do it right, a guide is a must. A Florida flats fishing guide is invaluable to find shallow water fish. This guide, or Sultan of Snapper, will take clients out to hard to access areas, usually in a specially designed skiff, which can be anywhere from 15 to 20 feet long. Shallow water boats such as these may seem outsize, but due to their shallow draft, they navigate elegantly in "skinny waters."

A great guide will not only be able to tell clients what to fish for, based on area, season, and weather, he can actually assess their strengths and weaknesses. Based on these variables, he can best advise for the shallow water fishing trip of their dreams.

When specifying back country, the anglers will either find themselves in the Everglades National Park or the shallow estuary of Florida Bay, most likely. Or they may take their shallow water boats into Biscayne Bay, or explore the wrecks of Marcos Island.

Shallow water anchors are definitely something else you have to consider. Why? Because you have to decide between manual or power anchorage. You go manual, then you're looking at a three-quarter inch rod of solid fiberglass, which functions as an anchor AND as a push pole. Brackets built right into shallow water boats hold the push pole in place.

Florida Bay offers the experience of taking fishing boats through miles of interlocking 'basins,' most of which are barely three feet deep. While the fun of floating along and taking in sights such as hawks, herons and egrets is undeniable, at some point all you want is to sink that shallow water anchor and get down to business!

But what about the whole point of shallow water fishing? The fish! The beauty of shallow water fishing is that you can float in literally inches of water, and position yourself above creatures that would be inaccessible from deeper-draft style craft. Not to mention the stability that a good, 15 foot boat can give you. No worrying about keeping your balance, you can focus on the sport itself.

At the end of a very satisfying day, the shallow water fishing trip which takes in the Florida back country, will leave an angler with a lifetime of memories.

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