Like any other vehicle, when you buy your boat you’re going to have to register it in your name. Every state will have different registration requirements, with Washington State’s requirements being 60 days of moving to the state with the vessel or 15 days of buying the vessel if bought in another state and you live in Washington State. You can find more information on registering your boat in Washington State here. If you’re not in Washington State, you can head over to Discover Boating and find your state to get more information.

Like registration, a requirement in most states, your boat will have to be insured. Costs here will vary depending on your insurance provider and your boat’s status, type and options. There are many providers online to figure out what coverage works best for your boat, but you may end up with a discount if you’re bundling it with your current vehicle. You can find more on boat insurance details here!

If you’ve purchased a new boat, it’s likely to have come with a trailer. If it didn’t and you intend on moving the boat from point A to point B out of the water, you’re likely going to need one. The cost of a trailer does vary depending on features and size, but one constant is that in Washington state, the trailer, like the vehicle, needs to be titled and registered to the owner with attached license plates. Check your state’s DOL (Department of Licensing)  to see if you need to register your trailer after your purchase. Figure in the yearly licensing fee as an added recurring cost to boat ownership.

Largely depending on the length of your boat, the cost of storage and moorage can vary wildly. Outdoor storage areas, while less secure, will be cheaper than indoor storage if you can’t keep your boat at home, under cover or in a garage. Indoor dry storage allows for a safe, secure storage environment out of the elements. Marina moorage for larger vessels is another way to go. Under cover wet storage and enclosed boat houses can keep your vessel ready to go and out of the elements. Shore power can ensure the batteries stay charged and the heat is running so your boat doesn’t succumb to the moisture from the marina. Google will be your friend in locating storage options for your boat. Contact your nearest marina for moorage information and your nearest storage facility to see if they allow for vehicle storage and how much they cost.

Depending on what kind of boater you are will determine the accessories you need to accommodate your vessel. That being said, you will need to invest in a few key pieces of safety gear to make your boat legal to operate and take out.

• Type IV throwable flotation devices: Think of the ring floating devices you see in movies. Those or the square kind. These devices are designed to be grasped and not worn.
• PFD’s (Lifejackets): Life jackets are required for every single person aboard any floating vessel. If the person joining you doesn’t have one, then it’s your responsibility to make sure that they’re provided for as not doing so can lead to injury or even death in an emergency situation.
• Visual signaling devices: These can be in the form of smoke and flares. Boats under 16ft have to have the minimum of night signals while boats over 16ft have to have both day and night visual devices.
• Audible signaling devices: In the form of handheld boat horns. While most boats will have mounted horns of some sort, in the case of the battery going dead or the on board horn going out, it’s good to have a back up to signal out in low visibility.
• Fire extinguisher : You’re on water? There’s no chance of a fire, right? Wrong. Where there is fuel, there can be fire. Having a fire extinguisher on board in case of a fire can prevent even more serious situations such as the boat sinking or the fire spreading and  hurting the people on board.

While these are the Coast Guardrequired options, there are other safety equipment that you may need depending on the type of boat you have and what you’re doing with it. Discover Boating recommends the following 12 options.

Depending on the type of boating you do and where you do it, some of these may be required or only recommended items. Either way, you can pack most of these aboard even the smallest of boats:

1. Medical kit for cuts, scrapes, seasickness or small emergencies;
2. Anchor with line to hold your boat in place while you wait for help to arrive;
3. Bailing device or bucket to dewater and stay afloat;
4. Oars or paddles if the engine quits;
5. Cell phone to call for help;
6. VHF radio to call for help;
7. Knife to cut a line around a fouled propeller;
8. Snorkel mask to inspect what’s going on under the boat;
9. Heavy duty flashlight;
10. Skier or diver down flag;
11. Working running lights if your boat is equipped with them;
12. A way to get weather updates because things can change quickly, even on a lake.

This sounds like a lot! But the safety of your crew and boat is paramount to the small amount of money this investment is.

Arguably the most daunting of any boat ownership is the maintenance. While keeping your boat clean and lubricated where applicable, is a great way to start preventative care. In places like Washington State where boating is a seasonal activity, the cost of winterization presents itself. Luckily, our professionals at Union Marine can winterize your boat and minimize cost and effort. Generally speaking, yearly maintenance for your boat should be about 10% of what your vessel costs. If you’re buying new, then it will likely be much less than that! Just keep in mind that your boat’s engine will likely be the #1 component that needs the most care.Learn to flush your engine yourself after trips into saltwater. Next comes the boat’s hull, both bottom and top, then electrical, moving parts and upholstery. With larger boats and boats with heating/cooling systems, you’ll have to take into account plumbing and HVAC as well. Since each boat operates differently, the maintenance will be different as well. Refer to your manufacturer’s instructions to see exactly what needs to be done and when.