Navigate the hazards of boat ownership with absolute confidenceNext to your house, your boat may well be the biggest investment you ever make. Buying and owning a boat involves one baffling decision after another. Yet informed, impartial guidance is almost impossible to find - until now, that is.This essential manual provides a method to the madness of boat buying and ownership, plotting a straight course through an ocean of confusion while it answers such questions as: Why fractional ownership often makes sense; How to avoid buying a boat you'll never use; How to identify the Goldilocks boat - not too big, not too small; How to choose a powering option; How to negotiate the best deal on any boat-new or used; How to be your own surveyor, and why even a new boat may need a professional survey; Why you should finance your boat even if you have the cash, and where to find the best loans; How to calculate the total cost of ownership before you buy!