Humanity has always had a close relationship with water, and for many millennia boats have been used for commerce, exploration, and war. Today, many Americans choose to buy and use boats for recreation, and many different models are out there, both new and used boats, and pontoon boats are one strong option, alongside speedboats for sports. Fishing, parties, water sports, and organized events are all possible with boats, and poker run boats may be among the faster boats used so that pilots can keep up with the competition, but poker run boats may be a bit slower in some cases. Boats for sale can be found not only in bodies of water but also large retailers on land, where boats purchased can be driven off with a trailer. What should a person look for in new or used boats for sale? And what does it mean to tide in poker run boats?
Ways to Use a Boat
Boats bring people to the water, often lakes or along ocean coasts, and out there, enthusiasts can do all sorts of things. Pontoon boats offer a lot of room in exchange for a slower speed, making them a poor choice for intense races but great for more leisurely activities such as fishing. Fishing is huge, whether done on the shore or from a boat; as of 2017, for a recent example, an impressive number of Americans, nearly 51.59 million people, went fishing, and it ranked as the second most popular outdoor activity in 2016. Pontoon boats are a great choice for leisure like fishing or a party, since they are wide, long, and have room for couches, tables, and railings to keep people safe. A pontoon boat can park in the middle of a lake for a picnic or other party, and it’s easy to go fishing on one, and there’s enough room for a tackle box, a live capture bucket, and more.
Faster boats are used for racing, the thrill of speed, or for sports such as wakesurfing and wakeboarding, which both involve a wakesurfer or a wakeboarder riding right behind the boat in its wake (hence the name). Faster boats are streamlines for speed, unlike pontoon boats, and have powerful engines and may have stylish paint jobs as well.
Poker run boats may often be the faster variety, but higher-end pontoon boats might be useful as poker run boats as well. For those unaware, “poker run” is a type of charity event where racers travel in a pack to pre-set checkpoints, and each racer collects one playing card at each, and attempts to assemble a good poker hand by the time they reach the finish line (there will often be a time limit). The winner is the racer with the best hand, and he or she may win a small prize, too. These events charge entry fees that go towards the chosen charity primarily, but the fees may also help fund the event itself. Poker run boats may vary based on the boats that racers own or rent right before the event.
Buy a Boat
Many boating enthusiasts across the United States will simply rent boats or be passengers on a friend or family member’s boat, while those who can afford it will enter the boat market and find a good deal there. The main options, as with cars, is to buy either new or used. A new boat will probably cost the most, but it will have modern standards of power, speed, features, and more, and it will have its warranty in place and should lack any maintenance issues. Those on more of a budget can instead look for used boats, and a used boat in good condition can be a great deal. The buyer of a used boat should look it over in person and take it for a test drive to make sure that everything is in working order, since a lot may go wrong. The hull may have cracks or holes, or the carpet may be worn out or the engine may be faulty. But if everything is in good shape, or price-friendly to repair, a used boat can be a great deal for someone looking to get out on the water.