Should you buy a boat?

By JOEL BRANDENBURG
www.anabananafishing.com
When you decide to buy a boat, there are a lot of factors to consider.
Some of the questions that you must ask yourself are:

• What price range?
• New or used?
• Fishing boat or family boat?
• How much will I use it?
• What size boat?
• 

  Captain Matt Morrison Manager Freedom Boat Club.

  What size motor?

• What size trailer?
• Is my truck big enough to pull it?
• What size fuel tank?
• Inshore, offshore or bay boat?
• What kind of electronics?
• What type of accessories?
• How much insurance?
• Who’s going to repair it?
• Where will I keep it?
• What kind of maintenance program?
• Warranty or no warranty?

And I can go on and on with boat buying questions.

Being a captain I get asked questions about boat buying almost every day. I tell every potential boat buyer to check out Freedom Boat Club at Little Harbor Resort and Marina. When you sign up with the club it takes all of the boat ownership worries away. 

You make a down payment and a payment monthly. As a member of Freedom Boat Club you have immediate access to over 275 new boats from 16 feet and 26 feet in length at 18 different locations along the coast, plus dozens of other locations throughout North America. You don’t have to worry about insurance, maintenance, cleaning, repairs, towing, storage, etc. You pick the boat you want for that day and take it.

Captain Rafa Russo Executive with Freedom Boat Club, Ruskin.

Freedom Boat Club replaces their boats every two years so you are always operating a new/newer boat for 25 percent less than the cost of owning one yourself. When members return from the water, they pay for the fuel they used, turn in the boat key and that’s it. Captain Rafa Russo and Captain Matt Morrison and their staff provide members unlimited training by Coast Guard licensed captains.

Michael Lesko, owner of United Yacht Sales.

One of the best parts of being a boat club member is, for example: Let’s say Monday you want to go offshore fishing for grouper, snapper, amberjack, tuna, etc. You reserve one of the deep sea V-bottom offshore boats. The next day you want to fish the flats for snook, redfish, trout and tarpon, so you reserve one of the flats boats. The next day you have family in town and they want a tour of the bay and want to view dolphin and manatees — so you reserve a pontoon boat. And the list goes on.

Members who want to charter one of the captains from Freedom Boat Club for sightseeing, touring or fishing, can do so at a discounted rate.

Contact one of the captains at Freedom Boat Club at Little Harbor Marina next to the high and dry storage at 611 Destiny Drive in Ruskin, if you’re interested in being a club member.

If you prefer to be a boat owner, I recommend Jimmy Beagle at Alafia Marine or Michael Lesko at United Yacht Sales. Both are good, honest, hard-working family men with dozens of quality boats for sale.

The fishing has been great this summer and I hope we can take you fishing. And don’t forget to sign up the young anglers in your life for Ana Banana Kids Fishing Camp this summer. 

Jimmy Beagle Owner of Alafia Marine, Gibsonton.

To fish with Ana Banana Fishing Company, or for information on the kids’ fishing camp, or for hunting information, call Captain Joel at 813-267-4401, or visit www.anabananafishing.com or www.anabananakidsfishingcamp.com, or find him in person at Village Marina at Little Harbor Resort, Ruskin. 

I also specialize in corporate team building, charity tournaments and group charters. I have a team of over 100 U.S. Coast Guard Certified captains ready to serve your group.