WHATEVER FLOATS YOUR BOAT: You don’t need something the size of a yacht to have fun on the water

For every behemoth of a yacht, there are a million 18- to 22-foot affordably priced boats out there that you can have just as much fun in for a hundredth of the price.

Boats are a complete luxury item, and in this economy that rings even more true. But people have always enjoyed getting out on the water on their own watercraft – but the price has to be right.

Some popular models are pontoon boats, runabouts and the ever-popular center-console boat. All of them are versatile, and in the 18-to 22-foot range can be affordably priced without all the bells and whistles.

According to Doug Parkerson, sales manager at Gulf Coast Boating Center, pontoon boats are one of the area’s most popular choices in affordable boating.

“They’re trying to find the boat they can do everything in,” he said. “That’s the reason pontoon boats are versatile and that’s why we’re always sold out of them. And you can get them for $20,000 or under.”

The runabout, which is a smaller ski boat, is a popular choice for the same reasons. But while a pontoon boat can hold 12-14 people, depending on the size, the runabout can hold about half that number and is a bit better equipped for activities beyond lounging. A 19-foot Sting Ray 185 runabout can be purchased for $19,000, and it includes the boat motor and trailer.

The center console boat is also a popular choice – with good reason. It can be used for anything one could think to do on the sea: fishing, towing, cruising, diving, etc. Depending on how they’re equipped, they can be very affordable and can transform from a hardcore fishing vessel to a sunset cruiser by throwing down a few seat cushions.

Kevin McDaniel, owner of an 18-foot Wellcraft center console, uses his boat primarily for fishing and chose it for its fuel efficiency and easy handling.

“There’s plenty of places to sit; there’s just fiberglass everywhere,” McDaniel said. “I could throw a bow cushion down up front and go for a little cruise too. But I like to just be able to come home from fishing and just hose everything down.”

Getting a boat for the right price is the first step, but McDaniel insists that maintaining your boat is the name of the game. His Wellcraft is actually a 1988 model that he bought used 11 years ago.

“Oh yeah, people let the little things go until there’s a bunch of little things and that’s where it gets expensive,” he said. “You need to take care of them as they come or it can get to be too much.”

Newer boats certainly have their advantages, though.

“The boats now are made a little lighter,” Parkerson said. “The performance is computer designed so you get better speed and fuel economy.”

Gas tanks range in size from 18-50 gallons, depending on the boat, and with fuel prices at around $4.50, things can get out of control quickly, especially for people like McDaniel, who gets out three days a week on average.

“(People) want to have fun,” Parkerson said. “They’re kind of letting loose now. For a while boating was in a downhill dive and now it’s on its way back again.”