Many Americans love the water, whether for swimming, fishing, or snorkeling, and many American citizens also own their own boat for cruising across lakes. And given how a majority of Americans live within an hour’s drive of a large body 0of water, it may come as no surprise that many households include a privately owned boat, such as speedboats of pontoon boats. Brands such as Barletta offer a number of models for customers to try out, and a customer can purchase either new or used pontoon boats for sale at retailers, which may or may not be located near water. Boats may also come packaged with a trailer that can be hitched to a pickup truck, so that these boats can e delivered across dry land to a body of water. A Barletta pontoon boat or another brand may offer premier pontoons for customers. How often do Americans own and use boats, and what makes a Barletta pontoon boat or another brand so appealing?
Americans and Boats
Americans have a relatively recent but strong tradition of using and owning boats in lakes, such as the Great Lakes. At pontoon dealers or boat sales, customers can find their new boat and choose one based on its performance, features, and what the owner intends to do while out on the water. They are often locally made; some 95% of recreational boats sold in the United States are American-made. As of 2016, for a fairly recent example, around 11.9 million registered boats could be found across the United States, and more and more younger buyers are taking an interest in them as well, meaning that 141.6 million Americans went boating in that year. Sales had grown in that time frame; sales climbed 3.5% from 2015 to 2016, meaning that the total sales from recreational marine products came out to a high of $36 billion in 2016. This sales growth may continue well into the future, and NMMA predicted that in 2018, boat sales might have climbed 5% or 6%.
What should someone expect from a Barletta pontoon boat or a pontoon from a similar brand? A Barletta pontoon boat will probably not be ideal for wakesurfing or wakeboarding or using jet skis, and boat stunts may be difficult on a pontoon boat, but brands like Barletta pontoon boats offer other features to customers. Pontoon boats are wide, and they offer plenty of floor room for couches, chairs, a railing, the pilot’s seat, and even small tables, meaning that a pontoon boat is often a great way to have a small party or a picnic out on the water, and it is also a convenient platform for fishing. There is enough room for a few anglers to stand or sit while fishing, and there is enough room for their live capture buckets and tackle boxes. Often, a Barletta pontoon boat or similar brand will have an awning that can be extended or retracted to block intense sunlight or sudden rain.
The Purchase
Someone looking for a pontoon boat may buy either a new or a used one. A new boat may cost the most, but it will have no maintenance issues and it will have modern standards of safety, power, and features, and it will have its warranty in place. Interested buyers may instead opt to buy a used boat, and if the buyer knows what they are doing, they can get a great deal. These boats may have a steeply discounted price, and if they are fairly recent models, they may still be close in performance and features to newer boats, although they may or may not have warranties for their various components in place. A used boat might also have maintenance issues, so an interested buyer should look it over in person and take it for a test drive. The engine should run smoothly and have no issues with power output, and it should not give off smoke, rattle, or make strange sounds. The hull may have cracks, leaks, or holes that may need fixing, and the carpeting might be worn out or dirty. If so, a buyer can have that carpet torn up and replaced with new carpeting. Boat carpet can be found at marine supply retailers.
