"Only rich people can own a boat." "You have to own a lake/beach house to have a boat." "You will never use your boat enough to make it worth owning a boat."

If you've talked to anyone about buying a boat, it's likely that you've heard these statements and more. In fact, these statements may be the very reasons why you haven't given boat ownership a second thought.

But, what if we told you that all of these statements were myths? Would that change your mind about purchasing a boat?

Let's dive into these statements and more so you can learn the truth behind the boating experience.

1. "Buying a Boat Is Too Expensive"

This is the most common myth of boat ownership, so we're going to address it first.

As we said, this is a myth. So, it's completely false.

Buying a boat and owning a boat are both investments. But, with some financial planning, you can afford the boat of your dreams.

Because of all of the different kinds of boats, there's bound to be one that you love and can afford. There is a boat for every budget and boating experience need.

You may not be able to afford a yacht right this second, but you could with some financial planning. Although, you may find that your family would be happier with a smaller, sportier model.

If you're trying to plan ahead to buy a boat, you should use a boat finance calculator. This can help you plan for monthly payments. 

However, you should also consider the true costs of boat ownership. You'll need to budget for things like boat fuel, boat insurance, and boat maintenance.

2. "You Won't Have Anywhere to Put Your Boat"

You don't have to live by the ocean to own a boat. You could live in a rural home in the middle of nowhere or a penthouse in the middle of the city.

Either way, you can own a boat.

All you need to worry about is finding a place to store your boat. But, you can do that at any marina or garage in the area.

It may take some time to find the perfect spot for you, but there's bound to be one that you love. As you're looking for a marina or garage, compare the prices, locations, and offers of different businesses.

You may be tempted to use the most popular marina in the area, but there may be a marina down or up the coast that could offer similar features for a cheaper price.

If you're unsure where to start looking, you should ask around. You may have a friend who owns a boat or know someone else who stores their boat at a local marina. If not, Google is a great starting place.

3. "Boats Have Too Many Hidden Costs"

Many people think that boats have too many costs, but it's not much different than owning a car. Just like with your car, you're going to have to worry about boat maintenance, boat fuel, and boat repairs.

But, there's nothing hidden about it.

When you're working with a boat loan lender, you're going to get clear terms and conditions for the loan. Just make sure to read anything that you're going to sign.

Other than that, you're going to have regular maintenance costs, repair costs, and fuel costs. But, these are similar to the costs that you have with your car.

To keep your boat running well, you need to invest in regular maintenance. If anything were to break, you'd need to get the necessary repairs for your boat to keep running. And, to keep it running on a daily basis, you need to fill up the tank.

The only difference is that these costs for a boat may be a bit more expensive for a boat. But, if you buy a new boat, the costs will be less than for an older, used boat.

4. "I'm Not the Boating Type"

You may not want to lay back and tan on a boat, but that's not the only thing to do. There are plenty of boating activities out there for you and your friends/family to do.

From fishing and eating to water sports and sightseeing, there's something for everyone to do.

Yes, this includes you.

Boating isn't for a certain kind of person. No matter whether you're a people person or a private person, you'd bound to enjoy boating.

Plus, boating is one of the best ways to relax and unwind. It triggers a Blue State of Mind which helps you reset with a calm, peaceful state of mind.

Don't let any preconceptions that you have about boating stop you from trying it out. You don't have to party on a yacht or ski behind a sporty model. You can make boating your own.

And, if you're not sure what kind of boat you need for these kinds of activities, check out the different kinds of boats.

5. "You Won't Use the Boat Enough to Make Buying Worth It"

People who don't live close to the water worry about using their boat often enough to make the purchase worth it. But, you have more options than you think.

Even if you aren't by the shore, you're most likely near another body of water like a lake or a pond.

No matter what kind of body of water you live near, you can take your boat out. You can go on on the weekends to relax or after work on the weekdays to unwind.

You can bring your family, invite friends, or relax on your own. The point is that you can do whatever you want with your boat whenever.

If you're afraid that you won't use it often enough, schedule out your vacations ahead of time. If anything, it'll force you to take a break every week. 

And, if you still find that you aren't taking enough time on the boat, you can make money renting it out when you aren't using it.

6. "Old Boats are Money Pits"

Some people who want to buy a boat may not have the money for a new model yet scared about the uncertainties of an old model.

With myths like "old boats are money pits," buyers don't have much confidence when they're looking for used boats to buy.

But, buying used boats is similar to buying used cars. You just have to make sure that the model that you're going to invest in is worth the buy.

One of the best ways to determine whether the boat is good enough for your money is by getting a boat inspection. An experienced boat inspector can help you find a model that will make your money worth the investment.

Without a thorough inspection, you may end up with a model that's run down and ready for thousands of dollars in repairs. 

As long as you take the necessary steps to find a used boat that's in a decent condition, you won't fall into a money pit or a money trap. It'll be just like owning any other boat as long as you take good care of it.

7. "The Best Two Days Are the Day You Buy Your Boat And the Day You Sell It"

This myth stems from poor experiences with the boating experience. People may not know what to do with their boat, who to invite out, or even how to take care of it.

So, some boat owners get frustrated when they feel like they've made a poor financial choice.

To prevent this feeling, you just need a little planning. 

First, you should make sure that you understand (and can afford) all of the costs that come with owning a boat. Then, you should budget for these costs ahead of time.

After that, you should make sure that you keep up with your boat's maintenance schedule. If you don't maintain your boat, you're going to end up with expensive consequences when your boat breaks down from a lack of up-keep.

To make boat ownership an exciting experience, you need ot make sure you're prepared. Without preparation, you may feel overwhelmed by the costs.

8. "You Have to Hire a Captain to Have Fun on Your Boat"

This couldn't be further from the truth.

While plenty of boaters choose to invest in a crew, you definitely don't have to. In fact, you can learn to drive a boat all on your own.

And, driving doesn't take away from the boating experience. If anything, it adds to it.

You and your friends and family can have fun playing captain and driving everyone around. Sometimes, driving the boat is most of the fun, especially if you're traveling alone.

If you'd rather not worry about driving, you may have a friend or two that have their boating licenses. In fact, you could rally a few friends to go to boating lessons with you.

Driving a boat isn't as difficult as you may think. And, it's a lot of fun, especially if you have friends to do it with.

If you don't have the money to hire a captain and crew, don't worry about it. There are plenty of ways that you can get around it.

9. "The Best Boat Is Your Friend's Boat"

We completely understand how this myth came about. If your close friend has a boat, you can use it without having to pay for it.

But, it's not as simple as it sounds.

Do you really want to depend on your friend's schedule for boating? Do you want to have to ask to take their boat out every weekend? Are you comfortable going boating with them every single time you go out?

Needless to say, you won't have control over the boat nor its schedule. So, you'd have to make your plans around your friend's schedule and you'd have to deal with whatever choices they made for their boat.

If you were to own the boat yourself, you'd be able to make all of these choices yourself. You could make it look however you want, and you'd be able to set your own boating schedule.

You could boat on your own or take other friends and family out. And, you don't have to worry about the other friends that your boating friend may invite.

All in all, owning your own boat is going to be better than using your friends. Although, we agree: going on a friend's boat is a fun time.

10. "Only Rich People Can Own Boats"

We're going to end off with another money myth: only rich people can own boats.

This is completely false.

We've already talked about how advantageous planning and budgeting can be. With a great plan, anyone can own any kind of boat. You don't have to make a million a year by any means.

In fact, you could be the average middle-class family and make enough to own your own boat.

You may not be able to buy a yacht outright today. But, with a boat loan, you could afford your dream boat with some financial planning.

So, if you're looking to buy a boat with your plain-jane salary, save ahead of time. Start setting aside some money now and get prepared to put down a generous payment in front of the loan. This will convince lenders that you're more than prepared to make the loan payments in full and on time.

Get Past These Myths and Start Owning a Boat

If you want to own a boat, go out there and get one. None of these myths should stop you from owning a boat, because that's all they are: myths.

None of these statements are true. So, you shouldn't let them keep you from enjoying the boating experience.

However, if you do want to test out boat ownership, you should consider joining a boating club like Freedom Boat Club. With this kind of membership, you can test out a bunch of different boats and see which ones you like before buying.

Plus, you may find out that a boating club is the perfect in-between choice for you.