There are a variety of things to consider when purchasing your bay boat, but we want to make it as easy as possible at Fat Cat Boats! With years of fishing experience, we know what you will need in a boat for a successful fishing trip. Our fabrication team focuses on a lightweight design with abundant durability, so you will never have to worry about giving up one or the other. Our variety of models will all offer something unique as well as many optional upgrades, and any motor you choose will allow you to get where you need to go. Use our tips on buying a bay boat to learn about what you should look for in your new boat! Whether you’re staying close to the shore or heading further out in the bay, we will have a boat that you’ll love. Learn more about how to buy a bay boat and contact us about our boat sales in Corpus Christi, Texas!
One of the most important aspects of picking a bay boat is the LOA, or length overall, which will help dictate where you can dock, cost of a marina spot, as well as how deep you can go into the water. If you are just focusing on fishing closer to the shore, you will be able to focus on a shorter LOA and add on more luxury items to your boat. However, if you want to go further out where the water could be harsher, you may want to focus on a longer LOA. A long LOA will add stability and provide an overall smoother experience. There’s much more to consider when buying a boat, though.
The cockpit size of a bay boat is important as well, and what you want will depend more on your lifestyle. If you bring kids or other guests onto your boat often, you may want a larger cockpit. This provides additional seating, storage, and an overall comfortable experience for you and your guests. On the contrary, if you want more room for a casting deck, there will be plenty of opportunity to do so if you lower your cockpit space. For example, our bay boats have abundant storage space surrounding the cockpit, from ice chest storage to regular dry storage. Certain boats will provide more seats for guests, but all will have plenty of room for drinks, snacks, bait, and your catch.
Weight is also incredibly important when picking out your bay boat, and you’ll want to focus on your needs when looking at this factor. Weight can directly affect the boat’s speed, so if you want to be able to increase speed easily, you may want a lower weight. When looking at this factor online or in person, you will likely see it stated as “dry weight”, which usually means it is the weight that comes from the factory. This will not include additional features, so be wary when adding other items to your boat! Weight can also directly affect fuel consumption, so fuel capacity will be important for heavier boats.
Although you can always head to shore and refuel your boat, you will want as few of these trips as possible. To avoid this, you’ll want to pay close attention to fuel capacity and fuel consumption. For heavier and longer boats, you will want a higher fuel capacity, but it will matter less the smaller the boat is. At Fat Cat Boats, our fuel capacity ranges from 40 gallons to 146 gallons, so you can easily find a bay boat that suits your needs with one of our models.
One of the final, yet crucial, steps to buying a new bay boat is to read reviews! Since everything is online, it’s easier than ever to find out what you need to know before any big purchase, and the same will go for your bay boat. See what others have to say about the company, boat model, and more before making your decision. When you do this, you can rest assured that you have made the right decision regarding what bay boat to purchase.
Using these tips, you will easily be able to prioritize what you need in your new bay boat. Contact us at Fat Cat Boats today and see why we have the best boat sales Corpus Christi has to offer!