raised our kids.

On the boat front, if you or your spouse did not grow up in a boating family, I’d strongly recommend you go with others or rent before buying. Make sure it is something your family really enjoys doing and will do.

If you are not able to get the boat out at least once or twice a week during the boating season, it is not worth it.

We’ve had many friends go out with us and then decide (too quickly) that is something they want to do as a family — only to spend a couple hundred thousand on too nice a boat to watch it gather dust in the garage.

Also, unless you are absolutely locked in on surfing or wakeboarding, start with a used inboard/outboard and not a new performance v-drive. Fraction of the cost and you’ll quickly find out if boat ownership will be worth the investment for your family.