Purchasing a boat doesn’t have to be expensive; it can actually be affordable for all walks of life. Before purchasing your vessel, you first need to figure out a few things that you want out of your boat. Figuring out what type of boat is only the tip of the iceberg. The number of first-time buyers has decreased almost 20 percent since 2005, according to Trade Only Today , and getting more people to purchase a boat is key to jump-starting the boating industry.