Yacht Guide



             


Friday, January 18, 2008

Choose the best boat or yacht at our online auction

The best way to enjoy a water escapade is to buy your own boat. Boat or yacht auctions is just the kind of place for you to pick up a boat or yacht of your choice at down to earth prices! A whole range of boat parts, hardware, accessories, electronics and instruments are also on offer on boat parts auctions!

But buying a boat or yacht at online auction also requires some careful planning so as to ensure that you get the best deal available. Here we provide you some useful tips that may help you in choosing the best boat or yacht at our online auction!

Tips for buying boats at boat auctions

Online boat auctions offer a wide range of boats, yachts and watercrafts and so some experienced opinion would help you make the right choice. If you're a first time buyer, we suggest you engage a professional boat surveyor to help you - not only to assess the boat you're interested in, but also to decide what sort of boat is most appropriate for your needs.
For instance, do you need the boat primarily for your own use, i.e. fishing boat or cruising, or will do you plan to take your family members out in it too? Then make sure you dont end up with a boat too small for your familys needs or one too big for just one person! Be sure to think about what is really important to you and those around you.
Most used boats for sale online need some work done on them and it is better you do some research beforehand, study some boats preferably in the company of someone experienced, to assess what work is required and how much it would cost additionally. You will be amazed to find how this would help you avoid putting money in boats with problems you cant fix.

Examine carefully the equipment and safety items in the boat whether they are in good condition or would it cost a fortune to have them replaced? Sometimes, you may also find a boat has a lot (and we mean a lot) of equipment that doesn't get factored into the sale price. If the equipment's sound, these boats can make great buys.
Online boat auctions offer a wide choice of models. Opt for a popular model, which makes it easier for you to find replacement parts or even resell the boat at a later date. Do a market study on the prices of different models so that you pick the best deal. Boat or yacht auctions try and set a fair market value for goods.
A larger boat will require higher costs to operate, maintain and store it. A general guideline for boat cost is to take the boats monthly payment and double it for estimating your total monthly outlay. A boater is likely to spend that amount due to added cost for gas, insurance, maintenance and mooring or storing the boat. Fortunately, Galleys (cooking, head and sleeping quarters) do qualify in most states for a write off as a second home. Check with your accountant before you buy a boat to see what the tax implications are.

Tips for successful boat auction sales
For conducting successful boat auction sales, we are providing some useful selling tips too!
Boats typically fall into five categories: Fishing Boats, Power Boats, Sailboats, Personal Watercraft and Self powered boats.
Make sure to put up some good photos of your boat in your listing in our online boat auctions. Photos should be exterior side view, rear shot, helm and interior. Buyers wont bid for plain text description of your boat.
Add value to your used boat by mentioning that you are including a radar, fish finder, downriggers etc. These often spur buyers to opt for a used boat rather than a new one.
Put a clean boat for sale and not a filthy one. Its much easier to find buyers for a clean boat.
If your boat has had repairs, list them. It is normal for most used boats to have undergone repairs. Ignoring these will only create suspicion amongst your potential buyers.
Price your boat right! Do a survey on the internet for similar boats to ensure that you dont price yours too high. Moreover, it will help you find out what advantage you have over the others either in price or features.
If your boat is over 5 years old, it is advantageous for you to get a survey done on it before you list it. A survey will help you identify the weak points. This is especially true for Yacht and High Performance boats.
If you are on the hunt to buy your dream boat, yacht or watercraft or any other hardware, parts or accessories, visit Auctions4Wheels.com for some truly affordable online boat auctions. Registration is FREE with this auction site. You can choose to place a bid and if successful you will receive a confirmation message. If your bid fails to outbid the current high bidder you will be offered the option to place a higher bid.

Ben Stewart


Motorcycle Leather: A Purchasing Guide for Leather Motorcycle Apparel Michael TalbertSince the dawn of the age of motorcycling, it was apparent that something was needed to protect the exposed human body from the elements. The natural solution was leather. The leather motorcycle jacket, a style made popular by such movie icons as James Dean and the Fonz, not only serves as a fashion statement, but is an essential piece of equipment to any serious biker for keeping warm, dry, and in one piece. A good riding grade leather jacket combined with motorcycle chaps or leather pants, will act as a second skin between you and the road, and can quite literally save your hide. With all this in mind, lets explore the things to consider when purchasing motorcycle leathers.

The most common material for motorcycle leather is cowhide, chosen for its strength and durability. Buffalo hide, another high quality leather, is made not from the U.S. buffalo, but the water buffalo most commonly found in India and Pakistan. Many leather products come from this part of the world, and the Pakistanis are world renown for their expertise in the manufacturing of leather garments. Whichever type of hide you choose, you must understand the tanning process, and how it adds or detracts from the quality of the leather.

Leather was of course once the skin of an animal, and therefore must go through a tanning process to strengthen it, and to keep it from decomposing. Tanning makes the skin stable and rot proof without sacrificing its structure and strength. The tanning process involves several stages, including the removal of the hair and the outer layer of skin, as well as the fatty part of the flesh. The hide is then stabilized by one of several methods using animal oils, alum, chrome salts or vegetable tanning. How it is actually finished determines the quality, or riding grade, for our purposes.

Types of Leather
To fully understand the types of leather available, one must first know the term grain. The grain is simply the epidermis, or outer layer of the animals skin. While imperfections such as cuts, scars, and scratches will exist, the grain in its natural state has the best fiber strength, and therefore the best durability. The grain also has natural breathability, resulting in greater comfort to the wearer.

Finished Split Leather
The middle or lower section of a hide that has been split into two or more thicknesses. A polymer coating is applied and embossed to mimic grain leather. Finished splits should only be used in low stress applications because they basically have no grain. If the polymer coating is left out it is often used to make suede. Not considered to be riding grade, but can look good nevertheless.

Top Grain
Top grain leather has been sanded to remove scars and imperfections, then sprayed or pasted for a uniform look. The smooth side is where the hair and the natural grain used to be. Top grain is not the same quality as full grain or naked leather, but thicknesses of 1.2-3mm make this type of leather a very strong and durable riding grade material.

Full-Grain and Naked Leather
Full-Grain leather is made from the finest hides, and has not been sanded to remove imperfections. Only the hair has been removed. In the case of Naked Leather, where nothing other than the dye is added; this very soft leather requires no breaking in period. Hides are typically 2mm thick, and must be hand picked for uniformity. The natural full-grain naked leather will wear better than other leather, and will actually improve over the years. This type of leather is the ultimate riding grade; the most sought after, and consequently, the most expensive.

Now that we know what type of leather we want, we must understand the fact that leather is hot, and understand the options that we have for the climate we live in. For winter biking, a jacket with side laces and a belt will allow you to adjust the jacket to fit snugly against the upper body. Of course, being able to fully zip up only adds to your protection from the wind. You can also wear a leather vest underneath your motorcycle jacket for extra warmth. For hot summer days, a leather jacket with air vents allows the air to circulate underneath the jacket and around your body. For an all year round jacket, consider one with a zip or snap out insulated lining.

Leather is not meant to get wet, as that tends to deplete the natural oils, and it is advisable to wear a rain suit over your leathers in inclement weather. However if they do get wet, allow them to dry naturally away from extreme heat. If the leather seems to be losing its luster, it can be oiled to improve its appearance. This supplements the natural oils in the leather itself, which can be washed out through repeated exposure to water. Frequent oiling of leather with mink oil or other commercially available products will keep your leathers supple and improve their lifespan dramatically.


Now that you have found the perfect biker jacket, take care of it, and it will reward you with years of wear. The typical lifetime of a heavy textile jacket will be from 3 to 6 years at the most. A well maintained top quality leather motorcycle jacket will easily give you 10 years and more of riding pleasure!

Michael Talbert is the founder of Florida based Biker Leather Ltd., an online retailer of leather and textile motorcycle apparel. For more information you can visit the web site at http://NakedLeatherBiker.com


Should you keep your old car or buy a new one.Roger CharlesAre you sure you need a new car? I'm sure you want the newest safety features and modern styling that a new car offers. Perhaps you need a larger vehicle to fit your growing family. You probably feel that your old car no longer fits your life. But how about cost?

From an economic perspective, you're better off keeping your old car. It could save you thousands of dollars. Taking better care of your current car may make much more sense in the long run.

You're probably thinking - those repair bills are really adding up. But the cost of repairs will never exceed the cost of a new car. Changing your oil, replacing brakes, belts, and hoses are nothing compared to monthly payments on a new car. Even costly repairs like rebuilding an engine makes good financial sense.

If you've paid off your car, it is still in great shape and needs only a few modest repairs, there's no need to throw it away. Enjoy your freedom from car payments. Enjoy lower annual taxes, insurance rates and license fees on your old car. Buying a new vehicle would mean several years more of monthly principle and interest payments on a loan.

You can feel secure knowing that modern vehicles last longer. Not too many years ago, a vehicle's useful life did not exceed 100,000 miles. Today, many vehicles can breeze right past that 100,000 mile mark with no more than a tune-up, or maybe a new timing chain or fuel pump.

Older cars generally cost more to maintain and are more likely to break down. Repairs can be frustrating and expensive. But on the other hand they're cheaper to own and operate. They lose most of its value in the first five years of their life. Your used vehicle won't depreciate as much, saving you thousands.

Unless you're rolling in cash, I'd say keep your old clunker. Comfort yourself knowing that one day you'll be able to easily afford that costly new ride.

Roger Charles is a successful author and publisher of http://toyota-parts-guide.comA resource for information and tips on buying auto parts and accessories online.

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