Sure the people you take sailing don't run out and buy a boat, thats an expensive investment for something you tried once. The average person simply cannot afford a new boat, its like buying another car. So someone is gonna say "there are tons of used boats out there" well, unless you know where to look, your gonna have a hard time finding a used boat that isn't delapadated and incomplete. And when your new to the sport you don't know what your looking for to make a boat complete. I'm sorry, but if I'm just getting into any new hobby/sport, I am not gonna be looking to buy a bran new item. I'm gonna try to find a used one, in OK condition for a beginner.

So say I go to club med, I try out the hobie wave, and I think its the greatest thing since granular salt. Well when I get home, the only place I know to look for anything like it is hobiecat.com Well I can get dealer info there, thats fine, but then I check prices, and I get a reality check, then I realize that I probably have to have it shipped, another bummer. And I just don't know where to look for used items like boats, and if I do, I have little idea if what I'm buying is worth it.


Finally on to my proposal. Manufactures, or retailers should do trade ins and deal oin used boats. Just like car dealerships. you can get a used boat, that the dealership has gone over and found to be in working condition, and when you are ready, you can trade it in for a newer, faster boat, and someone else can get into the sport without buying something bran new. I think that the way to get people into the sport is to get the publicity, but then publisize a way to get into a less expensive used first boat. Cause like I said, it would take a WHOLE LOT to get me into a sport where its hard to find anythign but new boats.