With more than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface covered by water and more than 100,000 lakes in the continental United States, Americans are never very far from water. In fact, 95 percent of Americans live within an hours drive of a navigable body of water.
More than 87 million U.S. adults participate in recreational boating and in 2017, 13.4 percent of the U.S. population participated in water sports. What’s more, 19.6 percent of millennials participate in water sports and in 2016, about 2.91 million Americans participated in wakeboarding.
Anyway you slice it, Americans love the water and they love boating. If you’re considering boat rental or buying a boat, there are many types of boats to pick from including:
- Sport Fisher: These boats come equipped with a galley, a cabin and a bathroom. These are typically bigger boats that have a fishing cockpit and a flying bridge.
- Bass Boat: These boats are build for casting and come with platforms that offer ample room to cast out from wherever you are on the boat and whether you’re sitting or standing. These boats also come with trolling motors, allowing you to move around an area you’re casting in.
- Wake Boat: These boats are designed to increase and maximize a boat’s wake so that wake boarders can ride over them. Wakeboard boats also come with a ballast bladder which is filled and drained to increase the size of a wake.
- Pontoon Boats: Pontoon boats are the perfect boats for taking your family out and going for a slow cruise out on the water as the song suggests. An average pontoon boat with only one person can reach 31 mph and even at max capacity, a pontoon can still reach 22 mph.
If you’re looking for a boat that does a little bit of everything, pontoon boats are the answer. Pontoon boats can be used for fishing, water skiing or just cruise around the local lake. They’re easy to maintain and last a long time. With their high railings, pontoon boats are also much safer than some other types of boats, especially with kids on board. There’s also plenty of storage aboard pontoon boats and there’s plenty of room to stretch out if you and your family and friends want to spend a relaxing evening out on the water.
If you’re interested in buying a boat, Boat Trader can help you find boats for sale as well as boat dealers in your area. On the other end of the spectrum, if you have a boat for sale or want to sell a used boat, Boats.com offers tips on how to make it happen.
Enjoying the water doesn’t have to be limited to just the summer though. In the winter time, climbing on an Arctic Cat snowmobile offers plenty of enjoyment. Arctic Cat offers a wide range of snowmobiles for all types of terrain and your local Arctic Cat dealer can help you find the right snowmobile to help you enjoy the winter.
Chances are high that your local Arctic Cat dealer will offer good financing and you might even get some extra perks depending on when you buy your Green Machine. Going for a ride an your Arctic Cat is a great way to spend a winter day, but there are other reasons to consider visiting your local Arctic Cat dealer.
It’s important to stay active during the winter months, but it can be a challenge. Snowmobiles can be a great way to stay active. In fact, the average person burns more than 200 calories per hour while snowmobiling. Many people go through seasonal affective disorder (SAD) during the winter. Riding on a snowmobile can help combat that. The National Health Association estimates that 10 million people in North America suffer from SAD. Spending time outdoors on a snowmobile gives you plenty of exposure to light, which helps boost your mood and improves your immune system.
Whether you’re looking for a sporting boat or a pontoon for the summer or an Arctic Cat to ride in the winter, there’s no shortage of opportunities to enjoy time on the water. A visit to your local boat dealer or local Arctic Cat dealer can set you up with the right machine for your needs.
