Boating, Buying, & the Border – What do we do?

Have you bought a boat during the pandemic?  

Here in northern Maine and in western New Brunswick we have countless points of access to open water and who doesn’t love a summer day on a boat? I had the chance to speak with Alexandre from Cabano Marine about many topics in the boating industry. I was interested in finding out how the pandemic has impacted the industry and how they have navigated the border closure.  

Don’t make me turn this boat around! 

Alexandre stated to me numerous times that they have seen an increase in families purchasing a boat. It makes sense, we have all been encouraged to social distance as much as possible and life on the water accommodates those standards. It is hard to beat a good breeze when you’re cruising across the lake on that perfect summer evening.  

The Border 

We are all aware that the closure of the US and Canada borders have affected many businesses on both sides and the boating industry are no different. While it was difficult at first, there are now ways that an American citizen can purchase and get their boat from the dealer in Canada. The dealership now has special permits that allow them turn over the new purchase in a safe manner at the border.  

Virtual 

You can now do virtual tours of a boat you may be looking to purchase for you and your family. If you’re an American citizen you won’t be able to get to see the boat in person just yet but the team from Cabano Marine will show you the boat of your dreams. The quality of these virtual tours is as good as going in person and it’s much safer.  

Demand 

The demand for boating exponentially increased over the last 18 months and northern Maine and western New Brunswick is no different. If you are thinking that boating is in your future you need to plan accordingly. Not only is a boat a big purchase, but it also has big demand. If you want to get the boat you want in 2022, then you might want to look at buying right now. Alexandre told me that they are now placing orders for customers one year ahead of time.   

Don’t get gouged 

Alexandre warns there are folks in the marketplace who are trying to get more money out of their used boat than it is worth. There is worry that price gouging among consumer to consumer could happen online. You need to educate yourself on the buying process and what is a fair value for any boat you’re considering.

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There will be more boating tips and fun in the future. I’ll have more from my interview with Alexandre from Cabano Marine in the coming weeks. Be sure to check out Cabano Marine online and on Cabano Marine Facebook page.