If you ask people in the boat retail business when is the best time to buy a boat, they will tell you today. If you ask more questions however, you find out that there are more things to consider such as whether you are purchasing a new or second-hand boat, where you reside and the month as well as the season to purchase. 

Conventional wisdom makes us believe that boat sellers have monthly quotas like car dealers and negotiating a deal towards the end of the month would get you a better price. This is not necessarily the case in the boat retail business. 

Every season has its benefits but you need to understand the various boat buying seasons to help you score a better deal. It does not matter if you are purchasing in the middle of summer or at the height of winter, if you have knowledge on how these different seasons affect boats sales you can make your shopping and purchasing experience much easier. 

Dealers are in a hurry to sell old models 

The boating industry, a long time ago switched to the system of introducing new models for the year in September or August like the automobile industry had been doing. What this means by autumn boat dealers will be selling new models as well as models from the year before. And you know what? Models from the year before are no longer current once the clock strikes 12 on December 31! 

Dealers across the country are motivated to sell off last year’s models because the boats start losing their perceived value on December 31! Some dealers may even have models from the year before still in their stock. Imagine the amount of motivation they have to get rid of them? 

Boats hardly get significant upgrades 

The reality of the boating industry is, there isn’t much difference between new and old models. There are boat builders who simply reprint brochures from the previous year changing only the dates and adding new pictures. 

The boats you purchase a year before will be almost the exact same thing as the newly released one, minus a few exceptions. The major difference you will notice is when selling your boat, all things being equal newer models will go for a higher price. These days however, buyers are becoming increasingly aware and are more interested in the overall condition of the boat as well as engine hours than the year it was produced. 

The perfect time to purchase a small boat 

Purchasing larger boats requires a lot of consideration and they are more likely to be used during the colder months. There are no peak periods for selling larger boats during the year, sales are spread out evenly throughout. Small boats however, are used as summer approaches, when the weather is warm. As a matter of fact, the largest amount of sales for small boats occur in July. 

All dealers know this. When buyers tender reasonable offers for small boats in months like December, dealers are forced to consider losing out on a larger profit in June or July. If you up your price a little the dealer can make more money and you could get a great deal. 

Spring or Summer 

If you ask boat owners to take a survey, you are most likely going to find that spring and summer are considered the worst seasons to purchase a boat. The reason for this is that the boating season is in full swing and more people are on the market to purchase boats increasing the demand and prices in some cases. Due to the increase in competition for boat acquisition and a larger number of people shopping for boats, the savviest customers avoid shopping for boats in the spring or summer. 

Nonetheless, many people want to buy a boat during these months for specific reasons. Boating season coincides with summer so purchasing a boat in the spring will allow you time to prepare for your new adventures. If you purchase in the summer, you get to enjoy your boat in the water right away. 

Autumn/Fall 

Most buyers will tell you that fall is the best time to purchase a boat. The reason for this is boat manufacturers begin to offer discounts around September and October. As boating season draws to an end demand begins to decline and dealers want to give buyers incentives such as price cuts and discounts. This happens for both new and second-hand boats. Shopping for boats during fall could lead to very great deals. 

Winter boat show season 

Thom Dammrich, president of the National Marine Manufacturers Association says the best time to get a good price on a new boat is during the winter boat show season. The peak period of the winter show season is usually around January, February and March. At these boat shows, boaters who reside in colder regions can sometimes get the best deals. In areas like the Gulf Coast and California 

there is no off-season for boaters but dealers trying to make room for the next year’s models will try to sell off their old models. 

The perfect time to buy a boat is whenever you are ready! 

Truthfully, there is no bad time to buy a boat, and a good place to buy is www.marineservices.co.nz/boat-sales. The best time to purchase is whenever you are ready to have fun and adventure on the water!

In the past few years, the number of Kiwis relocating to Australia for one reason or the other has increased significantly. This is in part as a result of the Trans-Tasman agreement that allows for free flow of people between the two countries.

If you are thinking of moving to Australia permanently or for the long-term, it is important that you find out everything you need for a successful move. From visas to tax processes, and opening bank accounts, this article contains essential information that can serve as a guide to make your relocation as smooth and seamless as possible.

Applying for a visa to Australia

Since the 1920s, Australia as pursued a rigorous immigration system that allow the free flow of people into the country as long as they are willing and able to work. For people coming from other countries, it is expected that they apply for and receive the relevant visa for their travel category. But as a New Zealander, the Trans-Tasman Travel Agreement of 1973 mean that you can travel to Australia, live, school, and work there without a visa.

As long as you have a New Zealand passport, no criminal record and are free from any communicable disease, you will be granted a Special Category Visa that allows you to stay as long as you want. 

While this visa will meet your travel and stay requirements, it does not give you the same rights and benefits are a permanent resident or Australian citizen. You can only qualify for these benefits when you upgrade your temporary stay status. 

Alternatively, you can opt for the Skilled Independent Visa that allows you to live and work in the country as a permanent resident as long as you can meet the requirements for points tested skilled workers.  As you can see, travelling to Australia as a New Zealander simpler that you imagined.

Moving to Australia

Moving from New Zealand to Australia is also a really simple process. Almost all migrants from New Zealand arrive in the country’s largest city – Sydney, from where they find their way to the city of their choice or choose to remain. You can easily fly from Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, and Queenstown to Sydney, but you can also choose to arrive from your location to Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, and Brisbane. 

There are multiple daily flights from major airports in New Zealand, and is less than 4 hours, you can arrive Sydney from Auckland. 

But moving yourself and family from your home in New Zealand to Australia is one thing. You may also want to move some or all of your personal possessions, so that you can start your new life in familiar surroundings. In this case, you can choose to move your belongings by air or by sea. Moving by air is rather expensive and may not be the best solution unless you are pressed for time. Moving by sea, though slower, allows you to send more for a lot less. 

There are a lot of moving companies that can move your belongings to your new house, saving you the stress and hassles of international travel logistics. For example, companies like International Movers, Transworld and Ausmove can handle your shipping logistics easily. You will find more useful information on shipping to Australia from New Zealand on the AusMove website at https://www.ausmove.co.nz/moving-to-australia

Before you leave New Zealand

Before leaving your New Zealand home for a new life in Australia, it is important that you take the time to tidy every loose end. This way, there will be nothing to distract you as you work at getting settled in your new city. 

One of the important things you may have to do is making plans for the rest of your belongings. For most people, giving them out to friends and family members is the ideal solution. But you can also sell things you will not need in Australia cheaply so that you can have some extra cash at hand.

If you are only relocating temporarily with intention of returning to New Zealand, you can consider hiring long-term storage for your worldly goods. Reputation New Zealand companies like Storage King and Kiwi Self Storage offer short to long-term storage for this purpose. 

It is also important that you sort your finances out before getting on the plane. This means setting up bank accounts that you can access and use in Australia. Fortunately, some of the big banks in New Zealand also operate in Australia, so setting up an Australia account will not be a problem.

You can also open an account online, set up credit card facilities, and all the other financial instruments you will need in your new city. However, you will have to activate these accounts in person when you arrive Australia. 

For some people, it may be a good idea to open a foreign currency account. This is a good solution for people with businesses in New Zealand and Australia or who will be doing a lot of currency transactions overseas. If you will still be receiving some form of income from New Zealand while in Australia, this is also a good solution for your banking needs.

Wrapping up

Though there are clear and subtle differences, New Zealand and Australia are also alike in so many ways. This is why even though you will be in a new city, you will not feel homesick for too long. Plus there are more than 400,000 New Zealand born people currently living in Australia, so you can expect a warm welcome from Kiwis and Aussies alike that will help you settle in easily.

You have absolutely no excuse for missing out on enjoying the benefits that wide selections of boating activities offer you today.

It may shock you to know that boating has many advantages beyond stress relief. Impulse Research Corporation in their recent research found that life’s physical benefits are greatly improved when engaging in water related activities . Their research found that families who engage in boating activities  generally have a more optimistic outlook on life, are healthier, showed signs of superior leadership compared to their contemporaries and are known to possess better social skills.. Those are a lot of advantages.

Boating helps us to relax. It allows us an escape from our mundane daily schedules, giving our brains time to readjust. It allows us to imagine beyond our present conditions and connects us to the bigger picture of our world. Spending time on boats helps to  improve your psychological and physiological state, including our creativity, happiness, health, awe, wellness, play and relaxation. So if you have been looking at boat sale adverts but yet to make up your mind to get one, below are reasons to help push you.

Boating rests our minds

Today in Canada people are more busy and take less vacations this means more people need to relax their minds. Spending time on water provides an avenue to rest your mind, restore and induce happiness . It also allows you the opportunity to socialise, be in tune with nature and exercise. 

Boating encourages meditation

These days people hardly stop to meditate but we need it more than ever in our world full of stress. Time spent on the water, with nature is a wonderful way to check the effects of the stress of functioning in our modern world.

Breathtaking Moments

In order to find meaning, compassion, propose and self-worth one important emotion is wonder. When you get on a boat it is an opportunity to experience this as there are many breathtaking moments.

Boating encourages creativity and fun

Creativity does not thrive under stress. To trigger endorphins and reduce stress levels we need to play. To get your body pumping feel good hormones what a sports and aquatic activities are highly recommended.

Boating triggers are senses

Neurochemicals that improve our overall well-being are released whenever we see water. A lifelong association with water through boating greatly improves the emotional, psychological, cognitive, spiritual and social aspects of a person’s life at all ages and dispositions. Did you know your brain is more attracted to blue than any other colour?

Source of vitamin D and fresh air

Spending time in the sun is a great source of vitamin D which is good for strengthening your bones and has been medically proven to improve one’s state of mind. Despite this information most people spend their time at their workplaces, on the commute and working. So fresh air and sunlight become an extremely rare aspects of their daily lives. This doesn’t mean you should not make use of sun cream to reduce your risk of sunburn. Studies have also shown that contact with the open air is a great source of general health benefits.

Cut yourself off from technology

Take some time off , every other thing can wait. We are in the digital age and most of us cannot do without logging in to the internet, taking selfies, constantly sending emails, texts and messages to stay in contact with people. Our inability to stay away from technology leads to health problems such as anxiety, insomnia, clinical depression and stress. To take time off from this fast-paced and technology driven world you should spend time on a boat, even if it is rented, for a chance to connect with nature. Trust us, your doctor will approve of this.

Opportunity to relax with family and friends

Spending time with family and friends greatly improves our social lives and is an important factor for happiness and generally improving our quality of life. Medical research papers have shown that a healthy social life is an important factor in reducing tension,improving strength, healthy appetites and numerous other medical benefits. Spending moments out on the water with your family and friends will definitely give you the opportunity to experience joy and strengthen connections with your loved ones.

Invoke your senses

Staying active is an important part of our well-being.   Switch to boating activities to occupy your free time. This  encourages a more active, healthy and balanced approach to life as opposed to spending copious amounts of time indoors, watching television or playing video games. Jet skiing, swimming, dolphin tours and snorkelling are some of the ways that you can participate in recreational activities that will boost your energy levels.

Spark your interest

When you partake in things that interest you, you increase your level of happiness and this has great effects on your health. Spending time on a boat,if it is one of your interests can enhance your well-being and stimulate your energy levels. A number of water related activities you can pick up as hobbies include sea angling, viewing sunrises and sunsets, jet skiing and snorkelling.

Convenience 

To avoid the hassle of holiday planning including hotel reservations, buying tickets or even the stress of just making the trip you can easily take your both for a spin in your local water body at any time and easily escape all that drama. Having a boat you can make use of whenever you like is the stuff of dreams. Imagine yourself out of the water skiing, fishing or just having a great conversation.

Highly rewarding and engaging

If you are looking for improvement in your personal life boating is highly recommended. It offers opportunities for personal growth such as boosting confidence in children by eliciting a sense of achievement through mastering skills like properly securing lines or savouring the taste of fish they caught themselves. There are many benefits for people of all ages who engage in boating.