95 percent of boats in American are under 26 feet in length, according to the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA). If you’ve thought about buying a boat for your family, rest assured that you won’t need to purchase a massive superyacht that costs a fortune. Smaller boats often provide more than enough room for families, without being prohibitively expensive. When you do buy a family boat, you’ll find that going on family boating adventures brings you closer to your children. Out on the water, families can really bond, because so many of the distractions that make parents and kids drift apart just aren’t a factor.

Are boats good investments for families?

The truth is that boats are good investments for families if the boats are enjoyed. A boat needs to be affordable, but the true value of a family boat lies in the happiness that it brings. A boat is an asset and it is possible to resell a boat after it’s been enjoyed, but there is typically depreciation, just as there would be with a car.

When it comes to buying a boat for family usage, you should crunch the numbers to see if you can really afford the boat itself, plus associated costs of boat ownership, such as moorings (if applicable), interest on a boat loan, vessel maintenance, licenses and insurance. Then, think about how often your family is likely to use the boat, and how interested in boating you and your kids are. Will any interest in boating be likely to endure, or is the desire to go boating as a group more of a passing craze?

A perfect scenario is a boat that’s affordable, which will be used frequently, by parents and kids who love being out on the water. The boat should come from a trusted manufacturer. It should be a boat that you, as a parent, will be able to operate safely. If you look at these variables carefully and feel like buying a boat is the right decision, then your boat will probably be a great investment in family happiness. While you will always need to consider money, life is short and happy memories created out on the water have their own type of worth.

Boating is proven to relieve stress

Kids and parents feel stress. When families go boating together, stress levels plummet. Lower stress levels may lead to home lives that are more peaceful. Discover Boating reports that boating is one of the top three stress-busting activities. Boating is an escape from the everyday. It’s a way to get out in the natural world and drink in the beauty of sea, sky and distant shores. If your family seems restless and argumentative sometimes, boating may be the best way to release pent-up tension and calm everyone down. Boating is a great way to enjoy fresh air, serenity and togetherness.

In the age of social media and electronic toys, kids need a little nudge to get out of their comfort zones and engage with their parents. Buying a family boat is one way to build a strong family tradition that helps children to expand their horizons and develop a lifetime love of boating. If your kids are young, start with shorter boat rides and make safety priority one. Older kids will be able to handle longer boat rides.