Lifestyle

8 Tips for Purchasing Your First Boat

Published

5 years ago

April 3, 2021

Purchasing a boat can be an incredible investment. If you love the idea of fishing, sailing, wakeboarding, or participating in another aquatic activity, a boat will give you the freedom and autonomy you need to do it anytime you like. You can use a boat to entertain others, challenge yourself, or just relax on the open water.

But if you’re new to the world of boat ownership, buying a boat for the first time can be intimidating. How can you be sure you’re getting a good deal? Or that you’re making the right choice?

The Goals

Ultimately, we have a few primary goals:

Getting the right boat. You need to get the right boat. There are many types of vessels available, some of which specialize in supporting specific activities. You may want a sailing vessel, a power boat, or a yacht built for entertaining guests. It’s also important that your boat is fully functional and dependable – so you don’t have to pay for repairs or deal with an emergency at sea.
Getting a good price. It’s also important to get a good price. Boats can be expensive if you buy something too big or too overloaded with extra features. It pays to look for deals and try to find the best price.
Ensuring a smooth process. If you’re dealing with a manipulative seller, complex financing, or other hiccups, buying a boat can be both complicated and stressful. We want to avoid that if possible.

Tips for Buying a Boat

If you follow these tips, you’ll be in a much better position to accomplish these directives:

Calculate all the costs of boat ownership. Before you start researching any vessels, take the time to calculate all the costs of boat ownership – and see if there’s room in your budget for a boat. You’ll need to consider the monthly cost of repaying the loan (assuming you get financing), as well as the costs of boat insurance, docking, fuel, storage, and maintenance. Too many new boat owners underestimate the full costs of owning a boat and end up in a financially precarious situation.
Consider why you want a boat. Obviously, you want a boat. But why? What activities are most interesting to you? How much power does the boat need to have? How big does it need to be? Are there any special features that you consider to be a practical requirement? The more you understand about your own motivation, the better decision you’ll ultimately make.
Do preliminary research online. Once you have a solid idea of the type of vessel you want, you can start doing some preliminary research online. Is there a specific type of boat that stands out to you? Are there manufacturers or brands you want to favor or avoid? What do other experts have to say about these vessels?
Be open to used options. It’s tempting to gravitate to new boat purchases, since new boats have the latest tech and the latest features and are possibly more reliable. However, it’s also a good idea to be open to used options. Used boats can be just as reliable as new ones – and they can save you a lot of money. Just be sure to buy from a seller you trust.
Review boats in person (if possible). If you have the chance, head to a local boat show or rent a boat before you buy. Getting a sense for how they look and feel in person can guide you to make a better decision for your personal needs. Just don’t buy at first sight.
Talk to someone with experience. Find an expert in boating and talk to them about your coming decision. You can likely find a mentor or an experienced peer near the docks or at a local boat show. They may be able to give you advice or direction on where to buy.
Research your financing options. Unless you’re buying the boat in cash, you’ll need to review your financing options. Review multiple lenders to find the best interest rates and terms; sometimes, switching from one lender to another can help you save hundreds or even thousands of dollars over the course of the loan.
Inspect the vessel. Finally, when you’re ready to make a purchase, inspect the boat thoroughly – especially if you’re buying used. It’s your last chance to find flaws or signs of neglect that could compromise the value of your purchase.

Buying a boat is a difficult decision, but it doesn’t have to be stressful or financially ruinous. If you spend time researching the process, reviewing your options, and thinking critically, you’ll end up with a beautiful vessel that perfectly suits your needs – and your budget.

Lifestyle

When Seasons Shift: Dr. Leeshe Grimes on Grief, Loneliness, and Finding Light Again

Published

4 days ago

February 22, 2026

Michelle Langton

Some emotional storms arrive without warning. A sudden change in weather, a holiday approaching, or even a bright sunny day can stir feelings that don’t match the world outside. For many people, the hardest seasons are not defined by temperature; they are defined by what’s happening inside, where grief and loneliness often move quietly.

This is the emotional terrain where Dr. Leeshe Grimes has spent her career doing some of her most meaningful work. As a psychotherapist, registered play therapist, retired U.S. Army combat veteran, and founder of Elevated Minds in the DMV area, she understands how deeply seasonal shifts and unresolved grief can affect people. Her upcoming books explore this very space, guiding readers through the emotional weight that can appear during different times of the year.

What sets Dr. Grimes apart is her ability to see clearly what many people overlook. Seasonal depression, for example, is usually tied to winter months. But she often sees it appear during warm, bright seasons, the times when the world seems happiest. For someone already grieving or feeling disconnected, watching others travel, celebrate, or gather can create its own kind of heaviness. Sunshine doesn’t always lift the mood; sometimes it highlights what feels missing.

The same misunderstanding surrounds grief. Society often treats it as a short-term experience with predictable phases and a clean ending. But in her practice, Dr. Grimes sees how grief keeps evolving. It doesn’t disappear on a timeline. It weaves itself into routines, memories, and milestones. People learn to carry it differently, but they rarely leave it behind completely. And that’s not failure, it’s human.

Her approach to mental health centers on truth rather than pressure. She encourages clients to acknowledge the emotions they try to hide: sadness that lingers longer than expected, moments of joy that feel out of place, and the waves of loneliness that return even when life seems stable. Instead of pushing for quick recovery, she focuses on helping people understand how emotions shift and how to care for themselves through those changes.

Much of her insight comes from her military years, where she witnessed the emotional toll of loss, transition, and constant survival. She saw how people continued functioning while carrying pain that had nowhere to go. That experience shaped her belief that healing requires space, space to feel, to speak, and to move through emotions without judgment.

In her clinical work today at Elevated Minds, she encourages people to build small, steady habits that anchor them during difficult seasons. Journaling helps them recognize patterns and name what feels heavy. Community support breaks the cycle of isolation. Therapy creates a place where emotions don’t have to be minimized or explained away. And intentional routines, daily sunlight, mindful breaks, and calm evenings help rebuild emotional balance.

Her upcoming books expand on these ideas, offering practical guidance for navigating both grief and seasonal depression. She focuses on helping readers understand that healing is not about escaping pain. It’s about learning how to live with it in a healthier way, honoring memories, acknowledging loneliness, and still allowing room for moments of light.

What makes Dr. Leeshe Grimes a compelling voice in mental health is her ability to bring language to experiences that many struggle to explain. She reminds people that emotional seasons don’t always match the weather and that there is no single path through grief. But within those shifts, she believes there is always a way forward.

The seasons will continue to change. And with the right tools, compassion, and support, people can change with them, finding steadiness, softness, and light again, one step at a time.