So you’re ready to purchase that new boat, but you’re not quite sure what you need? Here are a few things to consider that can help make that decision a little easier.

1. What is your budget?

Before you even step on the lot to look at a boat, you need to have a budget in mind. Buying a boat can be easy, and starting with a number in mind will help keep this process smooth and enjoyable. Once you have this taken care of, it’s time to find the boat that best fits your needs.

2. What kind of boat have you owned before, or currently?

If you have owned a boat before, you can use that experience to help you determine the type of new boat that will fit your needs. What about your previous boat you would change? What would you want to stay the same?

3. What do you want to do with your boat? Fish? Ski? Tube?

It might surprise the first-time boat buyer, but not all boats are created for the same purpose. Knowing what you want to do with your boat is always one of the first steps in your buying experience. It will quickly help you narrow your search.

4. Yes, but what do you see yourself doing with this boat 90% of the time?

Too many times, boat buyers get caught up in all of the things that they may do with their boat, and they end up choosing something that doesn’t fit their primary need. If the main purpose of the boat is fishing, with the occasional skier in tow, you are looking for a sport boat, similar to the Nitro Z-7 Sport. This type of boat combines the features of a fishing boat (trolling motor and fishing decks) with the tow pylon and swivel seats that water sport enthusiasts enjoy. If your boat is being used for the exact opposite, you are likely looking for a ski and fish boat like the Tahoe Q7 SF. Ski and fish boats are built primarily for water sports, but have a low-enough profile and large-enough deck space to please the casual angler.

5. What is the monthly or yearly insurance going to cost for the new boat?

This is something that most new boat buyers overlook. While most boat insurance is relatively inexpensive when you compare it to other types of insurance, it’s something that you will still want to consider. Most boaters only keep insurance for the required time period, but we recommend having it for the life of your boat. The number of boaters continues to rise, and with more boats on the water, it's even more important to make sure your vessel is protected. Having insurance not only protects your purchase, it also protects you and your passengers—and taking a boating safety course might even earn you a discount. Answering these five questions when you’re buying your next boat will go a long way to making the process go much smoother, and helping you find the perfect boat!

Unlike our roads, our waterways have no painted lines or stoplights to guide us in traffic. So how do we avoid colliding with other boats—especially when they can come from so many different directions? Well, just like our asphalt highways, there are rules that govern the conduct of boats meeting. Professional mariners must demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the rules of the nautical road by passing written exams. Most amateur boaters aren’t required to take even the equivalent of Driver’s Ed before they take the helm, but if you don’t learn the basics, you’re taking unnecessary risks. Rather than hope that the high-speed craft bearing down on your boat has a pro at the helm or is operated by a clairvoyant, it makes sense to drive defensively to avoid collisions. Here are six general rules and concepts that will help you stay out of harm’s way:

• Always keep a lookout.
• Travel at a safe speed.
• When overtaking or passing, the boat being passed has the right-of-way. Keep clear of it.
• When meeting head-on, keep to the right.
• When crossing paths, the boat on the right has the right of way. Slow down or change course and permit it to pass.
• Always use your running lights at night and in times of restricted visibility.

Another key practice to learn is, when you’ve decided you will change course to keep clear, make an early and large course change so your intentions are clear to the other boat captain. Avoid small, incremental or last-minute changes because it may be difficult for the opposing boat to react quickly. Certain types of boats, like sailboats, generally have the right-of-way over other power boats. This has more to do with their capability to “keep clear” and avoid a collision. We say generally have the right of way, because there are exceptions. Vessels engaged in activities that limit their ability to maneuver have the right-of-way over other vessels. For example, a sailboat has rights over a powerboat, or a large tanker navigating a narrow channel has rights over all small vessels. Even when two powerboats meet, one boat technically has the right-of-way (often referred to as the stand-on vessel) while the other boat is “burdened” to give the right-of-way (often referred to as the “give-way” vessel), assuming that the vessels are within sight of each other. Another rule to keep in mind is the “tonnage rule.” This is not an actual rule, but generally when the other boat is MUCH larger than yours and could crush you—the prudent move is to stay out of the way!

Signal with your horn

Using horn signals is another easy way to notify other boats of your intent to pass them. Here are some of the most common signals and what they signify: One short blast: “I intend to leave you on my port side.” Two short blasts: “I intend to leave you on my starboard side.” Three short blasts: “I am operating astern propulsion.” Five or more short blasts: Danger signal. One prolonged blast is a warning signal given when approaching a blind spot such as a curve in a channel, or when coming out of a slip where your vessel may be obstructed from view.

Make radio contact

If the horn signals don’t seem to work, use your boat’s VHF radio. Hail on channel 16 or 13 to make contact and then switch to a working channel. Give your position in relation to some nearby landmark, not latitude and longitude, as no one has time to plot your position. For example, “This is the blue powerboat exiting the Hog Island Channel at Cleveland Ledge light calling the east-bound tug and tow on my port bow…” Commercial vessels will typically give “security” calls at certain points along their route; simply monitoring the radio will give you an idea of what is going on around you.

Passing in the night

At night, boats have red (port or left side) and green (starboard or right side) sidelights for a reason—so you can determine how you are approaching another boat. One good way to think of this is like traffic lights, if you can see another boat’s red side light, stop or give way. If it’s green, you can keep going. If you are overtaking a boat from astern and can see its white stern light, stay out of the way, regardless of the type of boat. Remember your boat’s “danger zone.” From dead ahead to just behind your starboard beam—yield to boats in this zone.

Avoiding collisions

How do you know if a collision could be coming? When an approaching vessel gets closer but doesn’t change in bearing, you are on a collision course. A steady bearing is easy to see if there’s land in the background; the other boat is holding the exact same position against the land behind it. Always be courteous and if you do change course to avoid another boat, make the change early and large enough to show the other boat your intentions.

• Designate a sober driver – give that person your keys
• Call a taxi or use public transportation
• Use your community’s Designated Driver Service – 217 counties and 40 states provide rides
• Have a family member pick you up when the festivities end

How often do you get to touch an original 1935 Desoto Airflow? Or see a bright red ’51 Ford Vicky that looks like its design was inspired by a sea lion? Since 1900, with the first American auto show in New  York’s Madison Square Garden, summer has meant classic cars. Since then, car shows have spread like wildfire. Whatever type of car interests you, whether you prefer the hot dog and beer or the wine and cheese atmosphere, the 2011 summer car show season has it all. From their hibernation in dusty garages and museums, the rarest, most expensive, and strangest bunch of cars you may ever see emerge each year around this time. There are antiques, like an all original Ford Model T. From its flat wood steering wheel and wood spoke wheels, to its starting crank that can kick back and sometimes break the arm of its owner. This is fun stuff. There are cars the size of an aircraft carrier, the chrome lover’s dream otherwise known as the ’59 Cadillac. With enough shine to blind a bat, the grill alone has over 300 individual pieces of carefully assembled chrome. Sparkling from the dash, dripping from the sides, this car shines in the summer sun like Liz Taylor’s diamonds. It also comes with a massive trunk, able to hide 20 kids sneaking into the local drive-in theatre, or large enough to carry a spare Volkswagen Beetle.

Classic Car Show

Car shows display cars like the slab-sided ‘61 Lincoln Continental, made famous in the movie “The Matrix.” This is a car that saved the Lincoln brand, and became the infamous Kennedy Presidential limousine. There is the 1970’s Ford Maverick, a car that came in paint colors like Anti-Establish Mint, Freudian Gilt, and Thanks Vermillion, fun colors you won’t see in any showroom today. Other cars include the AMC Gremlin, designed on April Fools' Day, and whose design was written on a Northwest Airlines air sickness bag. I once even saw a rarely imported Citroen Mehari, a summer beach car built from plastic with the unfortunate tendency to erode away in direct sunlight. Recently, I attended the Newport Concours D’ Elegance in Newport, RI. This show is a high end, wine and cheese event for rare classics and exotics. They had a beautiful Ferrari Daytona, made famous by its replica on “Miami Vice.” This car was completely designed in seven days, at a time when it normally took a company four years. Also displayed was an ultra-rare convertible designed by the French firm Figoni, a man who loved his creations so much that he included matching gowns, hats and shoes for his customers. There was a Morgan car, an ultra-exotic “gentleman sports car” still made with real ash wood frame rails, and even a 1976 Lincoln Mark V, an overfed and bulky personal luxury car the size of a barge. This three-ton, twenty-foot battleship was built primarily for two passengers in a time of automotive excess. Car shows are a great way to see and feel automotive history, and an inexpensive way to catch a glimpse of classic car culture. Check out an American Auto Show this year!

Chris Raymond is a guest blogger from Chris on Cars.  In exchange for sharing this content, the Allstate Community has compensated him via cash payment.