Yes, you can boat on a budget! Interview with Brian John Harwood, Canada’s Up and Coming Country Singer

By Sarah Hurst

Photo: Nadine Bastien | Instagram: @ravensfeatherphotography

Last month, Canadian Country Singer Brian John Hardwood, released his new single “Rich”, featuring fellow Canadian artists Alli Walker and Chris Labelle. Brian describes his new single as a 2022 Summer Anthem for everyone- including those who also daydream about getting “rich”! He said in our interview, “You know, I should be rich by now but I’m not, and life is still great.”

We were especially excited to hear that Brian who directed the music video with AJ Astle, decided to film at Centre Island on a luxurious Pilot House Carver 59’, which he rented from a local charter in Toronto. To create the perfect setting for their video they also chose to film on/around Centre Island in Toronto, Ontario.

“In the video, there’s a dream sequence where we’re looking through a magazine at a boat, and all of a sudden the three of us are on a big yacht and having fun”.

The 59’ boat with the CN Tower and skyline in the background made the perfect spot for Brian to film his dreamscape. Whether it’s the sunny skies, champagne or the lovely Pilot Carver, Brian’s vision of being on the water is loud and clear!

Brian may not be the owner of the wonderful boat featured in the video for “Rich”, but he’s no stranger to being on the water.

Brian John Harwood

“Since I was a kid, my father raised us up right from an early age on a canoe starting to fish, to growing up and getting on to the fishing boats and pontoons. I’ve loved being on the water since I was a kid, and it just happened that I married my wife and she ended up doing the same thing. She grew up in a marina; her parents own McGregor on the Water in Orillia, and boating and being on the water is a big part of our life.”

I spoke further with Brian about his decision to rent a boat for the day and he mentioned that it’s “…an option for some people that don’t have the funds to go buy a $2 million dollar yacht.”

“I’m not at the point where I can buy my own yacht but there’s still ways that you can enjoy boating, luxury boating, without owning one. You can still rent and that’s what I did, and I rented this yacht for the day and had fun out on the water, and really enjoyed it.”

 “If you are a water lover and a boat lover like I am, you know those options are there. You can rent boats for weekends or for the day or whatever, and go out and enjoy the water.”

Brian makes an excellent point – that you can get out there and enjoy boating season this year without having to break the bank. The following are tips for anyone looking to budget their way onto the water this year!

Save, Save, Save

Save for your boat and pay in cash, thereby keeping loan interest costs away. 

Video directors: Brian John Harwood & AJ Astle | Photo: Nadine Bastien | Instagram: @ravensfeatherphotography

Finance your Boat

Financing for a new or pre-owned boat may be available through a marine dealer, through your bank, or through a specialized marine lender. As with financing a car or other large purchase, your credit rating, income and the value of the boat will all be considered when applying for financing.

Consider Buying Used

Shopping carefully for a 2 to 10-year-old boat can help you save money on the initial purchase price. Boats that are more than a decade old are still great candidates for purchase; however, just like when buying a classic car, more investigation and review should be done in order to ensure the background and viability of the hull, engine and drivetrain.

Attend a Boat Show

A boat show is like a marine supermarket. All of the boat brands and dealers in your area will be represented in one location, making a boat show an efficient way to start shopping. 

Buy Only the Size Boat You Need

A common mistake made by first-time boat buyers is simply buying more boat than they need. Consider these factors when thinking about boat size: How many people will usually be in the boat? What size water will you be boating on—a small lake or the open ocean?

Young Brian John Harwood and his family on their pontoon boat

Do Your Own Maintenance

If you’re handy with tools and consider yourself to be a good mechanic, you can perform many of the maintenance and service tasks yourself, which can help you save instead of opting for marine mechanics to do the work. 

Store Your Boat at Home

Keep your boat at home on the trailer and launch when you want—as opposed to keeping it at the marina, saving monthly costs as well as maintenance fees.

Remember that Fuel Costs Vary Widely

Marina fuel sold dockside can be much more expensive than gas sold at the highway station but that’s because it should be ethanol-free. Be careful about ethanol-extended fuels (E10 and now E15). While today’s marine engines can mostly tolerate E10, E15 should not be used. Boat fuel systems have to be vented for safety reasons so there is a risk that ethanol fuels will attract water from the atmosphere. That water can disable the engine. Marine fuel is best.

Instagram: @ravensfeatherphotography | Nadine Bastien

Boating tips courtesy of Discover Boating. Full article: https://www.discoverboating.com/buying/affordable-boating