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The best way to test out any product is to use it first. That’s the wonderful thing about buying a boat — you can go out and test all of its features on the water beforehand. But there’s more to it than just a quick spin out on the lake. A good test drive should be pleasant, entertaining, and provide you a true understanding of how the boat feels in different water conditions and for various water sport activities.

You’ll likely want to choose a boat that can carry the whole family, along with boards, skis, life vests, and other equipment. So when you’re looking into Tige Boats in California, make sure to take a test drive first and take note of all the different capabilities, features, and comforts it comes with. First, start with the following recommendations:

• Check the boat’s storage capabilities for boards, skis, coolers, and other equipment. Be sure to take note of accessibility and capacity.
• Get a good sense of how easy it is to get onto the boat from the dock. Point out the positioning of steps and walkovers.
• Get a feeling for the space and seating in both the cockpit and bow. Keep in mind bow convenience, accessibility, and roominess. Sit in all the seat locations and point out seat contouring, all-around support, and comfort. Think about traffic flow and leg room with all passengers seated.
• Sit in the driver’s chair and scan the dash’s instrument arrangement, visibility, and comfort of usage. Test your overall forward perception over the dashboard. Take note of the feel and comfort of the driver’s chair.
• Take a look at the freeboard, the seating arrangements, and the dryness of the ride in all situations. Be sure to ask about the safety features and protection for children, as well.
• Now, for the fun part: getting a feel for the acceleration and handling. Make various wake intersections and note ride comfort.
• In calm waters, set the TAPS2 — the system that allows for various shapes and sizes of wakes — across various settings, and cruise at about 20 MPH. Get a feel for the wake size and shape without the ballast filled up. Then fill the ballast and examine the wake size and shape again.
• While cruising through rough waters, test out different TAPS2 settings to get a feel for the ride.
• Take mental notes on the user-friendliness of the system and overall usability of the dash.
• At the very end of your test drive, remember to discuss with the merchant whether the boat is a right fit for you. Make sure everything fits your preferences regarding the features and capabilities of the boat.

Keep all these things in mind, because an on-the-water test drive is the most important step in the purchasing process. So if your heart is set on going with Tige Boats in California, don’t forget to go out for a test drive and check out its features.