Shopping for a new boat can subject you to the full range of emotions before you finally settle on the one to buy. It can simultaneously be an exciting, frustrating and confusing process that frequently has the right side of your brain dueling with the left for dominance: I love this boat, but I know that one is a better fit for my family. What makes the process especially difficult is that for most boaters, there are so many types and brands of boats that they'd love to own. With so many great choices, it's not surprising that some buyers freeze up like the Tin Man when it comes time to pull the trigger.

To help guide you through this process, Boating World has created a new tool that will help you navigate the sea of boats in the marketplace to find the perfect boat for your family. It's called the Rate-A-Boat evaluation form, and you'll find a printable version for almost every type of boat at www.boatingworld.com/rate-a-boat/.

Here's how to use it. First, print several copies of the form for the boat type(s) that you're interested in. To make it an apples-to-apples comparison, compile a list of features that you believe your prospective boat should have, and price each according to this configuration. This will make it easier since some manufacturers give you loads of standard features, while others take an "a la carte" approach. Although you might change your mind later, price each boat with an engine package that falls somewhere in the middle of the options. Generally, you can quickly eyeball where the sweet spot is located.

Frequently, new buyers aren't exactly sure what size boat they're looking for, so instead of directly comparing a 20-footer against a 26-footer, group the boats into separate piles according to their similarity. Later, go through each group and pick the best of each one, and then compare the winners to each other. Write plenty of notes on the back of the Rate-A-Boat form and take pictures with a digital camera; after looking at an armada of boats, your recall can get a little blurry.  

Not many people have the time to "sea trial" dozens of boats, so complete the first section of the rating form first. This will help you narrow the field to three or four boats you like best. If you can, sea trial the finalists and complete the next section to determine the overall winner based on the score.

The boat with the highest score is the one you'll buy, right? Not necessarily. An important part of the boat buying process is addressed in the final section of the form: checking out and rating the dealer you'll potentially be working with. Talk to as many people as you can about the reputation of your local dealers. Hang around the service area and talk to customers. Call the Better Business Bureau or check out state government consumer websites to identify companies that have had complaints lodged against them. For dealers with a sterling reputation, points will be added to the total; ones with a poor reputation for service will have points deducted.

To customize your form, feel free to change the suggested point values in each category, because only you know what's most important. For example, in the cruiser section, an "iron chef" who plans to demonstrate his or her culinary skills will place more importance on the galley than someone whose idea of cooking is to bring along a bucket of chicken from KFC. Similarly, a person who fishes the canyons 75 miles offshore from New York City will place more importance on seaworthiness than someone who fishes on a small lake.

An added benefit of this form is that when you go into a dealership for an initial inspection of a prospective boat, you can more easily deflect "motivated" salespeople. Just show them your clipboard, and tell them you're in the research phase and have more boats to check out before you're ready to buy.

So what are you waiting for? It's time to get out there and start researching your next boat. By using the Boating World forms as an aid, you'll find yourself thinking more analytically about your choices, and you'll be better able to identify the boat that's right for your family.