Should you buy a boat or build a pool? Consider the pros and cons!
Are you dreaming about creating the perfect Minnesota summer experience for your family? If you're weighing whether to invest in a boat or build an inground swimming pool, you're not alone. Many Twin Cities families face this exact decision when they're ready to upgrade their lifestyle and create lasting memories.
The truth is, both options promise fun on the water and quality family time. But which investment actually delivers more enjoyment, better value, and fits the unique challenges of Minnesota's climate? Let's dive deep into this comparison so you can make the choice that's right for your family.
Living in Minnesota means we treasure every moment of warm weather. Our summers are spectacular but short, and we want to maximize every single day. When you're considering a major investment in family recreation, you need to think beyond the initial excitement and consider the practical realities of ownership, maintenance, usage, and long-term value.
Both boats and inground swimming pools represent significant financial commitments—typically ranging from $50,000 to well over $150,000 depending on the options you choose. That's why it's crucial to understand exactly what you're getting, how often you'll actually use it, and what the true cost of ownership looks like over the years.
A quality boat suitable for Minnesota lakes—whether you're looking at a pontoon, fishing boat, or ski boat—typically costs between $40,000 and $100,000+. But that's just the beginning. You'll also need:
According to industry data, the average boat owner spends approximately 15-20% of their boat's purchase price on annual operating costs. For a $60,000 boat, that's $9,000-$12,000 every single year.
Here's where the boat dream often meets reality: Studies show that the average boat owner uses their boat only 7-10 times per season. Why so few?
Many Minnesota boat owners find themselves thinking, "We should use the boat this weekend," but then choosing easier alternatives because the effort-to-enjoyment ratio doesn't quite work out as they'd hoped.
Boats depreciate rapidly. A new boat loses approximately 20-30% of its value in the first year, and continues to depreciate 5-10% annually. After five years, your $60,000 boat might be worth only $30,000-$35,000. That's a loss of $25,000-$30,000, or about $5,000-$6,000 per year in depreciation alone.
A premium inground swimming pool from Plan Pools typically ranges from $90,000 to $125,000 for a complete installation. This includes:
Unlike a boat, a professionally installed inground swimming pool actually adds value to your property. According to real estate data, a well-maintained pool can add 5-10% to your home's resale value in desirable markets, potentially offsetting much of your initial investment.
The annual operating costs for a well-designed pool are far lower than most people expect:
Total annual costs: Approximately $1,500-$3,000—significantly less than boat ownership.
Here's where pools dramatically outperform boats: accessibility. Your pool is literally steps from your back door, which fundamentally changes how often you use it.
Real Plan Pools customers report:
A pool transforms your home into the natural gathering place for family and friends. Instead of coordinating trips to the lake, people come to you. This creates:
Let's break down the real cost-per-use over a five-year period:
The pool delivers over 10 times more value per dollar invested.
Boat: Requires extensive planning, preparation, and a full-day commitment. You can't just "go for a quick boat ride" after work.
Pool: Available instantly, any time. Perfect for 20-minute cooldowns, after-work swims, or weekend pool parties with zero travel.
Boat: Requires specific weather conditions—calm water, light wind, no storms. Minnesota's unpredictable weather means many planned boat days get cancelled.
Pool: Usable in a wider range of conditions. Light rain? No problem. Windy day? Doesn't matter. Brief sunny window? Take advantage immediately.
Boat: Launching, docking, and trailering require physical strength and create fatigue before you even start enjoying the water.
Pool: Minimal physical demands beyond basic swimming. Accessible for all ages and abilities.
Boat: Requires boating licenses, constant vigilance about water conditions, other boats, and swimming areas. Accidents on lakes can be serious.
Pool: Controlled environment where you set the rules. Modern automated safety covers provide excellent protection when the pool isn't in use.
Boat: Limited capacity (typically 8-12 people), requires coordination to get everyone to the same lake at the same time.
Pool: Comfortable capacity for 15-25+ people, and guests simply come to your house. No coordination complexity.
Minnesota's boating season is realistically about 16-18 weeks (late May through early September). Swimming pool season is similar, but ICF pools can extend this significantly.
With Plan Pools' superior insulation, many families successfully:
This effectively adds 4-6 extra weeks of usable time—a 25-30% longer season.
Not everyone lives on a lake or has easy lake access. If you're driving 30-45 minutes each way to a public lake access, add another 1-2 hours to every boat outing. Many families discover that this travel time makes boating feel like a "special occasion" rather than a regular activity.
In Minnesota, winter storage is non-negotiable for boats—adding $1,500-$4,000 annually. Your pool, on the other hand, simply gets properly closed for winter (often included in your annual service contract) and requires no off-site storage.
Boats consume significant fuel:
Pools use electricity but no fossil fuels directly:
This is perhaps the most important financial distinction:
Boats are depreciating assets. Every year you own a boat, it loses value. There's no scenario where your boat investment pays financial dividends.
Pools are home improvements that add property value. A well-maintained custom pool from Plan Pools becomes a permanent feature that increases your home's desirability and resale value, especially in family-friendly neighborhoods where outdoor amenities are highly valued.
Ask yourself: What are you really investing in? It's not just about boats or pools—it's about creating memories and strengthening family bonds.
When your children or grandchildren look back on their summers, they'll remember the place where memories were consistently made. For most families, that's the daily availability and accessibility of their own backyard pool, not the occasional boat trip.
Be honest about your lifestyle:
If you answered "no" to most of these questions, a pool's accessibility will serve you better.
Calculate value based on actual usage, not ideal usage:
The money you spend on a boat's operating costs, storage, fuel, and depreciation could instead be invested in making your pool even better—upgraded landscaping, outdoor kitchen, superior pool deck, or other enhancements that further increase your property value and enjoyment.
Some families do successfully maintain both a boat and a pool. Typically, this works best when:
However, most families discover that the pool gets used so frequently that the boat increasingly sits unused, making it difficult to justify the ongoing costs.
Many of our Twin Cities pool installation customers previously owned boats. Here's what they tell us:
"We sold our boat after three years because we used it maybe 6-7 times per season. The first summer with our pool, we were in it at least 60 times. It's not even close—the pool was the better investment." — Mike S., Lakeville
"I loved the idea of having a boat, but I hated the reality of maintaining it, storing it, and all the work to use it. Our pool is right outside our door. The kids use it almost every day. We should have done this years ago." — Jennifer M., Prior Lake
"The boat was fun, but it was always a 'big production' to use it. The pool is just there, ready whenever we want it. That spontaneity is what makes it so valuable." — Robert C., Rosemount
The data is clear: inground swimming pools deliver exponentially more usage, create more family memories, and provide superior value per dollar invested compared to boat ownership.
Yes, boats offer unique experiences that pools cannot replicate—the adventure of exploring different lakes, the thrill of waterskiing, or the romance of sunset cruises. These are real and valuable experiences.
But for most Minnesota families, the question isn't about which provides better experiences—it's about which actually gets used enough to deliver value.
An inground swimming pool's greatest advantage is its accessibility. It's always there, always ready, requiring minimal preparation. This transforms summer from a series of planned events into a continuous experience of outdoor enjoyment.
If you're leaning toward the pool option, Plan Pools specializes in creating custom inground swimming pools that are specifically designed for Minnesota's unique climate. Our ICF construction method delivers 60% lower heating costs, extended swimming seasons, and superior durability compared to traditional pool construction.
We've installed hundreds of pools throughout the Twin Cities area, and we understand exactly what Minnesota families need: a pool that's cost-effective to operate, maintains comfortable temperatures throughout the season, and lasts for decades with minimal maintenance.
Schedule your free consultation today and discover how a Plan Pools inground swimming pool can transform your property into the family gathering place you've always dreamed of—without the hassles, costs, and limitations of boat ownership.
Your perfect Minnesota summer is waiting. Let's build it together.
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