Boats have been my entire life. I live on the water so I can hopefully shed a bit of answers to your questions.
The addage about another thousand is for folks that are not willing to spend money for a hobby, and have chosen the wrong boat to begin with. Each to their own.
The best boat days are when no one else is on the lake. Fair weather people are perfect. They never get out on a less than sunny day. So the first and last best days are normally...fair weather people.... Each to their own. ...
You and the MRs (not knowing you) can always enjoy a pontoon. A float boat is a different animal. I'd not go less than 24' in length, and no less than a 23" diameter pontoon. The motor would have to be no less than 115 - 150 for me. One way the price can remain low on a pontoon is the small 40HP motors. Nothing wrong with that but a larger HP can handle the boat much easier.
I have had outboards, inboards, I/Os, houseboats (single and twins), pontoons, canoes, and even a cement mixing tub with oars.
I currently have an inboard (as I like to water ski) which is your best performance boat in the way of handling. It has a Ford 351 CI engine, direct drive, and has little maintenance required, other than oil, filters, and common tuneup components. I/Os, are a general use family boat that is lacking in some ways, and has good points that others don't (more room). Outboards are fine for running a fishing boat, or a fish / ski, but are limited in performance handling (can cavitate in a tight turn, etc..relative to an inboard).
You'll find everyone has an opinion on boats, even here, as you can see.
Buy used (with good advise and mechanical checks).
A place to start is your budget. Boats can range from little of nothing to a bunch.
Also consider how you want to store the boat, where you want to keep it during summer months (normal use months) and how you want to manage docking or trailering. Have a place prepared to keep the boat in dry storage year round, no matter if you trailer each day or dock throughout the summer. Boats will not keep well in the open elements, just like anything else.
My opinion on boats after having all of said common power resources is an inboard. I currently have a Mastercraft and that is all I'll continue to use since I discovered these in 1979 for water skiing. Used ones are out there, most in good shape, resell is preserved by the nature of the boat. They do no depreciate near as much as do other types. The inboard has specific uses and purposes but the performance is surpassed by none. All the while they come with roominess and passenger capability.
I'll hush now... Feel free to ask away. I am certain that there are a lot of boat people here with good advice and experience just as mine.
:tiphat:
I've always heard freeboard referred to the height above water. Depth below is "draft" - ie she draws 15" (good for beaching).