I grew up on a lake, and am living on the same lake again at 56. We have a boat and usually get out on the water a few times per week. It's a great way to relax with family and enjoy nature. We see all kinds of birds, explore the many coves, critique the neighbors' landscaping & architecture, swim, ski, enjoy cold beers & good music. Our boat is a tritoon, which is a great type of boat for cruising around slowly, and economically, but also has a large enough motor for skiing. The motor is a Honda, using the same V-6 engine block as their Accord, so it's very dependable. (I've watched YouTube videos of professional saltwater charter captains with 5000+ trouble-free hours on theirs.) We've put about 100 hours on ours in the past year.
I would not have purchased this boat if we didn't live on the water. I wouldn't make payments on a boat, or any other toy. But there are affordable ways to get out on the water. Partnering with friends, CL deals, canoes, kayaks, jon boats, inflatables, etc.
I picked up an inflatable boat last Black Friday for carrying along when we travel. It's 12.5' long & is pretty roomy for two people, and can fit up to 5 people. It will go pretty well with a small outboard or electric trolling motor, but can handle up to 25 hp. I was impressed with how well it moves along using the oars that came with it. The boat folds up to about 24"x 48"x 15" & weighs 94 lbs. It was about $800 on sale. It seems pretty durable, but I don't know how long it will last. These cheaper models are made with PVC material which isn't intended for full-time exposure to the sun. So, you either keep it covered or pack it up when it's not being used. The main advantages of inflatables are they're unsinkable, relatively lightweight, pack up small, and don't require a trailer. It's great on small lakes & I'm looking forward to exploring the inlets & rivers at the coast.
Jet skis are another easy way to get on the water. They are lightweight & compact, so are easy to haul behind any car. You can't really hang out in one, like you can lounge in a boat, but you can pull tubes & wakeboards with them. You can use one to ferry a few friends to an island, or private beach away from the crowds, and enjoy that as a base area while taking turns tubing, boarding, or just riding.
That's the beauty of any boat. They can take you away from the crowds to unique places that you'd never see without a boat of some sort. There's a boat for every budget.