Boats are like real estate: when you buy or sell matters almost as much as what you buy or sell. And while the boating lifestyle is all about sunshine and summer fun, the best deals are often made when nobody’s thinking about being on the water.
Whether you’re looking to score a great deal or cash out at the peak of demand, understanding the rhythm of the market can save — or make — you serious money.
Let’s break it down.
The Best Time to Buy a Boat: Winter
It might sound counterintuitive, but the dead of winter is prime time for boat buyers. Why?
Because that’s when the market cools down — literally and figuratively.
Here’s why winter is a buyer’s playground:
Dealers want inventory gone.
Dealerships are sitting on unsold models from the prior year. They need to clear floor space and prep for spring deliveries. That means discounts, incentives, and aggressive pricing — especially in December, January, and February.
Private sellers are motivated.
Storing a boat through the winter isn’t cheap. Fuel costs, insurance, and storage fees pile up fast, and many private owners would rather offload the expense than hold onto it until spring.
Less competition.
While everyone else is thinking about football and snow tires, you’re thinking ahead. Fewer buyers means you can negotiate without getting into a bidding war.
Pro tip: Don’t wait until the first warm weekend in April — by then, prices are rising, inventory is tightening, and sellers suddenly feel like they’ve got leverage.
The Best Time to Sell a Boat: Pre-Summer Surge (Jan–March)
If you’re on the flip side of the transaction, looking to sell your boat, don’t wait until summer is in full swing.
You’ll actually get the best offers before boating season officially kicks off.
Here’s why:
Tax refund season gives buyers cash in hand.
February and March are when many buyers get their tax refunds and start shopping. They’re excited, emotional, and ready to spend.
Inventory is still low.
Unlike summer, when new boats flood the market and listings stack up, early spring sees limited supply. If you list your boat in January, February, or March, you’re catching the window when demand is rising and supply is still tight.
Buyers want boats before summer hits.
Everyone wants to hit the water on Memorial Day — not start shopping then. That means most serious buyers are looking early so they’re ready when the sun comes out.
In short: the best sellers don’t wait until the heat arrives — they list when buyers are dreaming of it.
The Worst Time to Buy or Sell? Mid-Summer
If you’re buying in June or July, expect to pay a premium.
If you’re selling in August or September, expect more competition and pickier buyers.
The market is flooded, inventory is high, and both sides are a little fatigued. You’ll still move boats, but the leverage you had in spring? It’s gone.
Timing = Strategy
Whether you’re a first-time buyer or a seasoned boater looking to upgrade, understanding when to strike is half the game. The truth is:
Buy in the off-season when everyone else is selling.
Sell in early spring, when everyone is eager to buy.
As a marine broker, I see it every year. The smartest clients aren’t always the ones with the deepest pockets — they’re the ones who understand timing, patience, and market cycles.
If you’re thinking about buying or selling a boat, now’s the time to make your move before the rush hits.
Feel free to reach out — sometimes all it takes is a conversation to figure out what your boat’s really worth… or what deal’s quietly waiting to be scooped up while everyone else is still in hibernation.
Brett Bartoli
brettbartoli.com
Leave a Reply