Sell your boat

If you want to feature your boat prominently in search results and on the homepage, our

Premium Package

is the right choice. It comes with a full set of features and optional add-ons. If you're confident your boat will get enough attention based on high-quality photos and detailed descriptions, the 6-weeks

Enhanced Package

is a popular choice. If you’ve priced your boat to sell fast, the

Basic Package

may be the best fit for you. Whichever you choose, all of our packages will help you reach the largest audience of boat buyers in the U.S.

When it comes to writing your boat listing - be as specific as possible. Try to use the boat builder’s specs, minimum draft, exact dimensions, on-board equipment, engine hours, tank capacities, accessories, outfittings and brand names. Get high-quality photos and videos of your clean boat from all angles - bow to stern - both in and out of the water.

When selling a high-value item like a boat, it’s important that you are reaching the most qualified audience. Research shows that paid classified ads generally deliver 10 times the exposure of free ads because they offer more options for marketing your boat - including guaranteed exposure, longer run times, larger ads and photos and videos. Further, paid classifieds make it clear to potential buyers that the seller is serious about selling their boat, and as a result, consumers feel more confident in their shopping experience.

The basic package starts at $69 for 2 weeks of run-time on Boat Trader. Our Enhanced $159 and Premium $229 offer extra added benefits and more run-time than the basic package. On Boat Trader, you only pay the up-front listing fee to advertise and sell your used boat on Boat Trader. We never collect other seller fees or commissions when you sell your boat—only the up-front listing fee!

It depends on where you list your boat for sale. If you list on Boat Trader, you will only incur an up-front listing cost and all of the cash from your sale is yours at the end of the transaction.

Other websites like eBay and OfferUp ask for a percentage of the sale price, or “service fee.” The service fee will increase as your sale price increases. Sites like YachtWorld include broker listings, where brokers typically collect a commission after the sale.

Listing your boat on an online boating marketplace is the best way to get your boat in front of potential buyers fast. Did you know that you can list your boat on Boat Trader’s website in less than 3 minutes? Sites like Boat Trader and boats.com have thousands of local buyers browsing for their next boat each day. Websites such as YachtWorld do not offer a for sale by owner section, and typically need broker representation to have your boat listed there. Other marketplaces like Facebook and Craigslist are worth exploring, but remember that there are other categories that you are competing with other than boating on those sites, so you may not sell your boat as quickly.

The best way to make your boat listing stand out is to clean and detail your boat before listing it, and gather all information, like accessories, engine hours, electronics and even maintenance records if you have them. Next, you should take plenty of photos of your listing. We recommend more than 20 photos to make your boat stand out. Think up-close, detail shots of important parts of your boat, and also take images at every angle, including photos of the engine. As you add information to Boat Trader's listing builder, you will have the ability to include add-ons that will make your listing shine. Those add-ons include placing your listing on boats.com, as well as adding additional photos if you choose the enhanced or basic packages.

Sellers will typically not make as much money on a dealer trade or sale as compared to if you were to sell your boat privately. In many cases, the difference in selling to a dealer versus selling privately can be thousands of dollars. It is always best to try to sell your boat privately first before handing it over to a dealer.

Pricing your boat is very important since the starting price can easily make or break the sale of your boat. Asking too much may dissuade potential buyers from requesting more information, while asking too little may make many buyers suspicious and wary of making an offer. If you find yourself asking “how much is my boat worth?” - it’s important to do your own research to determine your boat’s value. The Boat Trader Price Checker Tool is a great way to learn the range of listed prices for your boat, including the average, lowest and highest prices found in Boat Trader's search results.

A boat bill of sale is a contract used to transfer ownership of a vessel from a seller to a buyer. The agreement must be signed by both parties and may also require a witness signature, boat financing lender approval/signature, and in some cases a notary to notarize. The bill of sale should typically only be filled out and signed once the seller has delivered the watercraft to the buyer, and the buyer has remitted payment to the seller.

The speed at which a boat will sell varies. Advertising your boat in as many places as possible will typically allow you to sell faster than listing it in only one place. Boat Trader offers the ability to list in multiple places—by exporting your listing to boats.com with a simple add-on once you are ready to check out.

If you’re looking to get your boat sold as soon as possible, price is probably the main determining factor in how fast a boat will sell. Listings priced below market values will sell typically faster. A great way to ensure your boat is priced correctly is by using Boat Trader’s Price Checker Tool, or browsing similar listings in your area to determine a fair price.

Online boating marketplaces like Boat Trader and boats.com are the best way to get your boat in front of local buyers quickly. Other methods should not be overlooked in addition to these online marketplaces—like placing a for sale sign on your boat in your driveway or in a public location.

We hear many customers ask, "How do I know what my boat is worth?" Boat Trader's Price Checker Tool can give you insight into current market value for a boat you own or are looking to sell. Boat Trader offers the largest selection of boats for sale in America, and we also recommend using Boat Trader's search to find similar boat listings in your region. Using Boat Trader's search can also help determine a fair price for your boat and understand its market value.

No! Regardless of price point, type or size, Boat Trader will help you reach the most boat buyers in your area. This includes all types of boat buyers interested in a wide variety of boat types and price ranges—big or small.

About 81% of boats listed for sale by owner on Boat Trader sell within 12 weeks*. There are many factors that play into how long it may take to sell your boat. These factors include the quality of your boat listing (Does it include photos and video? Do you have maintenance records for the duration of ownership?). In addition, price is likely the biggest factor in time to sale. If you choose to price your boat at or below market value, it may take you less time to sell it.

*Boat Trader survey, 2022