Used Boat Market Getting 'Thin' ???

[tpenfield]

I usually scan the boat advertisement sites every few weeks, particularly in the 24 - 33 foot size range, checking a variety of sites just to see what of interest is out on the used boat market.

One thing that I have noticed this year is that there seems to be fewer boats for sale . . . maybe 1/2 or 1/3 the amount that I recall in previous years. Lots of really old boats, dating back into the 1970's and 1980's, on CL, etc., but not as much in the more prime used market. Usually this time of year there are lots of boats for sale, but it does not seem that way as compared to a few years ago.

Just wondering if other folks here have noticed the same. :noidea:

 

[Scott Danforth]

a few years ago, people may have been liquidating due to high fuel prices or other financial reasons. Plenty of used boats down here in Florida.

 

[tpenfield]

a few years ago, people may have been liquidating due to high fuel prices or other financial reasons. Plenty of used boats down here in Florida.

Florida always seems to have plenty of boats , a lot of the boats that come up on my web searches are in Florida . I am thinking that in the northesast the inventory is drying up.

 

[JoLin]

New York Newsday just a couple weeks ago reported that new boat registrations in New York have dropped by 20% in the last 8 years. If you factor in the 2007 market crash, an 8 year recovery, high fuel prices until recently, and Superstorm Sandy, you've got a triple whammy that impacted boat sales big time.

I'd say your observation is probably accurate.

My .02

 

[southkogs]

Lotsa' BIG boats in the Nashville market right now (or at least a few days ago). Atlanta is typically pretty active too.

 

[shrew]

It's fall, a time of year when boats don't typically sell. If you're looking on online brokerages (yachtworld, boats.com, etc) then they charge by the month to post your boat. A lot of folks pull their adds this time of year because they don't want to pay for them through the winter. The economy is up, unemployment is down and fuel WAS down for almost 18 months.

Admittedly, registrations i other states like CT are inline with the reports of NY, down significantly.

 

[gm280]

Fall IS a great buyer's market, but a very poor seller's market. People don't usually think boating going into Fall and Winter. So if you are planning to buy a used boat, this is the time. But the assortment isn't there for those reasons. In my area, I see tons of boats for sell or trade and the folks are wanting ATVs and hunting equipment. But then the boats I normally see are not in the larger luxury line but more in the fishing, Bass and runabout types.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Midwest has a ton of boat sales this time of year as people are thinking of upgrading, and dont want to worry about winterizing.

 

[jkust]

I will say that is the case for the PWC market as the economic downturn caused sales to drop substantially for several years. Lots of new one, old beaters from the early 2000's and previous and not a ton in the sweet spot. I had wanted to buy another supercharged, newer PWC from a private party but they didn't materialize like I had hoped. There were a few but not a lot. As for boats, I've noticed a healthy number of them up for sale this fall as people try to unload before winter in my state of MN. I pay attention to the 22-24 or so foot size as I still get my craigslist updates from when I bought my current boat this past spring. Here there is usually a distinct period when the boats hit the market in big numbers being in the spring for upgrading and in the fall for exiting.

 

[boatman37]

i look at eBay every night for new listings in the 26-32' range and i noticed the last 2 days hardly any new listings. i'd say on average it has been about 30-40 per day listed and the last 2 days was more like 10

 

[SeaDooSam]

I did notice that. Much fewer boats here in MA and in ME where I boat.