Boat Show Buying Tips

How to buy a boat at a boat show

Boat shows are a way in which you can view several boats at the same time. It gives you the ability to gain access to the top manufacturers, brands, and vendors in the market. Because of this, you may find that the boat show experience is a bit daunting, especially if your purpose for attending is not just to see great boats but to purchase one of the boats available. Should you wish to purchase a boat for sale, here are a few boat show buying tips.

Know the type of boat you wish to purchase

While there may be 1800 boats available at a given show, this does not mean that you need, or even have the time to, look at every model available. Narrowing down the type of boat which you wish to purchase is a great way in which to focus your attention where they need to be. If you are seeking a Center Console, understand that this market has various sections. You have the smaller fishing CCs, the leisure CC boats, and even HCB Center Console Yachts.

Not sure which boat type is the best for you? That is ok. Vessel Vendor’s site can help you before the show. If you have a general idea as to the function of the boat, you can browse our selection of pre-owned boats, as well as use our information page to find out more about the intended use for any model.

How big do you wish to go?

While the type of the vessel is very important when attending a boat show and looking for your next dream boat, the LOA is also important. Realistically, while you may find the boat that is the biggest and the best priced, the truth may be that you either cannot haul and store it, or that the boat will have no practical purpose on the water it is intended for (you can’t sail a 70’ yacht in a 60’ pond). Keep in mind that most boat trailers are suited to accommodate vessels of up to 40’. While there are some which are specifically designed for the Yacht sized vessel, you will need to know the size of the vessel and the beam of the boat, or at least have a general idea before you start looking at the boats for sale at a boat show.

Think about the motor

Once you have the type of boat that you wish to purchase as well as the size of the boat, the selection of vessels will be manageable. Where there were once 1800 vessels, you may now find that you have only 300 or so. You can still narrow down the search by considering the motor configuration. In fact, this is a very important aspect of boat buying. Depending upon the type of vessel that you choose, you may have the option of an inboard or an outboard motor. If you decide to purchase a boat with an outboard motor, think of the various brands. Floridians will find that Yamaha, Mercury, and Seven Marine are the top brands for outboard motors.

Don’t wait until the last day

It is tempting to wait until the last day to find a boat. The idea is that since it is the last day, that the boat prices will be lowered in order to move the boats quickly. And while this may be true for a few boats, this is not necessarily true for the majority of the boats offered. It is far better that you attend the show earlier in the event. Some dealers may have sold out of their stock if you wait until the last day. Additionally, depending upon the time that you arrive to the show, you may greatly limit your time to view potential boats for sale if you wait until the last day.

What to do if you find a boat but can’t purchase it that day?

Should you find a boat that you desire but cannot purchase the boat on the day that you attend the boat show event, you may still be able to purchase the boat. You could commission the vessel from the manufacturer, but this can be expensive. Secondly, you could look for the vessel in the classified ads. However, this is a bit sporadic in its results.

Vessel Vendor offers a means of finding a pre-owned vessel on a reputable listing site. Our site specializes in pairing qualified buyers with listers eager to sell. Should you wish to list your boat for sale, you will find that our intuitive platform makes it easy to place the specifics of your boat on our site, alongside pictures of your boat, and choose the packaging best suited for your advertisement needs.

If you need more information on boat buying, listing your boat or yacht for sale, or to find out more about Vessel Vendor, please fill out the appropriate form on our site and we will answer your question quickly. We look forward to hearing from you soon.