Where to sell your boat

List it yourself on a boat marketplace

Boat marketplaces put your boat in front of people already searching for one. You write the listing, answer the questions and show the boat. Check what each site charges before you list, and for how long the listing runs.

Social marketplaces and local classifieds

Facebook Marketplace and local classifieds cost little or nothing and reach people near you. Expect more messages to sort through, and more of them from people who are not ready to buy.

Trade it in or sell it to a dealer

Often the quickest way and the least work, if a dealer will take your boat: the dealer is the buyer, so there is no listing to run. A dealer has to resell the boat and make a margin on it, so expect an offer below what a private buyer would pay.

Hire a broker

A broker lists the boat, finds the buyer and handles the negotiation, for a commission of typically 8 to 10% of the sale price. On a large boat that commission can buy real work. On most trailer boats it is a lot to pay for what a good listing does.

Sell it on Hull Connect

Hull Connect sits between doing it all yourself and hiring a broker. Your boat goes on the Hull Connect marketplace and into its marketing on social channels, and Hull Connect connects you with interested buyers. You and your buyer complete the sale yourselves.

There is nothing to pay up front. Hull Connect charges 2% of the sale price when your boat sells, and nothing if it does not.

Before you list, wherever you list

The same few things sell a boat on any site.

• Gather your ownership papers, service records and manuals.
• Clean the boat and photograph it in good light, from every angle, with the engine hours showing.
• Set a price from boats like yours that are for sale now.
• Write down what a buyer will ask: length, engine, hours, features, what is included and why you are selling.

Common questions

What is the fastest way to sell a boat?

Selling or trading it to a dealer, because the dealer is the buyer. It usually pays less than a private sale for the same reason: the dealer has to resell the boat.

Is it worth using a broker?

For a large or expensive boat, it can be. A broker earns the commission, typically 8 to 10%, by finding buyers and managing the sale. For most trailer boats that is a lot to pay for work a good listing can do.

How does selling on Hull Connect work?

You list your boat. It goes on the Hull Connect marketplace and is marketed on Hull Connect's social channels, and when a buyer is interested, Hull Connect connects you. You and the buyer complete the sale yourselves, and Hull Connect charges 2% of the sale price when it sells.