Using the Keen2Boat Valuation Tool and Understanding Used Boat Prices

When it comes to buying or selling a boat, you want to have a good sense of the market value. For boats, there are things that make valuing a used boat more difficult than a car. Both a car and a boat are going to be significant purchases and where with a car you can reference many price trackers like the blue book, wholesale data and even get quotes online for your trade-in directly, with boats the market is different. Here are a few reasons why. One, there are thousands of different registered boat manufacturers in North America alone, and two, boats are often repowered and re-rigged with different equipment. Thirdly, the number or variables to consider are more vast than the average car; the trailer, salt water use, hours, year, navigation equipment. Cars often have options but they are somewhat confined by model and spec. Boats can be extremely custom. Let’s dive in. 

How to Correctly Search

Using a tool like the Keen2Boat Valuation means you have to have a really specific boat in mind and use the parameters properly. A specific make and model, and the year input can really narrow down the results. You want specific but just enough variability to get a sense of the market. You might even look at a different manufacturers direct competing model to understand the overall market for 21’ bass boats, or 25’ bay boats. Knowing the sales for 3 leading brands in that category is good data. Look at the total sales too, how many have actually been listed. You can get broad ranges when there is limited data.

Why is Your Boat Not Appearing?

If your boat is from a less popular brand, the data just might not be there. Some manufacturers literally produce a handful of boats a year, there may not be any of your model for sale. This is where parameters come in. You might look at the brand as a whole and consider all models and how they are valued. Maybe your boat company is not in business anymore and values have dropped across the board. It could be they are rare and really desirable, either way, you want to see the overall brand with no parameters possibly. And this is where you want to check specific competitive models, or boats that are very similar. 

For buyers, similar objectives remain. What are boats in this category going for and what is this model specifically going for. Add the best parameters for your application. One thing about boats that is noteworthy, is that many boat companies make the same model for decades, so you have to be strategic about the year. The price range is a very good tool to use as well. 

Some Additional Tips

A few tips are to initially just do a broad search, cast a wide net. Then test the make and model search with a year cap. That is going to give an idea of how many boats similar to yours are out there. Year range and price range make it really specific. And again, search comparables from other manufacturers to give yourself an idea of depreciation and the overall market. 

Keep in mind, there is no perfect tool and no perfect valuation. A beautifully restored desirable boat can sometimes get an incredible amount of money, and in other cases barely get more than a poor example. Boats are unique compared to other vehicles. Use the Keen2Boat valuation tool and be creative with it. Use it as a data point and judge the specific boat on its own merits.