Watercraft we broker
Choose the right kind of boat before you shop the price
A great deal on the wrong type of boat is still the wrong boat. Start with how you will use it, then let us find and negotiate the one that fits.
Six types
Find your kind of boat
Who each type suits, and where its buyers tend to overpay.
Best for families and groups who cruise, swim and anchor on lakes. The trap is a low advertised price built on an engine too small for the boat.
Pontoon buying notes → 02Wake and ski boatsBuilt for crews who surf, wakeboard or ski most weekends. The trap is paying new-boat money for ballast and tower options you could find used.
Wake boat buying notes → 03Center console boatsSuited to coastal anglers and day trippers who want open deck space. The trap is outboard and electronics packages that swing the quote widely.
Center console buying notes → 04Fishing boatsBass, multi-species and aluminum boats for anglers on inland water. The trap is a package price that hides the motor, trailer and rigging lines.
Fishing boat buying notes → 05Cruisers and yachtsFor owners who want to overnight aboard and travel between ports. The trap is skipping a full survey, then inheriting the last owner's deferred bills.
Cruiser and yacht buying notes → 06Personal watercraftThe low-cost way onto the water for one to three riders. The trap is freight, prep and doc fees that take a large share of a small purchase.
PWC buying notes →How to choose a type of boat
Most buyers start with a brand or a photo. We start with four questions.
Where will it float?
A small, calm lake forgives almost any hull. A large reservoir, a bay or open coastal water does not. Hull shape, freeboard and weight decide how a boat handles chop, and salt water changes which engines, trailers and hardware hold up.
Who comes along?
Count the people you will carry on a normal day, not the best day of the summer. Every boat has a capacity plate, and a boat loaded near that limit is slower, wetter and less fun. Small children, older parents and dogs all push you toward more deck space and shade.
What tows it, and where does it sleep?
Towed weight includes the trailer, fuel and gear, not only the brochure's dry weight.
What will you honestly do with it?
Buy for the use that fills most of your days on the water. A boat built for one job does it well. A boat that promises every job does each one passably, which can still suit a family with mixed interests.
IFInland lake, a big mixed-age crew, cruising and swimming
→THENA pontoon. Decide on two or three tubes before anything else.
IFSurfing, wakeboarding or skiing is the reason you are buying
→THENA purpose-built wake or ski boat, new or carefully inspected used.
IFCoastal or big-water fishing and day trips
→THENA center console sized for the water you will cross.
IFWeekends aboard, with a cabin, a galley and a head
→THENA cruiser, with a survey and a real annual cost estimate first.
IFSmall tow vehicle, tight storage, one to three riders
→THENA personal watercraft, or a modest aluminum fishing boat.
Types without their own page
Bowriders and deck boats are the all-rounders of inland boating, suiting families who want some towing, cruising and swimming. Sailboats are a different purchase again, with rigging and sails to assess on top of the hull and engine. We can represent you on any of these. The work is the same: find the boat, price it against comparable listings, negotiate the out-the-door number, review the purchase agreement, and help you arrange an independent marine survey.
Whatever the type, the lines below the price deserve attention. Our guide to boat dealer fees lists them, and the boat financing page shows what a loan term does to the total.
Next step
Not sure which type fits? Start with the water.
Tell us where you boat, who comes along, what you tow with and where the boat will be kept. We will help you settle on a type before anyone quotes a price.