It looks like prices are fairly depressed and it looks like prices are coming down already later in the season. I see a lot of boats sitting on Boat Trader and the classifieds all summer.

Do you guys think this will continue and people will be getting real desperate come winter? Or do you think boats have found the floor?

I'm thinking this is just the start. But curious what others think.

I know when my boat was up for sale I had a bunch of calls Jan-April. Then may hit and crickets. I thought that was odd.

I sold a running, working boat with nice trailer and outboard for $475 yesterday. Granted, it was a POS, but still. A few years ago any boat that worked would have been $800-1200.

I am just glad mine is sold and I don't have to deal with it.

Sales usually pick up after the first of the year once boat show season starts up and people start getting the bug again.

Everything else being equal I think the big drop in boat prices has ended. Prices generally rise in the spring and drop as winter approaches. Next spring they will rise again.

This isn't 2008 and the massive repos and short sales are likely a thing of the past. Again assuming the economy doesn't move one way or the other.

Yes there are people still asking too much for boats but check out the number and prices that say, Shorgren is moving boats. That to me is a pretty good gauge of what the market is doing.

As for individuals? Who knows, I see one boat listed for $100K higher than another model and make of the same year. For $40K I can rebuild both motors, new interior, refurbish the drives and still have some $$ left over to touch up the paint and gel. So who knows but the seller why they think thier boat is worth $100K more than every other boat of the same year and make. Likely it will be one of those boats that sits in the classifieds for 3 years.

I have an LS powered jet boat for sale, and i'm prepared to let it sit in my shop until spring....it didn't go up for sale until after the peak of boating season, unfortunately.

I think at least in the Northeast, boat prices will drop from 5% for those who can afford to hold on, all the way to 30-40% for those who are desperate for the cash. I know some pretty decent boats in the sub 10K category have gone dirt cheap this year in NYS

Every owner is different. If I have to wait until the spring to sell mine I'll want a lot more for it. Now is a good time to get a deal before they are winterized.

I let mine go for less than I wanted to so I wouldn't have to winterize and pay insurance and slip rent all winter long.

I would think if you are a buyer, now is the time to buy. If you are a seller, try to hold on until after the first of the year.

Just my opinion.

the problem is that the guy's that are selling there boat's price them so high that's why they sit forever with out being sold .
just an example there's a 1997 35 sonic for sale and the guy is asking $85 k the book value on it is 1/2 that .
most of the boat's are price $ 20+ k above book value.
a lot of performance boater's don't understand when you buy a boat you loose money that's just a fact , i think those seller's when they bought there boat they got tricked into thinking it was an investment
there are some good deal's out there rite now from people that own there boat's out-rite ,the people that owe to the bank are underwater and would have to come up with a large chunk of cash to sell and since they don't have the cash the boat's sit and loose's more value every year .
and yes , i think boat's will keep loosing value with the way this economy is going

mike