What in the Wide, Wide World of Boating is Going On Here?

Who’da thunk it? The boat market has really been turned upside down over the past year and a bit.

Spurred on by social distancing restrictions and many other aspects of the COVID pandemic, the demand for boats of all types and sizes, new and used, has surged. This is a good thing for the boating world, as more people seek to enjoy the unique freedom, invigoration, togetherness, experiences and adventure that boating can bring.

For the past fifteen months or so, the marketplace for pre-owned boat shoppers has become more and more competitive. Throughout the U.S., pre-owned boats are being sold at a faster pace than ever and have been bringing strong value for sellers as the supply of available boats decreases. Yacht brokers and boat dealers across the country are fielding calls and inquiries from all corners as shoppers eagerly search for the right boat. It seems as if there is a whisper about a boat that is coming up for sale, it’s sold before it even makes it to the website.

Pier 33 is a member of the Yacht Brokers Association of America and participates in a nationwide multiple listing system that gives us access to boats being offered cooperatively by other brokers. We are constantly, on a daily basis, monitoring arrival of new boats on the market to match with our shopping clients. Like many shoppers, we’re scouring the marketplace for suitable boats … and making connections for Buyers and Sellers.

With the quick pace of business across that MLS, we are encountering some oddities that we’ll chalk up to brokers being overwhelmed by the level of activity they’ve experienced. The promising “Available” boat is really “Sale Pending” and just hasn’t been updated yet. Or, a sale has already taken place and the listing broker has not updated the status but is leaving the listing online in hopes of starting other conversations with prospective buyers or sellers as they call or visit their website. Very frustrating and not productive, overall, for boat shoppers.

WHAT ARE YOU SHOPPING FOR – TELL US NOW – CLICK HERE

If you are a shopper, let our staff of yacht brokers, Greg Dorow, Tyler Wirick and Tighe Curran, sift through those Maybees to find your Right One. We’ve got a great network of regular contacts within the industry and the right tools to work through the back channels to help you find the Right One.

THINKING OF SELLING? TELL US ABOUT YOUR CURRENT BOAT – CLICK HERE

For boat owners considering a sale of their present boat, there truly – in my 37 years in the business – never been a more advantageous time to sell your boat – IF you are planning to take a break from boating. Values are strong and clean, well-maintained boats are at a premium. Replacing your current boat will require real effort and some good timing to land the next one. When the time is right for you, let’s get your boat on the market and free you up to enjoy the next phase of your boating career.