Listing Your Boat in Winter?

Fall and winter are still great times to list your boat! Many buyers spend the winter months online looking for their next boat so they can get out on the water in spring.

Many buyers also love escaping to their computers during the hectic holidays to get their boat searching fix!

If a buyer requires a survey and/or water trial, we can always amend the dates of the sales contract to allow for this when the weather gets better, if mutually agreed. Please see Concerns & Answers at the bottom of this page.

Here are several examples of boats I’ve sold during the winter months – not including any “warm state” boats!

2008 crownline 23 ss lpx in missoula, mt — Sold on **January 3rd, 2019**. This 2008 Crownline 23 SS LPX in **Missoula, MT** was sold to a buyer in Whitefish, MT. It went under contract on December 28th, 2018.

1999 Hunter 260 with Trailer in Livonia, NY — This 1999 Hunter 260 with Trailer in **Livonia, NY** sold to a buyer from Lincoln, Nebraska on **January 8th, 2019**. It went under contract December 5th, 2018.

Custom Retired Chicago Fireboat — Under contract **February 11th** – Sold on April 26th after the lake thawed and the buyers were able to do a water trial. **Sturgeon Bay, WI** to Chicago, IL.

I love selling boats in Alaska in the winter! This 1995 Osprey 22 in **Anchorage** went under contract on the **13th of March and sold on the 24th of April** after the thaw and water trial. The buyers were in Wasilla.

1980 Carver Santa Cruz 28 in Homer, AK — Another Alaska Winter Sale! This 1980 Carver Santa Cruz 28 in **Homer, Alaska** sold “Sight Unseen” to a buyer in North Dakota on **January 18th, 2018**. Under contract December 21, 2017.

2002 Tige 22i in Hope, ID — This 2002 Tige 22i in **Clark Fork, Idaho** went under contract “sight unseen” on **January 18th**, 2018 and sold on the 26th to a buyer in Idaho.

Crownline in WA — This 2000 Crownline 192 BR in **Vancouver, Washington** went under contract on January 20th, 2017 and **sold on February 3rd** to a buyer in Oregon.

This 1978 Delta 43 Charter in **Everett, Washington** went under contract on **January 6th, 2017** and sold on March 31st to buyer in Chehalis, WA.

1994 Hewes 19 Sea Runner - Anchorage, AK — My First Alaska Winter Sale! This 1994 Hewes 19 Sea Runner in **Anchorage** was a “same day sale” on **January 20th, 2016**!

Sea Doo — This 2008 Sea-Doo Challenger 180 in **Piscataway, New Jersey** went under contract on **March 17th, 2016** and sold on April 4th to a buyer in the Czech Republic.

Concerns and Answers:

My boat is in storage/shrink wrapped/winterized. No problem. We can get the listing started with any current photos you have and get out to take more when the weather gets better. It’s usually a bit quiet around Christmas but we get very busy again in mid-January! It’s important to get your boat out there on the market over the winter months so you don’t miss out on any potential buyers.

It’s too cold to do a survey, engine inspection or water trial. We can always set the dates in the sales contract to wait for the weather to get better to allow for these. If your boat is exactly what a buyer is looking for, they will have no problem with this.

I am away for the winter and won’t be able to show the boat. That’s what we’re here for! If your local broker has access to the boat, they can show it on your behalf while you’re away.

I don’t want my boat to ‘fester’ on the market over the winter months. It could take several months to find the ‘right buyer’ in any season so it’s important to get your boat visible as soon as you’re definitely ready to sell. Unlike houses, where location is the most important factor, most buyers are open to buying their perfect boat anywhere in the country.

Who pays for re-winterizaion and/or re-wrap on a winter sale? If a buyer requires a professional inspection and/or water trial, we set the dates in the sales contract to allow for this to happen when the weather is appropriate. We never expect a seller to provide these in the dead of winter. If these take place prior to when a seller would normally be un-winterizing and un-wrapping their boat for the season, the buyer would pay to have this re-done if the boat performed well but they decided not to move forward with the purchase. This would all be clearly spelled out in the contingencies of the contract.