What’s My Boat Worth This Spring?

Getting Your Boat Out of Winter Storage? Start by Knowing What It’s Worth

Posted February 3, 2026

For many boat owners, spring isn’t official until the tarp comes off and you’re back on the water. Whether you’re planning to keep your boat for another season or considering selling, refinancing, or insuring it, one question matters more than ever: What is my boat actually worth right now?

After a few years of price turbulence, from the pandemic surge to today’s more normalized market, valuation isn’t a “nice to have.” It’s an essential step in planning your season.

The Market Has Shifted, and Values Reflect It

Boom-times demand and tight supply characterized much of 2020–2022 in recreational boating. While comprehensive industry data shows that the overall market is now settling into a more balanced state, boat pricing trends continue to be nuanced:

Global boat prices overall edged up by 2.4% in the first half of 2024 to an average of about $203,000, compared with earlier flattening trends. Used boats specifically saw a price increase of about 4.2%, reaching around $211,500, while average new boat prices fell by about 3.4% to $174,000. These figures reflect how post-pandemic demand has evolved and how new vs. used segments are now behaving differently.¹

New and used price dynamics are mirrored in market behavior: new boat sales increased modestly, even as used boat sales softened, indicating shifting buyer preferences and inventory pressures.

In short: values haven’t returned to pre-pandemic norms yet, and the market is segmented, which makes current data essential when you’re trying to understand what your own boat might fetch.

Boats Are Still Selling, Just Differently

Industry association data shows that the U.S. boating market continues to be economically significant and active, even if unit sales fluctuate:

Annual U.S. sales of boats, marine products, and services were estimated at about $57.7 billion in 2023, underscoring ongoing consumer participation in the boating lifestyle.²

In 2024, new boat sales accounted for 238,117 units while pre-owned boats accounted for 858,798 units sold in the U.S., representing roughly 78% of all transactions, and reinforcing that used boats remain central to the market.³

These trends are important if you’re prepping your boat for the spring market: there’s still strong interest and a healthy volume of transactions, especially in the used segment.

Why Model Year Isn’t the Whole Story

With boats, a model year tells you almost nothing about the market value on its own.

Two boats built in the same year can vary wildly in price depending on:

engine hours and maintenance history

saltwater vs. freshwater use

upgrades, electronics, rigging, and trailer condition

how quickly similar boats are selling right now

That’s why valuation tools that rely on specifications and market data, not just sheet year, are so much more accurate for today’s market.

Know Your Boat’s History; It Affects Value

Understanding your boat’s history isn’t just good practice, it matters when it comes to value.

Consider questions like:

Has the boat been regularly serviced and winterized?

Was it stored indoors or outdoors?

What condition are the engine(s) and hull in?

Are there major upgrades or custom options?

All of these factors influence what buyers are willing to pay, and they’re often the difference between an accurate valuation and a guess.

A marine survey is always wise when buying or selling; it helps confirm condition and safety. But without current market valuation, survey results can’t tell you what the boat is worth today in real dollars. Price Digests is the home of The ABOS Marine Blue Book with complete boat values, personal watercraft values, and more.

Ready to sell your boat? Start by knowing what it's worth.

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What the Market Is Doing By Segment

Here’s how recent trends are playing out across key boat segments.

1) New vs. Used Sales: A Market Shift

In early 2024, the market showed a divergence between new and used segments:

New boat sales increased (reflecting consumer interest and financing incentives)

Used boat sales declined, yet prices for used boats stayed elevated: a sign that inventory mix and buyer behavior are still adjusting.⁴

This matters because the used boat market has value power right now even if unit sales aren’t growing.

2) A Strong Used Market, but Buyers Are Selective

Despite slower overall sales in some segments, used boat demand continues to show resilience.

Boats, especially those that are well-maintained or slightly used, tend to hold pricing power longer because buyers perceive them as offering better value than new boats in a tight financing environment.

That makes accurate valuation data especially valuable – not just for selling, but for understanding replacement and trade-in strategies.

Why a Reliable Valuation Tool Matters

When you pull your boat out of winter storage, you often need answers quickly:

Should I fix/update this before selling?
Is the current listing price realistic?
What can I expect if I trade this in?
How does my boat compare to similar ones?

With Price Digests Boats Single Search, you can get a spec-adjusted, market-referenced value in moments, not days.

Here’s what that single lookup gives you:

Multiple value types (retail, wholesale, trade-in, finance, etc.) so you know what your boat might reasonably sell for depending on context
Detailed specs and adjustments, so the value reflects the actual boat you own, not a generic baseline
Coverage for boats, personal watercraft, engines, and trailers, making it a complete valuation reference

This is powered by ABOS Marine Blue Book® values, widely used in the industry for dependable valuations.

Why This Matters for Different Types of Boats (Quick Scenarios)

1) Ski Boats

Ski and wake boats can swing widely in value based on engine hours, drivetrain, electronics, ballast systems, and condition. A single lookup gives you a defensible starting point for pricing and helps you avoid underpricing a well-optioned boat or overpricing one that won’t appraise.

2) Pontoons

Pontoon valuations often depend heavily on size, layout, power, and options. In today’s market, where dealers are watching inventory closely, knowing your trade-in and retail bands can keep negotiations grounded (and keep you from anchoring to an optimistic listing price).

3) Leisure / Runabouts / Family Boats

These are popular, high-volume categories where comps matter, and where “similar” boats often aren’t actually similar once you account for packages and specs. A lookup helps you get the right comps faster.

How Current Trends Affect the Season Ahead

As you prepare for spring, here’s what the latest data suggests:

1) Used remains a core market.

With pre-owned boats making up most transactions, understanding your boat’s current worth can help you decide whether to sell, hold, or trade.

2) Prices aren’t uniform.

Used boat prices remain resilient even as new boat prices have softened, meaning you can’t rely on model year alone to price your boat.

3) Inventory mix matters.

New boats have been taking longer to sell in some segments, and buyers are often comparing near-new used vessels to fresh models, a dynamic that affects pricing and sales timelines.

What You Should Do Next

Here’s a simple spring checklist based on current market realities:

Step 1: Document your boat’s specs and condition.

Step 2: Run a Price Digests Boats Single Search lookup toget a current, reliable value.

Step 3: Compare that value to recent listing/sold prices in your region.

Step 4: Decide your strategy: sell, hold, update, or trade—armed with data, not guesswork.

Final Thought

Spring isn’t just about getting back on the water. It’s about doing it with clarity. Market conditions are still settling, and value isn’t the same everywhere or for every boat. But with a trusted, data-driven lookup tool, you can start the season confident you’re steering with facts rather than assumptions.

Start your season informed and know what your boat is really worth. Use Price Digests Boats Single Search for instant valuation.