Best way to sell a boat?

[2devine]

Looking for a little advice. Selling a boat, what method helped you the most? Leaving your boat with a For Sale Sign in a densely populated area? Websites or local newspaper. Trying to cut out the crazies looking to buy a boat for $1. Thanks in advance.

 

[haknslash]

I don't think newspapers are really relevant these days so try forums like this place, craigslist, ebay, boat trader, etc. With posting on craigslist and places like that you will get some people trying to scam you from India or some flakers but its all part of asking the questions to them to see if they are legit or not. Easy to spot the scammers and crazy low ballers usually.

I've sold many motorcycles through craiglist over the years and I've had success. Haven't been murdered or robbed yet even though one time these huge country boy TN dudes showed up at my house at 5:30am in a massive 4x4 with mudders looking like they would like to take me in the woods and make me squeal like a pig . They ended up buying my bike. This was before craigslist became as big as it was and before some of the crazies. Thankfully these days police stations in my area offer a 'safe online trade zone' right by the station for online transactions. These days I would feel safer buying or selling at one of those types of safe zones near a police station unless I knew the person I was dealing with.

Personally I wouldn't like my boat sitting in some public lot all alone with a for sale sign in fear someone would do something or steal it.

 

[giroux68]

sold my last boat on Craigslist. Bought 2 from boat trader. higher end boat, go with boat trader. You'll get crazy calls either way. And I have a bridge for sale if some one wants to send me a cashier check and I'll send you a personal check for some change....

 

[mraz72]

I sold a 2015 192 in less than a month on craigslist, never gave a test drive.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

Boattrader or eBay are pretty solid communities ------ and dont forget our classified section!

 

[itsdgm]

I've had great success on Craigslist. In fact I had a buyer for my previous boat in less than an hour of posting the add.

 

[Beachbummer]

One possibility that you can consider in addition is letgo and carousel. They are for phone only, but are gaining exposure. I've sold a few things on let go, including a boat.

 

[2devine]

Thanks it seems like it's just going to be crap shoot if I pull the trigger giroux68 I wish I had 10 cents for every thousand dollars I have investigated in scams. I always like the grandchild in jail in Canada and needs cash Western Union, when the grandkid lives next door. So sad. But not as sad as if I really sell this boat. Keep safe everyone!!!

 

[CraigAR]

I've sold 4 boats in my time and many other toys as well. The best advice I can give you is to take your time when taking pictures. Try different angles, sit down and take a picture looking up at the boat and the sky etc etc. You want to show off your boat so take a lot of pictures and delete the ones that don't come out good. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Every boat I've sold was off Craigslist.

 

[Beachbummer]

I would add a quick video with the boat running gives an edge. You can host in YouTube as available to anyone with a link.

Don't be discouraged by the fraudsters, they are normally very easy to spot. As soon as you insist on requirement to deal in person with driver's license on hand, they dissapear like magic.

 

[ggreen]

Before the new jet boat I sold an old 23 Mako and spent more time dealing with scammers than actually talking to someone about the boat. It all stopped and got it sold to real buyer after I added this sentence.

"The transaction of this boat will be conducted in the lobby of the local Police Department. "

 

[Julian]

Craigslist combined with this forum!

 

[Venkman]

I have recently (May) sold a boat for my father in law and I can tell you no matter what service you use you will have to deal with more scammers than actual potential buyers. I would say in my experience it was 4 to 1. I used Craigslist, Boattrader and facebook market place. I would not suggest facebook market place, unless you have a huge network of friends (since I am not a 15 year old girl, I do not). Boattrader was in my opinion a waste of time and money, I got a lot of "leads" emailed to me, but every one of them was from someone trying to pull a form of the Nigeria Scam on me. Craigslist was the best option, don't forget to place your ad outside of your immediate craigslist area. For example, I live in Tulsa, but I also placed it in the OKC and Northwest Arkansas areas, which ultimately lead me to sell the boat. Once you make the initial craigslist add it just takes a little time to copy the information to a new advertisement.