see also: | Buyer’s Guide | ex Hire Fleet boats | New boats |

When is the Best Time to Buy a Boat?

Buying a boat is likely to be one of the most significant decisions you will ever make and considerable thought and preparation is needed with regards to every aspect of the purchase, including the timing of it.  Deciding the best moment to buy rather depends on whether you are contemplating buying a new vessel or a previously owned boat.  If you are thinking about a brand new boat and have a particular marque in mind, it is a good idea to check out what seasonal offers might be available and even post-Brexit it might still be worth travelling abroad to clinch a few percentage points off the list price.  Such discounts are typically available in autumn and winter. We also recommend visiting the relevant boat shows (which traditionally take place between January and March) as these provide an opportunity to see a wide range of boats in one place and to hone your choice.

Biding your time and playing hard to get can be a means of driving down the cost and sometimes playing one yard off against another can yield positive results, but none of this happens overnight so when you are planning your purchase, remember to factor in the length of time the process might take.  Often, when you are buying a new build, the specification can be amended to suit your individual needs and none of this happens quickly: you need to book a slot at the boat yard and allow for the construction itself, so it is good to factor in a sizeable margin for error.  We recommend working out the point at which your funds will be available and when you would ideally like to start cruising your boat and working back from there.

We suggest that you do your research properly, taking time to try out the kind of boat you are interested in if rental options are available.  You might have an idealised notion of what a particular type of boat is like to handle, only to be disappointed and end up changing your mind altogether (this happened to us and we were lucky enough to be able to recover the deposit we had paid to reserve the built slot).

See > Self-drive hire boating options to Try Before You Buy

The issue of timing is slightly different if you are buying a used boat. In this case, the timescale is likely to be more flexible and you might find that in the autumn when a number of owners have decided to sell the end of the season, there is a glut of boats available, but if you steel your nerve over the winter and allow the owner to sweat a little, then prices might turn out to be more negotiable.

Don’t rush it, don’t be pressured to commit before you are ready and have fun undertaking the necessary research. The best time to buy a boat is the time that suits you!

TIP : If you buy through our partner Boatshed, they have a tried and tested sequence of Preparation and Research, Viewings, Offer, Contract and Deposit, Survey and Ownership. Check out our detailed information.

The Boatshed Sequence

More Buying and Selling Advice from Waterways Boats . . .