How to buy a boat — by type, direct from the owner
No broker spin. Each guide covers what the type is really like, the failure points a surveyor checks, what they cost to buy and own, and a pre-purchase checklist — then points you straight to boats for sale by owner.
Motor yachts
Planing to displacement, single vs twin diesels, the systems that cost money, and the survey that saves you.
900+ listed · ~$118k typical 🏠Houseboats
Cruisers vs floating homes, pontoon-log corrosion, house systems, and the moorage question that makes or breaks the deal.
228 listed · ~$89k typical ⛵Sailing yachts
Rig and keel types, standing-rigging age, the keel-hull joint, deck-core moisture, and the offshore-vs-coastal call.
90 listed · ~$107k typical 🛶Pontoon boats
Two-tube vs tritoon, tube inspection and leaks, deck rot, the right outboard, and spotting a budget rebadge.
134 listed · ~$54k typical ⛵Catamarans
Bridgedeck clearance, hull-deck joints, saildrives, ex-charter vs owner boats, and why they hold value.
38 listed · ~$591k typical 🚢Trawlers
Long-range displacement cruising, single vs twin, tankage and tank corrosion, stabilization, and passage-maker prep.
Passage-makers · ~$695k typicalThe buy & sell playbook
The full order-of-play for any vessel: survey, sea trial, engine hours, title & documentation, escrow, insurance and finance.
Every buyer should read this 📊The boat price index
Real asking-price data from every boat listed on HulloShips — medians and ranges by type and length. Updated from live listings.
Data report