How Much Are Used Pontoons And Tritoons
1995 Sweetwater 20 with 30HP Mercury 2-Stroke = $5,499
2000 Crest 25 with 50HP Mercury 4-Stroke and Trailer = $10,995
2004 Bennington 2275 RL with 115 Yamaha 4-Stroke = $16,999
2011 Harris 20 Sunliner with 115HP Mercury 4-Stroke = $21,999
2014 G3 G322F Tritoon w/ 150HP Yamaha 4-Stroke = $29,300
2014 Manitou Explode Tritoon w/ 250HP Honda 4-Stroke = $39,900
2015 AquaPatio 240EL3 Tritoon w/ 300HP Evinrude 2-Stroke = $54,999
If you decide to go with a used pontoon or tritoon, youll want to watch these two videos:
What Issues Will Negatively Affect A Boats Price
Learn what is and isnt a big issue when pricing a used boat. Just like with a home inspection, a boat survey and sea trial will generate a list of items that may need to be addressed. This is normal and doesnt mean that its a bad boat.
Large issues should be addressed by the seller and may include significant engine malfunction, de-lamination of the hull, sailboat rigging failure and anything that will require dismantling parts of the boat to fix such as replacing failing fuel tanks. Smaller problems like outdated electronics, worn canvas and overall cosmetics will need to be taken on by the buyer. If the offer comes in low, the seller wont be motivated to make many changes. Understanding the importance of each issue will make negotiations go more smoothly.
Stick To Your Buying Goals
This is the bottomline of how you purchase an angling boat and not spend more than whats worth. Avoid any sugar-coated deal or boat price from sellers by looking into recommendations from experienced boaters.
Always stay within maritime protocols, your angling goals and budget limits to prevent expensive repairs and save your resources. Instead, make it your best buy for a good fish hunt either in protected areas or open seas.
Check this YouTube Video by the Budget Sportsman on how to find a fishing boat even without a big budget.
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Pricing A Preowned Boat
Preowned boats are much more difficult to get a decent price for. Used boats are almost never pristine, no matter how well they are maintained. There are three overall categories that can be used to determine a boat’s condition. From most important to least: Mechanical such as engine hours and performance, status of the hull, health of the deck, etc. After that comes the boat’s rigging which include the mast, boom, sails, stays, and shrouds.
Arguably the least important category is the cosmetic side of things. Is the gel coat intact? Is the wood trim deteriorating? You can easily patch cosmetic issues long enough for the sale to go through, and honestly as long as the engine and rigging are in working order I don’t much mind sailing on a boat that isn’t the prettiest thing on the water. I say it just adds personality… Or maybe that’s just my way of compensating. Regardless, many cosmetic repairs are easy fixes that you can do yourself with very little experience or investment.
Example Pontoon Boat Price Guide
What I did was contact dealers around the United States to see what their average prices were on a set of the most popular boats currently on the market for 2018. If you are reading this guide after that point, then you can assume that the prices will probably have gone up.
Handy Hint: Bear in mind, pontoon boats can differ in price from state to state. Strange, but true! It sometimes pays to shop around, and then trailer back home despite distances.
Heres that list of pontoon costs based on the top 10 most popular models of 2017 into 2018:
- Avalon LS Cruise 18 Foot $14,742
- Bennington 188SL $15,875
- Harris Grand Mariner 250 $48,482
- Sylvan Mandalay 8525 Sport Lounger £52,607
Handy Hint: Prince Craft let you pick your boat and spec to generate a price. You can try for yourself here and build a pontoon to your own spec and preference.
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What Does Boat Insurance Cover
The answer to this question depends largely on what you want out of your insurance plan. Be sure to contact your insurance agent if you have any questions. Theyll be happy to help you find a policy that covers all of your needs. What you shouldnt do, however, is assume that your pontoon boat is always covered without contacting your agent first.
Here are some things to consider when finalizing your insurance policy:
How Much Should The Listing Price Guide My Offer
Listing prices for boats, cars or homes are just an initial request. Savvy sellers/brokers may have priced a boat accurately and the sale may be quick and the amount will be close to the initial request. However, poorly researched and unrealistic listing prices can be thousands of dollars off the mark. Do your research first, consider the condition and outfitting of the boat and then make a reasonable offer. Dont be swayed by the listing. If the seller makes only a small concession in a counteroffer, walk away. Its not unusual for initial offers to be 20% lower than the asking price.
Editors Note: This article originally appeared in September 2019, and was updated in April 2020 and March 2021.
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Setting Used Boat Prices
Another place to look for used boat prices is on boating websites. Boatdealers.ca attracts hundreds of buyers looking for boats every day. Look at boats for sale that are similar to yours and see what they are selling for.
Features are important, as buying a boat tends to be an emotional decision. That said, however, pricing your boat properly is crucial. Used boat prices vary widely based on the size and type of boat you are selling. Price is one of the first things that first-time buyers look for. They may not know enough about boating yet to realize that price isn’t the only criterion for a purchasing decision.
We believe that selling your boat should an easy process, so we offer our clients a simple way to list boats for sale. For a one-time flat fee, you can list your boat with any length description and as many photos as you deem necessary. You pay no commissions on your sale, and you can leave your ad up until your boat sells, without paying extra. Finally, we give you double exposure by placing your ad on our sister site, boat-listings.com. To get started, visit boatdealers.ca and place your ad today.
How Much Does A Pontoon Boat Cost 8 Driving Factors Behind Pricing
Youre staring out at the blacktop pavement thats literally steaming because its 100 degrees outside. As you turn the air conditioning down even colder, you think to yourself, when will summer end?
The kids new pastime is watching T.V. in the cool, dark basement while youre finding any fan in the house to sit in front of. Family time has turned into fighting over the last popsicle in the freezer.
After weeks of trying to find the coldest air vent in the house, something needs to change. How can you bring the family together this summer? How can you beat the heat and enjoy the great outdoors?
There are the obvious options like running through the sprinkler or tearing out your entire backyard to put in a pool. Theres one choice that really gets the family excited and thats a boat. After vetting what type of boat is best for you, you settle on a pontoon boat.
Boating has always appealed to you, but you have no clue how much this new venture will cost. Can you afford a pontoon boat? What should you budget for? Are you going to sacrifice the kids college fund or that next trip to Europe just to cruise the lake?
Here at Barletta Pontoon Boats we have many different price points, and the industry has even more. What does this mean for you?
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How Much Is Pontoon Boat Maintenance Each Year
Every year, your pontoon will require some level of maintenance. Check the owners manual for the engine to find out specifics but items like oil and gear lube changes , impeller changes , new batteries , winterization services and 100 hour services.
For most new boats, budgeting $250 to $450 engine will cover you in most areas of North America.
How To Find Out How Much Boat You Can Afford
Most people can afford a boat that has a monthly payment that is 10% or less than their monthly income. However, if you already have many other debts such as a high mortgage/rent, high auto loan, and child support payments, you may not be able to afford that much boat.
If you want to know exactly how much you can afford, I created a simple calculator that you can use that calculates it for you. To check it out, click on this link here.
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What Are The Best Pontoon Boats
Some of the most notorious designers of pontoon boats as of today include: Bennington, Sylvan, Sun Tracker, Harris and Barletta. These builders produce pontoon boats models with outboard, outboard-4S, inboard, inboard/outboard and outboard-2S propulsion systems, available in gas, diesel, electric and other fuel systems. In the past 30 days, the top, most-viewed pontoon boats brands on Boat Trader were Avalon, Bennington, Manitou, Premier and Sun Tracker.
How Will Depreciation On Your Boat Affect You
Based on the numbers, it would seem that some boats are better off buying used, and some boats are better off buying new. Or, at least certain ones of the new boats wont depreciate as much as other boats.
You cannot say how a boat will depreciate in general unless you specify which boat type we are dealing with.
The depreciation rate is affected by the materials being used on the boat and the price of a new boat. So many things come into play here.
Also, it seems that in some cases, youd be better off selling at different points in time.
Here are some things you can do to fight the depreciation and make sure you get the best price possible for your boat when you are ready to sell it.
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Make Comparison Between Used And New Boats
First make up your mind on whether you are going for new or used boat. Once you drive the boat out of the dealers shop, it starts depreciating in value. This means the initial investment on the boat is depreciated already. You can get an almost-new boat if you look rather for a slightly used boat to buy and such boat can be purchased at just a fraction of the cost for new.
You need to plan carefully before you buy a boat considering the fact that it involves major financial commitment. There is no better way to get helpful hint on how to buy the best boat for your use.
Pontoon Boat Lift Prices
Pontoon boat storage will probably be one of the banes of your boat ownership experience. Yes, you might love your boat while youre out and about, enjoying the breeze in your hair while you crack open a cold one. But when its time to tuck that baby in, you might find yourself reeling with questions.
The biggest difficulty with storage is that you have to find the perfect balance between security and convenience. And thats why boat owners who have extra green turn to boat lifts to quench the fires of confusion and stress. If youre looking to join in on the bandwagon, heres a quick guide on pontoon boat lift prices.
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Other Expenses That You Should Take In Account
Besides just depreciation, there are many other expenses you need to consider when purchasing a boat. Some of these include boat insurance , Storage , maintenance , plus many smaller things such as equipment and accessories.
Never go into buying a boat thinking of it as any kind of investment. Boats are almost always a liability that will cost you money year after year, but there are some things that you can do to keep them from losing a lot of their value as Ive explained above.
How Much Does The Engine Factor Into The Price
The engine makes up a huge portion of the price of any boat. In the case of a pretty standard new pontoon boat, youll see a new 150hp engine selling for about $12,000 and the rest of the price is the actual boat. It is important to realize this, because the boat itself will likely be on the water even 15 or 20 years from now if its well built and taken care of. The engine, will likely be unreliable at that age, so when youre buying a used boat, keep in mind that the motor is first and foremost.
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Dont Expect To Be Covered By Your Homeowners Policy
The notion that homeowners insurance covers boats is one of the biggest misconceptions that new pontooners make. Its never a good idea to assume that anything is covered by insurance, so take the time to carefully read your policy. Otherwise, youre setting yourself up for a bad day in the event that your pontoon gets damaged.
Part of the reason that people have this misunderstanding about homeowners insurance is because some policies do cover boats. However, these boats small, usually without an engine, and inexpensive. Your pontoon, which is probably worth anywhere between $15,000 and $45,000, will not be covered by homeowners insurance in any circumstances.
Choice Of Engine / Motor
When you buy a new boat, think very carefully about how you are going to be using it. I always recommend that beginners go for something smaller, but at the same time, if you are going to be pulling inflatable tubes, you will need a motor with a bit of power.
You will also need to think about how many passengers you will have on any given day when out on the water. These factors will dictate what type of motor you opt for, and it can make a massive difference to how much a pontoon boat costs.
Handy Hint: I wrote a guide about what you should consider when choosing the right engine for your pontoon boat. You can read it here, as it will help you when talking to a dealer.
With the average lifespan of a pontoon boat being around 18 years, they are built to last. The same cant always be said of the motors, and its highly likely you will need to change or upgrade it at some point during the ownership period.
With that in mind, dont scrimp on quality or horse power if you can afford it. Believe it or not, new boat engines can sometimes sell for $14,000 so when you see your boat price, that will be factored in. Having a high-quality motor that comes with a warranty, from a good brand, and that will last a long time is essential.
Generally speaking, if the boat you are looking at has a 90 horse power engine but you think you are going to need 115hp, then you could be looking at a maximum price increase of up to $3,700.
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The Last Word On Boat Insurance
You may not think boat insurance is a justifiable expense, but youll glad you have it if there comes a time when you use it.
There are a number of insurance providers out there who specialize in insuring boats and other watercraft, as well as big name companies like State Farm, Allstate, Geico, and Progressive. If you want to learn more, call your insurance agent today and ask them, how much does pontoon boat insurance cost?
What Makes Up Most Of The Price
Much of the final price of a Pontoon Boat is its engine. In a $20,000 pontoon boat, the engine itself is likely to cost around $11,000. This means that when you buy a boat, youre mainly paying for the engine. This means that when youre purchasing a second-hand boat, you should always ensure that the engine is in good condition as its what youre paying for. Theres no point in the boat being spotless if the engine is in bad condition.
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Why Are Pontoon Boats Popular
Pontoon boats are popular for their very deep draft and average beam, attributes that make these boats a great option for day cruising, freshwater fishing and watersports. From our current listings, the average number of passengers that pontoon boats can hold onboard is 12 people with a maximum of 20. Also, with 12,101 pontoon boats now listed for sale and 1,893 boats added in the past 30 days, Boat Trader is confident youll find the boat you are looking for.
- Explore BoatTrader.com
Pontoons Prices Will Range From:
$16K for a small 16 with a 20HP
$29K for a 20 with a 90HP
$35K range with a 24 with a 115HP
$43K for a 22 triton with a 150HP
$100K for a tritoon 25 with 450HP
$5K to $40K for used pontoons in the most popular set ups.
See some specific examples below from some of the more popular pontoon brands on the market today.
| PontoonModel | |
| $663 | Luxury Level |
Now, theres more to the cost of a pontoon than just the base boat costs. There are options, increases in HP, pontoon insurance, boat loan terms, boat storage, maintenance and repair.
So, Ive broken everything down as clear and detailed as possible, so you have the full picture of the costs involved in buying a pontoon or tritoon. Plus, there are some outstanding video resources included.
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