Recommendation for a Boat Broker?

P-3 Guy · 01-30-2025, 01:43 PM

An organization on Lake Winnipesaukee I am familiar with is in the process of marketing for sale a used boat. They are looking for a boat broker to assist with the process. Can anyone provide a recommendation based on personal positive experience? Thanks in advance.

Descant · 01-30-2025, 02:53 PM

Depends on the boat. If it is something with a local dealer, the local dealer will likely get the most traffic and can do minor fixes to move the sale along. I have used Irwin Marine in that regard and have bought and sold boats through them for many years. (603) 524-6661. I currently have a boat for sale (2001 Sea Ray 400 Sedan Bridge, twin diesels) through United Yacht Brokers (Tom Thomas from Birch Island) looking for a broader market beyond Winnipesaukee. He is based in RI. He was my buyer broker when I bought this most recent boat and he participated in the survey and sea trials. He also set up the delivery captain and worked with Miles Marine to move the boat from the Forked River to NH. So, I liked the broad set of connections. In addition to Tom's lake experience as a young man, he also worked at Irwin Marine (sales) for 10 years. He's at (401) 862-8620.

You can also sell through the NH Boat Museum auction in July. You can put a reserve on the price and the buyer pays the premium, so no commission as such. I don't know how this would work if you have a listing agreement with a broker.

fatlazyless · 01-30-2025, 03:25 PM

Fay's Boat Yard in Gilford ...... www.faysboatyard.com/status/used ...... is a very good used boat seller. Just look at the good job they do with their website plus they have a low commission fee, too.

Highest quality, lowest price commission ....... Fay's Boat Yard ...... all you need to know (period!).

codeman671 · 01-30-2025, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by P-3 Guy

An organization on Lake Winnipesaukee I am familiar with is in the process of marketing for sale a used boat. They are looking for a boat broker to assist with the process. Can anyone provide a recommendation based on personal positive experience? Thanks in advance.

What brand/type of boat? That will help guide answers in the right direction.

Honestly, I have better luck selling my own. I have sold 3 since November. The first 2 were on Facebook marketplace and the 3rd on Boattrader. My center console was listed with a broker on the seacoast but I was able to advertise myself. I was getting more traffic than they were.

Descant · 01-30-2025, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by codeman671

What brand/type of boat? That will help guide answers in the right direction.

Honestly, I have better luck selling my own. I have sold 3 since November. The first 2 were on Facebook marketplace and the 3rd on Boattrader. My center console was listed with a broker on the seacoast but I was able to advertise myself. I was getting more traffic than they were.

Good traffic or tire kickers and curiosity calls?

P-3 Guy · 01-30-2025, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by codeman671

What brand/type of boat? That will help guide answers in the right direction.

Honestly, I have better luck selling my own. I have sold 3 since November. The first 2 were on Facebook marketplace and the 3rd on Boattrader. My center console was listed with a broker on the seacoast but I was able to advertise myself. I was getting more traffic than they were.

Looking for broker assistance in large part because it's not the typical pleasure or sport boat that you normally find on the widely used platforms like Boat Trader. It's a custom made (William Lowell's Heritage Boat Works, Pownal, Maine) 26 foot cabin launch built in 1980, straight inboard powered by a MerCruiser 5.7L 350 Mag MPI Horizon gas engine (repowered in 2006), fully overhauled over the 2013-2014 winter, used for transporting campers between island and mainland (certified for 25 passengers). Maintained and stored by Shep Brown's since delivery in 1980. Hoping that a broker can help identify potential buyers, ideally a local party.

Descant · 01-31-2025, 11:49 AM

I used to have a 26' Lyman which was much like what you describe. Great island boat that could have a market on Winnipesaukee. There a lot of online places where you could post a couple of pictures and contact info. Classified on Winnipesaukee.com for example. Is this AMC? Got a price?

codeman671 · 01-31-2025, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Descant

Good traffic or tire kickers and curiosity calls?

Good traffic and quality people for the most part.

codeman671 · 01-31-2025, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by P-3 Guy

Looking for broker assistance in large part because it's not the typical pleasure or sport boat that you normally find on the widely used platforms like Boat Trader. It's a custom made (William Lowell's Heritage Boat Works, Pownal, Maine) 26 foot cabin launch built in 1980, straight inboard powered by a MerCruiser 5.7L 350 Mag MPI Horizon gas engine (repowered in 2006), fully overhauled over the 2013-2014 winter, used for transporting campers between island and mainland (certified for 25 passengers). Maintained and stored by Shep Brown's since delivery in 1980. Hoping that a broker can help identify potential buyers, ideally a local party.

Fays tends to list more of the older stuff. They maintain many old boats around the lake. That being said I don't know where specifically they advertise.

Johnston’smobilemarine · 01-31-2025, 03:20 PM

Brett Marcimo out of Alton Bay

Descant · 01-31-2025, 04:57 PM

Two weeks ago I met a guy while we were both aboard a boat at the boat show. Turns out we both had a boat for sale. His sounded like a specialty boat no longer being produced, but I had a friend who was looking for that particular style boat. He emailed me a photo and I searched on line. Couldn't find anything. Talking with my friend at dinner, we talked boats and I said I'd forward the contact email. To me, this next part is amazing. Having found nothing Googling on Chrome, I searched on DuckDuckGo and found a new Craigslist listing. I tried again on Chrome with no luck. The very boat showed up as the first listing. I forwarded the URL and the phone number. An hour later my friend called back to say he had bought the boat on the phone. Now, he's working with Miles Marine to get the boat to NH next April.

Very disappointed in Chrome of late. Did their update and immediately started getting an overload of advertising, mostly for real estate where I frequently search, but not germane. This boat search convinced me and I have imported all my "Favorites" to DuckDuckGo. Took about 10 seconds.

P-3 Guy · 01-31-2025, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Descant

I used to have a 26' Lyman which was much like what you describe. Great island boat that could have a market on Winnipesaukee. There a lot of online places where you could post a couple of pictures and contact info. Classified on Winnipesaukee.com for example. Is this AMC? Got a price?

Yes, this is Three Mile Island Camp's boat that served as the camp's main launch for 44 years until a new boat was acquired last summer. I'm not sure what the current thinking is on the listing price, and I don't want to get in trouble by putting out bad information. If anyone would like to know more about the boat with a possible interest in purchase, let me know and I will ask the person in charge of the sale to contact you (or PM that person's contact info to you).

And my thanks to everyone who made suggestions on where to market or who to list with. I will pass all of this along.

fatlazyless · 02-21-2025, 06:23 AM

Maybe this 26'er...... http://www.faysboatyard.com/inventor...fisherman-260/ ...... is it?

rsmlp · 02-21-2025, 07:43 AM

she's a beauty but she'll need plenty of tlc. good luck!

01-30-2025, 01:43 PM	#1
P-3 Guy Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Under the former KNHZ bounce pattern Posts: 500 Thanks: 4 Thanked 212 Times in 115 Posts	Recommendation for a Boat Broker? An organization on Lake Winnipesaukee I am familiar with is in the process of marketing for sale a used boat. They are looking for a boat broker to assist with the process. Can anyone provide a recommendation based on personal positive experience? Thanks in advance.

01-30-2025, 03:25 PM	#3
fatlazyless Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 8,723 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 300 Thanked 1,000 Times in 729 Posts	Fay's Boat Yard in Gilford ...... www.faysboatyard.com/status/used ...... is a very good used boat seller. Just look at the good job they do with their website plus they have a low commission fee, too. Highest quality, lowest price commission ....... Fay's Boat Yard ...... all you need to know (period!). __________________ ... down and out, liv'n that Walmart side of the lake!

01-31-2025, 11:49 AM	#7
Descant Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Merrimack and Welch Island Posts: 4,310 Thanks: 1,328 Thanked 1,614 Times in 1,047 Posts	Island boat I used to have a 26' Lyman which was much like what you describe. Great island boat that could have a market on Winnipesaukee. There a lot of online places where you could post a couple of pictures and contact info. Classified on Winnipesaukee.com for example. Is this AMC? Got a price?

01-31-2025, 04:57 PM	#11
Descant Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Merrimack and Welch Island Posts: 4,310 Thanks: 1,328 Thanked 1,614 Times in 1,047 Posts	How to buy/sell a boat Two weeks ago I met a guy while we were both aboard a boat at the boat show. Turns out we both had a boat for sale. His sounded like a specialty boat no longer being produced, but I had a friend who was looking for that particular style boat. He emailed me a photo and I searched on line. Couldn't find anything. Talking with my friend at dinner, we talked boats and I said I'd forward the contact email. To me, this next part is amazing. Having found nothing Googling on Chrome, I searched on DuckDuckGo and found a new Craigslist listing. I tried again on Chrome with no luck. The very boat showed up as the first listing. I forwarded the URL and the phone number. An hour later my friend called back to say he had bought the boat on the phone. Now, he's working with Miles Marine to get the boat to NH next April. Very disappointed in Chrome of late. Did their update and immediately started getting an overload of advertising, mostly for real estate where I frequently search, but not germane. This boat search convinced me and I have imported all my "Favorites" to DuckDuckGo. Took about 10 seconds.

02-21-2025, 06:23 AM	#13
fatlazyless Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 8,723 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 300 Thanked 1,000 Times in 729 Posts	Maybe this 26'er...... http://www.faysboatyard.com/inventor...fisherman-260/ ...... is it? __________________ ... down and out, liv'n that Walmart side of the lake!

01-30-2025, 02:53 PM	#2
Descant Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Merrimack and Welch Island Posts: 4,310 Thanks: 1,328 Thanked 1,614 Times in 1,047 Posts	Depends on the boat. If it is something with a local dealer, the local dealer will likely get the most traffic and can do minor fixes to move the sale along. I have used Irwin Marine in that regard and have bought and sold boats through them for many years. (603) 524-6661. I currently have a boat for sale (2001 Sea Ray 400 Sedan Bridge, twin diesels) through United Yacht Brokers (Tom Thomas from Birch Island) looking for a broader market beyond Winnipesaukee. He is based in RI. He was my buyer broker when I bought this most recent boat and he participated in the survey and sea trials. He also set up the delivery captain and worked with Miles Marine to move the boat from the Forked River to NH. So, I liked the broad set of connections. In addition to Tom's lake experience as a young man, he also worked at Irwin Marine (sales) for 10 years. He's at (401) 862-8620. You can also sell through the NH Boat Museum auction in July. You can put a reserve on the price and the buyer pays the premium, so no commission as such. I don't know how this would work if you have a listing agreement with a broker.

The Following User Says Thank You to codeman671 For This Useful Post:
LoveLakeLife (02-21-2025)

01-31-2025, 03:20 PM	#10
Johnston’smobilemarine Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2024 Posts: 7 Thanks: 3 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts	Brett Marcimo out of Alton Bay

02-21-2025, 07:43 AM	#14
rsmlp Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 473 Thanks: 5 Thanked 164 Times in 84 Posts	boat she's a beauty but she'll need plenty of tlc. good luck!