8 Dayboats That Hold Their Value

There’s plenty of dock talk about which boats stand the test of time, a kind of tribal knowledge that seasoned boat buyers lean on when beginning a fresh search for a used boat. Some boats hold up better over the long run thanks to superior materials, construction techniques, and attention to detail, and depreciate more slowly and more predictably than others.

‘Average’ Depreciation

There’s no single, set-in-stone rate of boat depreciation. However, most boats follow an S-curve trajectory. It’s common for boats to experience a significant 10% to 15% decline in value within their first year, a phenomenon known as “off-the-lot” depreciation. After that, depreciation typically slows down, and the average dayboat may have lost around 20% of its value by the fifth year, and 30% to 50% by year 10. Once a boat enters its teens and 20s, depreciation often speeds up again, until it eventually “bottoms out” at between 10% and 30% of its original value. The kick in depreciation rate in these later years is tied to the degradation of the boat and motor as well as outside variables, such as restrictions on insurance coverage that may apply to vessels once they’ve reached certain birthdays, often at the 20, 25, or 30-year marks.

What Slows Boat Depreciation?

• Brand reputation and construction quality are often the cornerstone of strong value. “Boats that have a cult following tend to have that for a reason, usually because they’re good boats,” says Melanie Sunshine Neale, owner of Sunshine Cruising Yachts, a Florida-based brokerage. “Get something that’s still being made,” she advises, because “any boatbuilder still in business will be able to help you with parts and troubleshooting.”
• Size impacts the depreciation curve, so a 20-foot boat is likely to depreciate faster than a 50-foot boat. The supply of 20-footers is higher, turnover is usually more frequent, and there’s an upper limit to the amount of gadgets and luxury that can be crammed into a smaller space. Construction quality and upkeep are crucial.
• Initial price sets the starting point for depreciation. The price of a boat when new is strongly correlated with its size and build quality. The more a boat is worth on the lot, the more it will likely be worth five or 10 years later.
• Regional preferences and overall popularity affect resale. “A flats boat will hold its value in Key West, while a traditional deep-V style will hold well almost everywhere,” Neale reports. For maximum resale value, look first to popular styles in your area, rather than something more atypical or niche. (There are exceptions: Highly specialized boats like bass tournament boats or surf boats can fetch high prices from dedicated fans, but those are outside the scope of this article.) No matter where you are in the country, outboard-driven center consoles have been a cornerstone of the market in recent years and will likely remain so.
• Heavy supply. If a boat was so popular that a builder cranked out hundreds or thousands of them, the supply may be so high that value slips faster. If the market is saturated with a particular model, only the shiniest, best-maintained examples full of updated gadgets may yield high resale prices.
• Ownership history and a robust maintenance record play a role, regardless of make and model. Determine if a boat was used in salt- or freshwater, how it was stored, whether it’s ever been a part of a rental program, and how many owners it’s had. Review the maintenance records, particularly for the engine. Especially for boats in this size range, the engine hours and condition can make up a large portion of the boat’s remaining value. Single-owner vessels that have been lovingly detailed after each outing will hold up better than those that have passed through many hands of varying diligence.

Which Dayboats Made Our List?

Whether you’re looking to upgrade from a similar but older vessel, downsize from an overnighter, or expand your fleet, check out this sampling of 25-foot-and-under models that have held their value relatively well so far and that we anticipate will continue to hold up – both physically and financially – for some time. All of these boats make good platforms to pull a tube, wet a line, or host a few friends at the sandbar, though some lend better to one or others. This selection is not exhaustive, but it is a good place to start.

Boston Whaler 170 Montauk

Boston Whaler’s Montauk series was one of the builder’s first and remains in production. Montauks were the first Whalers to use injected polyurethane foam coring, the technique that gave Whaler its “unsinkable” tagline. The 17 Montauk premiered in 1976, and the hull was tweaked year after year until 2002 when Boston Whaler replaced it with the 170 Montauk, which has the classic 17’s compact size, ruggedness, and simplicity, but with an altered hull shape and higher freeboards to support a heavier four-stroke outboard. Whalers hold value well, and it’s not uncommon to see well-maintained 1980s-era 17s still selling for around $10,000.

Sea Ray SPX 210 OB

Sea Ray is one of only a few builders of small bowriders and runabouts that also makes large cabin cruisers in its well-known Sundancer line, bringing yacht-grade fit and finish to its smaller offerings. Bowriders and small runabouts aren’t typically known for strong resale prices at double-digit ages, but this particular model is an exception, thanks in part to Sea Ray’s early adoption of outboards for this style of boat. The SPX 210 comes in both outboard and sterndrive options, but the outboard versions have garnered higher prices in their later years.

Sea Ray carried the beam far forward on this model, making a roomy bow seating area beyond the walk-through windshield. With a large ski/board locker, versatile aft bench/sunbed, head in the port console, swim step, and standard bimini (some used models have the optional sports tower upgrade), the modest SPX 210 makes a versatile, family-friendly platform for daycruising and tow sports.

Chaparral 210 SunCoast

Chaparral’s brief SunCoast line, which included the 210, 230, and 250 models, were designed from the start to be outboard-powered; a sterndrive option was never offered. This was a major turning point for the builder who blended the motor into the profile of the boat with generous swim steps on either side.

Despite being the smallest, the 210 has lost less value on average than both the 230 (30%) and the 250 (32%). Although the rigid tow sports arch was an optional feature of Chaparral’s “Preferred Package,” most used models on the market today have the upgrade, including fixed board racks, a transom washdown, and removable ski pylon. The unusually short production run of this model counterintuitively increased value retention slightly due to the low supply relative to Chaparral’s other models.