Looking back on the 2025 Sailboat Market Split: What Buyers and Sellers Need to Know Moving Forward
- Dave Bennett
- 24 hours ago
- 3 min read
And why the “boomer-dump collapse” thing is only half the story.
A video by "Everyday Sailing" showed up on one of my news feeds about the current state of the cruising sailboat market. It is well done and according to my more experienced yacht broker colleagues, it’s right on the mark. I thought I would summarize their findings/observations in this post. I’ll share a link to the video at the end of this post.
So, 2025 in my opinion was kind of a weird year for the sailboat buying/selling world. We saw listings pile up, the price cuts, the motivated seller edits, the dock-talk about boomers dumping boats and tanking the market. But the truth is more nuanced. Yes, prices are cracking in some pockets — but the real story is a split market with clear winners and very clear losers.
Below is a breakdown of the forces that shaped the 2025 sailboat market and how buyers and sellers can navigate it without getting burned.
The Myth: Boomers Are Dumping Boats, and Prices Are Crashing Everywhere
It’s a tempting narrative… but it’s incomplete. While some older owners are aging out of ownership, the bigger shift is a post-pandemic cooling, mixed with a major insurance reset. These forces hit certain segments far harder than others — especially older production cruisers over 35 feet.
Listings are up. Days on market are up. But not every boat is losing value.
The Market Is Splitting — Fast
Three major forces are driving today’s divide:
1. Generational Handoff
Boomers who bought in the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s are exiting boating — but younger buyers don’t want the same boats. They want:
Lighter displacement
Modern rigs
Updated interiors
Affordable insurance
Reasonable slip costs
A 1998–2008 production cruiser with original gear? Hard sell.A newer Beneteau, Jeanneau, Lagoon, or performance cruiser? Still competitive.
2. The Post-Pandemic Cooldown
2020–2022 created unrealistic comps. Buyers overpaid, sellers expected peak pricing, and inventory was artificially tight.
Now?
Prices are normalizing
Buyers are more educated
Sellers can’t rely on fear-of-missing-out urgency
Boats purchased at pandemic peaks are hardest to resell without taking a haircut.
3. Insurance Is Reshaping the Entire Market
This is the real disruptor — more than generational shifts.
Insurers are scrutinizing:
Hull age
Survey findings
Rigging dates
Electrical integrity
Storm exposure
Owner experience
Boats over 20–25 years old are facing:
Premium jumps
Required upgrades
Declined coverage
This alone has pushed thousands of older boats onto the market and softened prices.
So What’s Falling — and What’s Holding?
Falling
35–45 ft production cruisers (1990–2010)
Older catamarans with rising maintenance costs
Boats needing rigging, sails, tanks, and electrical work
Any vessel with insurance red flags
Holding or Even Rising
Late-model cruisers from major brands
High-quality performance boats
Well-maintained bluewater boats with documented upgrades
Any boat with recent surveys, rigging, and sails
Condition and documentation matter more than ever.
5 Key Takeaways for Buyers
1. Don’t buy problems that insurance won’t cover.
Ask about rig age, corrosion, grounding history, and electrical condition before you schedule a showing.
2. Comp everything against 2017–2019 prices — not pandemic years.
Peak years were the anomaly, not the baseline.
3. Surveyors are your leverage.
Today’s market favors buyers. Use insurance-related findings to negotiate.
4. Budget upgrades into your offer.
Most older cruisers need:
Standing rigging
Batteries
Electronics
Canvas
Sails
Plan accordingly.
5. Don’t be afraid of walking away.
There’s more inventory coming… and better deals every month.
5 Key Takeaways for Sellers
1. Price for today — not 2022.
Overpricing kills momentum.First 30 days = your best shot.
2. Fix insurance issues before listing.
Nothing stops a sale faster than:
Old rigging
Unaddressed survey findings
Moisture in core areas
3. Documentation = value.
Buyers pay premiums for complete maintenance records.
4. Stage the boat.
Clean, decluttered, odor-free boats sell dramatically faster.
5. Be realistic and flexible.
If you want 2022 money, buyers will walk.If you meet the market, your boat will move.
The Bottom Line
The sailboat market isn’t collapsing — it’s correcting.
We’re witnessing a generational shift, an insurance-driven reshaping of value, and a return to pre-pandemic pricing norms. Smart buyers and sellers who understand the split market can still make excellent deals.
If you align with the new reality, you won’t get smoked.If you cling to old comps, you will.
Here is the original video: https://youtu.be/ilApETvYIbg?si=Sz-mAFQ3TTjfWOC2
You can follow or subscribe to their channel here: