Cyberspace is an amazing and marvelous modern innovation and there is no reason why boaters, sailors and yachtsmen shouldn't capitalize on the buying opportunities available inside the "Worlds largest marketplace". This series is about buying and selling boats on the internet so I'm going to make the assumption that, if you're here and reading this, you have the bug and we don't have to get into that. In my book, you either ARE a boater or you ARE NOT. If you ARE, no amount of reason, financial counseling, or otherwise, will keep you from being what you ARE.



Get this: Worldwide, there are over 18 million Recreational boats! In 2007 alone, the import/export of pleasure boats world-wide was a $6 billion enterprise. According to the National Marine Manufacturer's Association, Recreational boating is a major consumer goods industry generating $39.5 billion in sales and services during 2006. Spending by recreational boaters is responsible for 855,000 U.S. jobs of which, 373,000 jobs are direct and 482,000 are indirect.

First, you should know that it's no longer an odd occurrence to complete a major purchase on eBay or any other online site. This internet auction giant has turned the corner from being a novelty. eBay outsells General Motors and Walmart combined and folks are not just buying beanie babies on eBay. An automobile is sold every 60 seconds on eBay Motors and over 100,000 new buyers are seeking their dream items on eBay daily. With 200 million registered users, eBay has become mainstream throughout the world. eBay Motors is the site where boaters will find anything marine related, including their dream boat. But what should you know before considering buying a boat on eBay?

As an avid boater and ebay Power Seller, I follow many of the details of transactions on eBay as far as types of boats sold, number of bids, reserves, and even geographic preferences for certain types of boats. In fact, I have personally bought and sold boats and countless marine items on ebay over the years, finding both success and adding up a few hard lessons learned. So how does this eBay revolution serve the average boat buyer?

As a buyer you have unprecedented access to comparison pricing.

You are in command as a buyer, and only need bid what you are prepared to spend.

Photos included in eBay auctions are much more descriptive than a newspaper classified advertisement.

As a buyer you gain knowledge, which is power in negotiations.

I'll show you: How to Find Boats on eBay Motors - eBay Search and Browse Basics

Before beginning, know the basics of how to find items on eBay.

Boats are being bought and sold sight-unseen over the Internet thru an online auction. How cool is that? I guess if you know what you're looking for, and what the market price is for a particular model of boat, AND if the purchaser seems honorable (their buyer feedback and prior customer experience helps!), then it is the wave of the future. In reality, it appears as if it may be the wave of the present.

Not interested in a used boat? Don't let that keep you away from ebay, or any of the other online sites for that matter. Many of the vessels listed on ebay are brand new or nearly so. There are also some advantages to purchasing big ticket items such as this online.