91% of Boats Sold in August Were Pre-Owned. What Does That Tell Us?

August sales data points to the continued strength of the pre-owned market—and a buyer increasingly focused on value, availability and opportunity.

One number in the latest boating market data deserves attention:

91% of the boats sold in August were pre-owned.

According to Boats Group’s August Marine Market Insight, 5,440 boats were sold globally during August 2026 within its dataset, with pre-owned boats accounting for 91% of units sold. Overall sales were up 25.6% year over year.

At first glance, 91% sounds extraordinary.

But it also highlights something about the boating industry that can easily get overlooked amid new-model launches, boat shows and manufacturer announcements:

The pre-owned boat isn’t the alternative market. It’s a major part of the market.

Pre-Owned Has Always Mattered

The August figure shouldn’t be interpreted to mean that buyers suddenly abandoned new boats for brokerage inventory.

Pre-owned boats have historically represented the majority of recreational boat transactions.

The National Marine Manufacturers Association reports that in the U.S. during 2025, pre-owned boats accounted for 79.7% of total boat unit sales, compared with 20.3% for new boats. Separate NMMA data shows 867,059 pre-owned boats changed hands in 2025, representing $10.8 billion in market value.

The Boats Group and NMMA datasets cover different populations and shouldn’t be directly combined. But both reinforce the importance of pre-owned inventory within the broader boating economy.

What Could 91% Be Telling Us?

For today’s buyer, pre-owned offers something particularly valuable: choice.

A brokerage boat may offer immediate availability without waiting for a new build. A late-model vessel may already include electronics, stabilization, tenders or other expensive upgrades. And depending on the boat and seller, buyers may find opportunities that provide compelling value compared with purchasing new and adding equipment afterward.

That doesn’t make pre-owned inherently better than new.

It does mean buyers have good reason to investigate both.

Today’s buyer appears increasingly willing to compare brands, model years, equipment and price points rather than assume the newest option is automatically the right one.

Recent Boats Group research supports that broader shopping behavior: in an analysis of more than 85,000 verified purchases, 85% of buyers ultimately purchased something different from the boat that initially prompted their inquiry.

That’s an important reminder of how people actually buy boats.

The search may begin with one vessel.

The purchase often ends somewhere else.

A Market Worth Taking Seriously

The August 91% figure is a snapshot—not a prediction of where the market goes next.

But it reinforces something buyers and sellers shouldn’t overlook.

Pre-owned boats aren’t simply what buyers consider when they decide against buying new. They represent an established, substantial part of the boating marketplace—and one that can offer tremendous variety in price, equipment, condition and opportunity.

For buyers, that means keeping the search broad.

For sellers, it means recognizing that you’re competing in a market where buyers have choices.

And for the industry, perhaps the message is simplest: