Where to Buy a Boat in Canada

Shopping for a boat can be a long process, and even after spending days, weeks, or months narrowing down your choices. If you’re still puzzled over what boat is the best fit for your needs you might be wondering when and where you should actually make the purchase. The options for buying a boat are:

  • Buying from manufacturer directly

Most boat manufacturers sell through dealerships and will refer customers to their local dealers, but in some cases it may be possible to buy the manufacturer directly. Usually, manufacturers of custom boats for all industries have a national dealer footprint. The experience isn’t very different from buying through a dealership, but you should always research the builder and make sure that it’s NMMA certified.

commercial boat manufacturers

  • Buying at a boat dealership

Buying at a boat dealership has a number of advantages: most dealers service what they sell, so you’ll establish a relationship with the business that will likely be taking care of your needs in the future and will want your repeat business; dealerships tend to be extremely familiar with the specific brands they sell and service; they can act as an ally and a conduit between you and the manufacturer if warranty work is necessary; and they can assist with arranging boat financing.

  • Buying a boat online

These days, some boats can even be purchased with the click of a mouse. With the exception of services usually this method of boat-buying is reserved for boats small enough to be shipped directly to a residence.

Sure, you may get what seems like a great deal. But this is a situation where the expression “buyer beware” is applicable.