Boats for sale in California on Craigslist (2024)

lancaster, CA

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lancaster, CA

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lancaster, CA

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carmichael, CA

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big river, CA

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norco, CA

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1

Search By Location

Visit Craigslist.org and navigate to your city or area

2

Filter Search Results

Search by desired boat type or boat brand

3

Contact Craigslist Seller

Ask important questions such as boat history and maintenance records

4

Go See & Purchase Boat

Conduct your in-person inspection and purchase the boat

If you are looking for a boat for sale in California, Craigslist can be a good resource for finding your boat. Many of the boats for sale on Craigslist are “by owner”, so you typically have more opportunity for negotiation. Prices can be potentially more competitive on Craigslist, but it is important to approach buying a boat on Craigslist with a little more caution.

Clear and effective communication with a boat seller on Craigslist is very important. Craigslist typically allows you to communicate with a boat seller by email, phone, and SMS text message. Often, the boat seller will post their phone number directly in the ad as well.

Before negotiating the price of the boat, ask about the boat’s history. We recommend asking:

• How long have you owned the boat?

• Do you have the title for the boat

• Do you have any maintenance records available?

• What is the current condition and are there is any current issues with the boat?

• Is there any included or missing accessories or equipment?

• Can I do a compression test on the engine with a mechanic?

After narrowing down your search and talking to a boat seller on Craigslist, now it is time to schedule an in-person boat inspection. Keep in mind, that you are typically going to visit a boat seller on Craigslist at their house, boat ramp, or a marina. We recommend bringing a certified mechanic with you and always conduct an engine compression test. Depending on the type of boat, we also recommend conducting a proper sea trial on the water as well.

During the inspection, evaluate the boat’s structure, engine, bilge components, and electrical systems. We put a few tips below:

• Take your time and turn everything on and off. Depending on the type of boat, this can include light switches, bilge switches, live well pumps, and windlass switches.

• Walk around the boat and look for any “soft spots”

• Look for signs of damage that could have come from an accident or even the boat sinking.

• Take a 5-gallon bucket of water and pour it in the bilge to make sure all pumps and safety components works properly.

• If conducting a sea trial, throttle the engine(s) to variable RPMs and pay close attention to the engines and how they sound. For example, throttle to 2500 RPMs, then 3000 RPMs, then 4000-4500 RPMs.

Once you have negotiated the price, seen the boat in-person, and are happy with your inspection, now it is time to organize your purchase steps. First and foremost, make sure the Craigslist seller has a clean title for the boat.

We outlined a few steps and provided sample documents below to ensure you are safely purchasing a boat on Craigslist in California.

• Ask the boat seller to provide a Bill Of Sale. This is a simple document outlining the details of the boat purchase, price, and seller and buyer details. You can download a sample Bill of Sale document here: Link

• The boat seller will have to provide the title to you for signing. This can also be done at a local tag agency to transfer the boat title to you as the new owner. Depending on the type of boat and size, you may have to pay registration fees and tax on the boat.

• A small tip, confirm the private seller’s name is on the title and ask to see his or her driver’s license or ID.

• Ask the boat seller for any boat, engine, or accessories documents, warranties, or maintenance records.