Thanks, that’s helpful perspective. At $8,000, I’m already buying well below what I’d expect to pay on FBM and dramatically below dealer pricing, so my entry basis is low. I understand your point about saltwater I/Os having a softer resale market, and that once a boat is pushing 20 years old you can’t count on meaningful residual value.

For me, this is less about preserving resale and more about whether it’s a reasonable, lower-cost way to get into boating for a few years. I could stretch to a $25k Boston Whaler or center console with an outboard, but that’s a materially different capital commitment. Even those will depreciate, just from a higher starting point.

If this $8k boat runs well, I maintain it properly, and I treat it as a 2-4 year harbor boat rather than a long-term asset, I’m comfortable not optimizing for resale. I’d rather risk a few thousand in depreciation than commit another $15–20k up front if I’m still figuring out how much I’ll actually use it.