Boat Depreciation Calculator
Boats depreciate more slowly than cars but for longer. Enter the price, age and engine hours to see the curve.
Get a plain-English read of your numbers, or ask anything about depreciation, when to sell or lease vs buy. Nothing is sent until you press Ask.
Today $45,000
- Total value lost
- $16,018 (36%)
- Cost of depreciation per month
- $267
- Worst single year
- $5,400
| Year | Value | Lost that year | Total lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Today | $45,000 | — | 0% |
| Year 1 | $39,600 | $5,400 · 12% | 12% |
| Year 2 | $36,036 | $3,564 · 9% | 20% |
| Year 3 | $33,153 | $2,883 · 8% | 26% |
| Year 4 | $30,832 | $2,321 · 7% | 31% |
| Year 5 | $28,982 | $1,850 · 6% | 36% |
Boat depreciation, explained
Recreational boats usually lose about 12% in the first year and a steady 5–9% after that. They're used seasonally and kept for many years, so the curve is long and shallow. The big swing factors are engine hours, storage (covered, dry storage beats sitting in the water) and the local market.
This calculator uses engine hours per year instead of miles; 100 hours is the baseline. Salt-water use, a repowered engine or a new canvas can move a real boat's price further than any average.
Questions people ask
How fast do boats depreciate?
Boats commonly lose around 10–15% in the first year and 5–9% a year after that, depending heavily on the type, engine hours and how they were stored. Well-known brands of fishing boats and pontoons tend to hold value better than large cruisers.
How many engine hours are too many?
As a rough guide, about 100 engine hours a year is typical for recreational use. Outboards are often considered high-hour past 1,000–1,500 hours, while diesel inboards are built for much more. Maintenance records matter more than the number alone.
Does the calculator include the trailer and engine?
Use the total price of the package you bought. Engines are the part buyers scrutinise most, which is why engine hours are the usage input here instead of miles.