Is boat loan interest tax deductible? For many buyers, yes. If your boat meets the IRS definition of a second home and your loan is secured by the boat, the interest you pay can qualify for the home mortgage interest deduction, just like the interest on a vacation cabin. But the rules are strict, and…
Many buyers learn too late that marine lenders set a high bar for approval. About three quarters of boat purchases are financed, and most lenders expect a strong credit score, steady income, and a manageable debt load. If your application falls short in any of those areas, a cosigner can make the difference between a…
How old of a boat can you finance? Most marine lenders will finance a boat that is 20 to 25 years old, as long as it has been well maintained and still holds enough market value to secure the loan. Specialized marine lenders sometimes go further, financing boats that are 25 to 30 years old…
When you finance a boat, the sticker price is only part of the bill. Boat loan closing costs are the fees you pay to set up the loan itself, and most buyers do not think about them until the paperwork is on the desk. On a typical loan they add up to 1 to 5…
How to Sell a Boat with a Loan on It You can sell a boat with a loan on it, but the process works a little differently than selling one you own free and clear. Because your lender holds a lien on the boat, the loan has to be satisfied before the buyer can take…
More than half of all used boats change hands privately, from one owner straight to the next, with no dealer in the middle. If you have found the right boat in a driveway, a marina, or an online classified ad and assumed you would need to pay cash for it, there is good news: getting…
Living on a boat full-time sounds like freedom, but the first real question most future liveaboards ask is a practical one: how to finance a liveaboard boat when lenders treat it differently from a house and a weekend runabout alike. The good news is that financing a liveaboard boat is entirely possible. The bad news…
Yes, you can use a boat as collateral for a loan. A boat is a tangible asset, and lenders treat it much like a car. When you take out a secured loan, the lender places a lien on the boat’s title, which gives them the legal right to repossess and sell the vessel if you…
The Safe Harbor MarineMax acquisition is drawing attention across the marine industry after Safe Harbor Marinas announced an agreement to acquire MarineMax in a deal estimated at $1.5 billion. The proposed transaction has prompted questions from boaters, brokers, dealers and boatbuilders about consolidation, marina access, dealerships and the future of marine services. The deal would…
Credit unions are seeing a potential opportunity in the reverse mortgage market as their memberships age, but recent industry figures show that their participation remains limited. At the 2026 American Credit Union Mortgage Association (ACUMA) Make Your Mark conference in Las Vegas, executives discussed why credit unions have originated so few reverse mortgages and what…
How to sell a boat can become complicated when you are unsure how to price it, where to list it, or how to handle buyers. Missing documents, unresolved liens, and poorly managed sea trials can also delay the sale or create problems at closing. A practical selling process starts with preparing the boat and paperwork,…
Malibu Boats, Inc. (NASDAQ: MBUU) has scheduled its 2026 annual meeting of stockholders for November 3, 2026, with shareholders set to vote on director elections, the company’s auditor, executive compensation, and proposed charter amendments. The company disclosed the meeting details and executive compensation information in its 2026 proxy statement filed with the SEC. The meeting…
The Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points on September 16, 2026, taking the federal funds target range to 3.75%–4.00%. It was the Fed’s first rate increase since July 2023. The central bank said economic activity was expanding at a solid pace, while inflation remained elevated and uncertainty had increased amid…
Many boat owners know their boat is valuable but are unsure what boat insurance guide actually covers, how much protection they need, or what they could pay after an accident. Boat insurance helps close that gap by protecting against covered damage, injuries, and liability. You pay a premium for coverage, while your policy sets the…
Boat Loan Interest Rates in 2026: What Lenders Are Actually Charging Boat loan interest rates can vary significantly between lenders, even for borrowers with similar credit profiles. Your credit score, loan term, down payment, loan amount, boat type, and lender risk criteria can all influence the rate you receive.A rate that looks attractive in an…
Credit score for boat loan 2026 is the first thing lenders check before they even talk about interest rates or approvals. Most buyers in the US and UK don’t realise how much this one number controls their boating plans. People often apply after browsing boats online or visiting a dealer on the weekend, only to…
Buying a boat can make the monthly payment look manageable at first, but the real cost can be harder to understand. A longer loan term may lower your monthly payment while increasing the total interest you pay, and differences in the down payment or APR can change the financing cost significantly. Understanding how boat loan…