New or pre-owned boat? How to decide

Published and reviewed on 21 October 2026 · Sea Moments

Price is the first difference, but a fair comparison uses the boat ready to go. For a new boat, add engine, equipment, preparation and transport; for a pre-owned one, add transfer tax, the survey and any recommissioning. With those figures side by side, the gap between a new and a used boat of the same length is often smaller than adverts suggest.

A new boat comes with the builder’s and engine warranty, zero hours and your own configuration: engine, colour and extras. In exchange, there is a lead time if it is not in stock, and value falls faster in the first years. A pre-owned boat is available straight away and has already absorbed that early depreciation, but its condition depends on how it has been used and maintained.

Compare specific information

To compare with real data, set side by side the overall and hull lengths (the hull length decides the licence), engine hours and year, what each price includes and whether it carries VAT or transfer tax. For pre-owned boats ask for maintenance invoices and an independent survey. For new boats, check which equipment is included and which is extra.

At Sea Moments we sell both, so we can show you a new As Marine and several pre-owned boats of the same length in a single viewing in Mallorca. You compare cabin, finish, engine and final price with the boats in front of you, and decide with all the information.