What buying costs beyond the price

Costs & budgeting · Power & sail

Expect to pay for surveys, a haul-out, fluid analysis, paperwork and taxes on top of the price, often several thousand dollars before you own the boat. Figures below come from named sources with dates; costs vary by region, boat and year, so get local quotes.

Surveys and the haul-out

• Hull (condition and valuation) survey, per foot of length: $20-25 (Texas broker, May 2026); $25-35 (The Boat Galley, April 2026); $35-40 (Maryland broker's 2026 page). A San Diego surveyor listed $25-35 in 2020.
• Haul-out for the survey, per foot: $14-20 including pressure wash (The Boat Galley, April 2026) or $15-20 (Maryland broker, 2026). The buyer normally pays it.
• Engine survey: about $500 per engine (BoatUS, February 2026; The Boat Galley, April 2026). Rigging survey: $400-600 (BoatUS, February 2026).
• Oil analysis: $25-85 per sample (The Boat Galley, April 2026); one large lab's standard test was $40 (lab website, January 2026). Sample each engine, gearbox and the generator.

What it adds up to

• BoatUS (February 2026) said a day with general, engine and rigging surveys plus a haul can run about $3,000. The Boat Galley (April 2026) put a thorough package for a 38-foot cruising sailboat at $2,500-3,500. A twin-engine boat needs two engine surveys.
• Survey money is spent whether or not you buy. Asking the surveyor to check likely deal-breakers first can save the rest if the boat fails early.

Paperwork, fees and tax

• Coast Guard fees (NVDC schedule, September 2025): $133 for initial documentation, $25 for an abstract of title, $8 per page to record a bill of sale.
• Brokers and documentation services charge their own fees. One Maryland broker's 2026 page lists a $795 processing fee and $700-1,000 for Coast Guard documentation work.
• State title fees can be small (Florida's is $5.25-11), but sales, use or excise tax can be the biggest extra cost. See Sales, use and excise taxes.

Getting the boat home

• Budget for moving the boat (a hired captain or a truck), a slip or storage, and your first insurance premium; brokers commonly want an insurance binder before closing.
• Treat every figure here as a starting point for local quotes, not a price. Costs vary widely by region and from year to year.

Sources disagree on Pre-purchase hull survey price per foot — left out rather than guessed. Check your local authority.

General guidance for recreational boaters, researched from the sources listed and written in our own words. Your equipment manuals, local knowledge, the Navigation Rules and a qualified instructor come first.