The Sites I Use, the List I Keep, and My Process

I often get asked, “Where do you find all these boats?”

Below is a full list of the websites I check — but I also want to share how I sort through them, and how you can start spotting deals too.

Dock Deals was built around curation, not chaos. Here’s how I do it:

The Search

There’s no shortcut — you just have to look. Constantly.

I check listings basically every time I have a break in my day. I usually start with Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist, then move through the bigger broker platforms, and round it out with a few forums or regional dealer pages. Rinse and repeat.

The biggest factor in finding a great deal? It’s not a trick. It’s time in. The more you look, the more patterns you see — and the better you get at spotting a real deal.

The Sheet

When I find something promising, it goes on a spreadsheet. Link and a short description — nothing fancy.

Like brainstorming, there’s minimal filtering here. Maybe it’s close to a deal, has great lines, looks like a solid restoration, or is a project with potential. If it grabs me for any reason, it goes on the sheet.

The Review

When I’ve got time, I go back through the list and dig in.

I look for red flags, weed out scams, double-check specs, and compare recent sales. I try to kill the deal on purpose — and if it survives, it’s probably worth sharing.

A lot of boats don’t make it past this stage. I’d say the list gets cut in half.

The survivors? Paid members get access to all of them, not just the one that made the feed.

The Post

From there, I pick one to post publicly — usually with a short write-up. That’s what goes to Instagram and the Free Deals page.

How do I choose? Ideally, it’s something that performs well on socials or drives clicks to the site. But it’s honestly a bit of a crapshoot. Instagram likes good photos, so anything with terrible pics gets cut (which sucks, because a lot of great boats have trash photos).

Certain types do better than others — but I try to mix it up. There’s something for everyone, and it’s all free.

Want More?

If one extra deal a week is enough, sign up for the free subscription.

If you want access to all the boats — plus filters, search, early access to Free Deals, personalized curation, and the ability to list your own boat — consider becoming an Active Member for $10/month or $96/year.

This whole thing runs on time, sweat, and the support of people who care about boats. If that’s you, I’d love to have you aboard — you’ll fit right in.

Here’s the list.

It’s sorted roughly in the order I check them — from daily go-tos to occasional rabbit holes. Some sites stay useful, others come and go.

(If I’m missing your favorite, shoot me a note: support@thedockdeals.com)

Last updated: May 20, 2025