Search boats for sale in Bermuda and you'll notice something fast. There's no big dealership lot to wander around like there is in Florida. The Bermuda boat market is small, it moves quickly, and the best boats often sell before they're ever publicly listed. After twenty plus years buying and selling boats on this island, here's exactly how the market works, where the boats come from, and how to land the right one without overpaying.
The short version. Most boats for sale in Bermuda are either local resales or used boats imported from the US. The good ones move through brokers and word of mouth, not big public listings. So the buyers who do best are the ones plugged into the market before a boat ever hits a website.
Where do boats for sale in Bermuda come from?
There are two pipelines and that's it. The first is local resales. Owners upgrading to something bigger, or families leaving the island who need to sell before they go. The second is imports, almost always used boats out of Florida that get shipped over and landed here. Between those two, our inventory turns over weekly.
The thing most first time buyers miss is that the strongest boats never make it to a public listing. An owner mentions to us they're thinking of selling, and we've usually got a buyer for it the same week. That's why working with a broker beats refreshing a classifieds page. You hear about the boat before everyone else does.
New, used, or imported: which makes sense for you?
You've got three real paths, and the right one depends on how fast you want to be on the water and how specific you are about the boat.
- ●Buy used, already in Bermuda. Fastest by far. The duty is already paid, the boat is already registered, and you can sea trial it this weekend. Less choice, but no shipping and no waiting.
- ●Import a used boat from the US. Way more selection, and you'll often find a cleaner boat for the money. The catch is the 22.25% import duty and the wait on shipping. We run this constantly, mostly out of Florida.
- ●Order new. A brand new Boston Whaler, Sea Hunt or Grady-White, landed and registered. Most expensive route, longest lead time, zero surprises.
What do boats for sale in Bermuda cost?
Real ranges, the same numbers we walk every buyer through. A solid 19 to 22ft center console with low hours runs US$25,000 to US$45,000. A 25 to 28ft day cruiser or pontoon lands US$35,000 to US$75,000. Sportfish and bigger cabin cruisers scale up from there.
If you're importing, remember the duty. Customs charges 22.25% of the CIF value, which is cost, insurance and freight, on every privately imported boat. On a boat that lands around US$50,000 CIF that's roughly US$11,000 on top, before registration. The full landed cost picture and the duty math are both broken down in the guides below.
What to check before you buy a boat in Bermuda
Bermuda is hard on boats. The reef growth is aggressive, the salt is relentless, and every boat here has lived through hurricane seasons. So a boat that looks clean on the surface can be hiding a tired transom or a bottom that's been neglected.
Never skip the survey. A pre purchase marine survey runs a few hundred dollars to around US$20 per foot, and it regularly identifies US$5,000 to US$50,000 of problems before you buy. Check the engine hours, the storm history, and whether the previous owner hauled the boat for the off season or left it swinging on a mooring all winter.
Should you use a Bermuda boat broker or buy private?
You can absolutely buy a boat private here. But going private means you handle the duty paperwork, the BMA registration, the survey booking and the shipping logistics yourself, in a market where the good boats are gone before you've finished the forms.
Through us, that whole chain is handled. We source the boat, manage the import and duty, sort the BMA registration end to end, and hand you the keys. We're also the people other owners call first when they're ready to sell, so we usually know what's coming up before it's listed anywhere. If you've been searching Bermuda boat brokers or Bermuda boat trader and hitting dead ends, that's the gap we fill.
When is the best time to buy?
Prices in Bermuda move with the season. Be flexible on timing and you can save 10 to 20% by buying in the right window. The post season cleanout from late October through November, and the pre season scramble in March and April, are when owners drop prices to avoid another year of storage. Buying in the May to July peak is when you'll overpay.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I find boats for sale in Bermuda?
Local resales and US imports, most moving through brokers rather than big public listings. The fastest way to see real, current options is to tell a broker exactly what you want, because a lot of the best inventory never gets posted publicly.
How much is import duty on a boat in Bermuda?
Customs charges 22.25% of the CIF value, which is cost, insurance and freight, on every privately imported boat. On a boat that lands around US$50,000 CIF, that's roughly US$11,000 in duty.
Is it cheaper to buy used in Bermuda or import one?
Buying used in Bermuda is faster and skips shipping and duty, since both are already paid. Importing gives you far more selection and often a cleaner boat for the money, but you'll pay the 22.25% duty and wait on shipping.
Do I need a marine survey before buying?
Yes, every time. A survey runs a few hundred dollars to about US$20 per foot and catches the expensive problems Bermuda's reef growth, salt and storm history leave behind. Insurers will want a recent survey to underwrite the boat anyway.
Do I have to register the boat with the BMA?
Yes. Every boat in Bermuda waters has to be registered with the Bermuda Maritime Authority. We handle the entire BMA process on every boat we sell, so it's never something you sort out alone.
Find your boat
Whether you want a boat that's already here and ready this weekend, or you'd rather we source and import the exact rig you've got in mind, that's what we do every week. Tell us the headcount you want to fit, how you'll use it, and your budget, and we'll line up the right options.
WhatsApp Sean at +1 (441) 518-7077 or email info@bdaboats.com for current boats for sale in Bermuda and a straight answer on what your money buys.
