NADA Boat Values in 2026: What the J.D. Power Guide Shows and How It Compares to Live Prices
The NADA boat guide is now J.D. Power Marine. It gives a book value by make, model and year that lenders and insurers recognise. Here is how to read it, and live asking prices from current listings to check it against before you set a price.
By Joey Bouza, Founder, US Marine Connection · Updated October 26, 2026
What happened to NADA boat values?
NADA Guides was acquired by J.D. Power, and its boat, outboard and trailer values are now published under the J.D. Power name. The method is the same idea: a base value for a make, model and year, then adjustments for engine, options and equipment. Many banks and credit unions still call it "NADA".
How to use a NADA (J.D. Power) value
- Look up the hull by make, model and model year, and add the engine separately if the guide lists it that way.
- Add options the boat actually has: trailer, electronics, canvas, towers, upgraded power.
- Adjust for condition honestly. Book values assume average condition; hours, storage and maintenance records move a real boat up or down.
- Check the result against live asking prices for the same type, brand and age (below). If the two disagree, the market figure is what a buyer will compare you against.
Live median asking price by boat type
| Type | Median asking | Lowest | Highest | Listings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Center console | $114,977 | $4,500 | $1,513,412 | 901 |
| Personal watercraft | $14,699 | $2,499 | $41,997 | 561 |
| Bowrider / deck boat | $59,900 | $500 | $894,189 | 455 |
| Pontoon & tritoon | $56,900 | $2,999 | $474,544 | 355 |
| Fishing boat | $47,570 | $3,500 | $299,000 | 180 |
| Cruiser / yacht | $194,446 | $5,000 | $3,450,000 | 88 |
| Ski & wake | $66,995 | $2,499 | $385,000 | 79 |
| Sailboat | $99,900 | $4,995 | $325,000 | 19 |
| Other | $7,995 | $4,900 | $34,000 | 11 |
Live median asking price by type and age
The table below splits each boat type by decade built, measured from current listings. It is the quickest way to see whether a book figure for, say, a 2010s pontoon sits above or below what similar boats are listed for today.
| Type | 2020s | 2010s | 2000s | 1990s | 1980s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowrider / deck boat | $74,900339 listed | $29,477−61% · 79 | $12,000−84% · 25 | $8,000−89% · 8 | $4,999−93% · 3 |
| Center console | $119,977778 listed | $67,977−43% · 95 | $29,977−75% · 21 | $29,750−75% · 6 | — |
| Cruiser / yacht | $390,56240 listed | $249,995−36% · 13 | $44,948−88% · 26 | $85,735−78% · 6 | — |
| Fishing boat | $66,576149 listed | $30,986−53% · 16 | $13,459−80% · 11 | $4,999−92% · 3 | — |
| Other | $11,0003 listed | $9,248−16% · 4 | $5,100−54% · 3 | — | — |
| Pontoon & tritoon | $68,000271 listed | $28,095−59% · 52 | $10,997−84% · 24 | $9,000−87% · 7 | — |
| Personal watercraft | $15,099528 listed | $7,999−47% · 25 | $4,099−73% · 8 | — | — |
| Sailboat | — | — | $102,45010 listed | — | $33,750−67% · 4 |
| Ski & wake | $136,59931 listed | $54,995−60% · 31 | $22,995−83% · 11 | $8,499−94% · 4 | — |
Why NADA and the market disagree
- Guides update on a schedule; asking prices move with the season, fuel prices and local supply.
- A guide cannot see a repower, a new deck or a neglected engine. Listings price those in.
- Regional demand matters. The same center console is worth more where the season is longer.
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Frequently asked questions
- Are NADA boat values still available?
- Yes, under the J.D. Power name. J.D. Power acquired NADA Guides and publishes the boat, outboard and trailer values on its own site.
- Do banks use NADA for boat loans?
- Many lenders and insurers use J.D. Power (NADA) or BUC values as a reference for financing and coverage. Ask your lender which guide it uses.
- Is the NADA value what I should list my boat for?
- Use it as a reference, then check live asking prices for comparable boats. Buyers compare your boat with other listings, not with a guide book.
About the author
Joey Bouza — Founder, US Marine Connection
Working musician and founder of Prospects International, a marketing firm that runs lead and appointment campaigns for dealers — including boat dealers — across the country.
Prices and counts in our guides come from live listings on this site and are recalculated hourly. Where we quote industry-typical figures (transport quotes, survey fees, winterizing, repower quotes) we say so, and we never publish a number we haven't measured or sourced.