How Much Does It Really Cost to Own a Boat in the UK?

There's an old joke that BOAT stands for Bring Out Another Thousand.

Like most boating jokes, there's enough truth in it to make boat owners laugh slightly nervously.

But owning a boat doesn't necessarily have to cost a fortune. A small sports boat kept on a trailer is a very different proposition from a 40-foot twin-diesel cruiser sitting in a premium South Coast marina.

The important thing is knowing what you're getting into before you buy.

Start with where you're going to keep it

For many owners, berthing is the biggest regular cost. And location makes a huge difference.

For example, published 2026 prices at Shotley Marina in Suffolk put an annual berth at £463 per metre when paid in advance. A 10-metre boat therefore comes in at around £4,630.

At Lymington Yacht Haven, a berth for a boat of roughly the same size is over £9,000 a year before some additional charges.

That's a fairly dramatic difference for parking the same boat.

Of course, you don't necessarily need a full-service marina berth. Depending on the boat and how you use it, a swinging mooring, dry-stack or trailer can reduce the cost considerably.

Then there's maintenance

This is probably the area first-time owners underestimate most.

Engines need servicing. Hulls need antifouling. Anodes need changing. Batteries eventually die. Electronics sometimes decide they've had enough.

There isn't a sensible universal figure because boats vary so much.

A modern single-outboard boat could be relatively straightforward. An older cruiser with two diesel engines, sterndrives, heating, generators and lots of onboard equipment is another story.

For a medium-sized cruising boat, allowing a few thousand pounds a year for servicing, maintenance and the occasional repair isn't unreasonable.

Some years you'll spend less. Other years your boat will have plans of its own.

A decent pre-purchase survey and good service history can make a big difference here.

Fuel depends on how you actually use the boat

Sailing yachts may use relatively little fuel. Larger motorboats obviously use more.

Rather than worrying about maximum fuel consumption, think about your actual boating.

If your boat averages 40 litres an hour and you spend 50 hours a year cruising under power, that's around 2,000 litres annually.

At an illustrative £1.50 per litre, that's £3,000. Or nearer £4k at today's prices!

Your figure could be much higher or lower, but it's an easy calculation worth doing before buying.

Don't forget the smaller stuff

Insurance, lift-outs, winter storage, safety equipment, marina electricity, navigation updates and visitor berths all add up. None necessarily breaks the bank individually. Together, they can make a noticeable difference.

As a rough example, a 10-metre boat on an East Coast marina berth might look something like this:

• Berthing: £4,630

• Insurance: £700

• Servicing and maintenance: £2,000

• Lifting and hull care: £800

• Fuel: £1,000

• Repairs and extras: £1,000

That's just over £10,000 a year, or around £840 a month, before depreciation or any finance repayments.

It's only an illustration, but it shows why looking at the purchase price alone doesn't tell the whole story.

So, is boat ownership expensive?

It can be. But it can also be managed sensibly.

Choosing a boat that genuinely suits what you want to do is probably the biggest factor.

If you want sunny weekends and watersports with the family, you may not need a large cruiser with two engines and three cabins.

On the other hand, if you plan to spend every spare weekend aboard, the extra cost may be completely worthwhile.

At SALT, we specialise in leisure marine finance, so we spend a lot of time talking to people about not just what they can buy, but what makes sense for them to own.

Our application process is digital, but the people behind it understand boats, surveys, dealers and the realities of keeping them running.

If you're still deciding what might suit your budget, Boats On Finance also lets you browse boats for sale based on a comfortable monthly payment.

Just remember to leave enough in the budget to actually enjoy the boat once you've bought it.

Because owning one should be about weekends on the water and not lying awake wondering what the next service is going to cost.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to own a boat each year in the UK?
It varies hugely. A small trailerable boat can be relatively inexpensive, while a marina-based cruising boat can easily cost several thousand pounds a year before finance or depreciation.

Is a sailing boat cheaper to own than a motorboat?
Often, particularly when it comes to fuel, but sailing boats have their own costs including sails, rigging and maintenance.

Can I finance a used boat?
Yes. Eligible used boats can be financed, subject to the boat meeting the lender's criteria and the applicant passing credit and affordability assessments.

Finance disclaimer: Finance is subject to status, affordability and approval. Your boat will provide security for the loan and may be repossessed if repayments are not maintained. All figures quoted are correct at the time of publishing.