If you decide on a new boat, boat shows are a prime shopping ground. However, consideration should be given to the dealer you buy from. One good tip when shopping for a new boat is to do it at the end of the model year. Typically toward the end of July dealers are trying to clear out old inventory. Another good tip is to search out the previous model year's leftovers once the new models have arrived.
Many dealerships also offer used boats that have been taken as trade-ins.
A dealership may offer a limited warranty on the used boat and has likely serviced it to some extent in readying it for resale. But because the dealer is a third party and has overhead, including sales commissions, the price is generally higher than what you would pay the owner directly. Once you have found a used boat that interests you, it is wise to call the national equivalent of the American U.S. Coast Guard, or the agency in charge of keeping tabs on manufacturers, and ask for information about a manufacturer's recall for that particular model. If a recall has been issued, ask the owner if the repair has been performed. If not, find out if the period of recall is still in effect.