Guides and research for boat dealers and yacht brokers
Practical, sourced guides for the people who run boat sales: dealer principals, general managers, sales managers and yacht brokers. Every page states its sources and the year of every figure, says plainly when a number is old or a price is not published, and is updated when the rules or the data change.
The guides are written by Keelson Intelligence, which makes Keelson, an AI sales desk that answers boat leads in 60 seconds. Where a page compares Keelson with other tools, it says so at the top and covers the cases where another product is the better fit.
Answer every lead, and know what slow replies cost
Where boat leads come from, how fast dealers answer them today, and what the gap is worth. Start with the statistics if you need numbers for an owner meeting, or the calculator if you want your own.
- ResearchBoat dealer lead response statistics (2026): every published marine study, dated and sourcedEvery boat dealer lead response study, dated and sourced: marine mystery shops since 2011, marketplace data, automotive and cross-industry benchmarks.Read the page
- Lead sourcesHow YachtWorld and Boat Trader leads reach your dealership in 2026, and how to answer them in 60 secondsHow YachtWorld and Boat Trader leads reach boat dealers in 2026: Boats Group routing changes, LeadFlow and CRM delivery, cost versus lead value, fast replies.Read the page
- GuideAfter-hours and weekend boat leads: how many arrive when nobody is in, and how to answer themHow many boat leads arrive after hours and on weekends, when marine coverage breaks, what buyers expect, staffing options, and what a good reply contains.Read the page
- CalculatorBoat dealer lead response ROI calculator: what slow and missed leads cost you each monthEstimate how many boats your dealership loses to slow or missed lead replies, what that gross is worth each month, and how many extra sales cover a $795 plan.Read the calculator
Follow up, book sea trials and work the boat shows
Most boat buyers take weeks to decide, so the sale is usually made in the follow-up. These guides set out cadences, show-season sequences, sea trial logistics and message wording you can copy.
- GuideThe 90-day follow-up cadence for boat buyers: touch count, channels and what to say at each stepHow long to follow up a boat lead, how many touches, which channel and why: a day-by-day 90-day cadence for boat dealers, with handoff rules and metrics.Read the page
- GuideBoat show lead follow-up: a 90-day sequence with free text and email templates for the 2027 show seasonA 90-day boat show follow-up plan for dealers: one-hour text, same-day email, 48-hour call, then 7 to 90 day touches, with 9 free show templates for 2027.Read the page
- GuideHow to book sea trials that show up: confirmation texts, reminders and no-show prevention (plus a buyer FAQ)A boat dealer playbook for sea trials that show up: qualifying, deposits, confirmation and reminder texts, weather holds, plus a buyer FAQ on test drives.Read the page
- TemplatesBoat sales text message templates: 30 texts for marketplace leads, buyer questions, hand-offs and 90-day follow-up30 ready boat sales texts for dealers and yacht brokers: first replies to marketplace leads, price and trailer answers, hand-offs, re-engagement, opt-outs.Read the page
Text buyers without breaking the rules
Texting is the fastest channel and the most regulated one. Consent, 10DLC registration, opt-outs and quiet hours by state, kept current as the federal and state rules change.
Choose the right tools and staffing
Honest comparisons of AI lead response tools, texting platforms, CRMs and BDC staffing for marine dealers, with published prices where they exist and a plain note wherever they do not.
- ComparisonBest AI lead response tools for boat dealers and yacht brokers in 2026: Keelson, VELA, BoatLife.ai, DP360, Kenect Engage AI, Impel and Portside comparedSeven AI lead response tools for boat dealers and yacht brokers compared on channels, speed, booking, follow-up, marketplaces, price and contract (Oct 2026).Read the page
- ComparisonKenect vs Podium for boat dealers (2026): pricing, marine integrations and what neither one doesKenect vs Podium for boat dealers in 2026: reported pricing, contract terms, Capterra ratings, marine DMS integrations and the sales jobs neither tool covers.Read the page
- ComparisonImpel alternatives for marine dealers (2026): seven options compared, including KeelsonImpel alternatives for boat dealers in 2026: what Impel sells marine stores, its contact-sales pricing, G2 rating, and seven options with published prices.Read the page
- ComparisonKeelson vs Kenect for boat dealers: texting platform or AI sales desk?Keelson vs Kenect for boat dealers in 2026: a texting platform your staff run vs an AI sales desk that answers, books sea trials and follows up for 90 days.Read the page
- GuideBest CRM and dealer management software for boat dealers in 2026 (and what a CRM will not do)Boat dealer CRM and DMS compared for 2026: Lightspeed, DockMaster, DealerRock, BiT, Winboats, NautiLead and more, with published prices and what a CRM skips.Read the page
- GuideDoes a boat dealer need a BDC? In-house, outsourced and AI sales desk compared (2026)Does a boat dealer need a BDC? In-house rep, outsourced BDC firm and AI sales desk compared on cost, hours, phone coverage, sea trials and seasonal staffing.Read the page
Keelson plans, brokerages and integrations
What Keelson costs, how it works for yacht brokerages, and how it connects to the lead sources, CRMs and calendars a marine dealership already runs.
- PricingKeelson pricing for boat dealers and yacht brokers (2026): plans, setup and what is includedKeelson costs $795 a month for one rooftop on an annual plan. See every plan, add-on and setup fee, worked examples, and how it compares with published prices.Read the page
- For yacht brokersAI follow-up for yacht brokers: from YachtWorld inquiry to sea trial, with 90-day follow-upHow a yacht brokerage answers every YachtWorld and YATCO inquiry in 60 seconds, routes it to the listing broker and follows up for 90 days, plus costs.Read the page
- IntegrationsKeelson integrations: YachtWorld, Boat Trader, HubSpot, Salesforce, Lightspeed, DockMaster and your calendarHow Keelson connects to a boat dealer's systems: marketplace and web leads in, CRM and DMS sync out, Google Calendar or Outlook booking, and your own number.Read the page