July Market Report: Diesel Up a Dollar, Sales Up Again, and Blackstone Bids for MarineMax
Reporting period: June 15 through July 15, 2026
If you filled a diesel tank this month, you already know part of this report. Prices at the dock climbed about a dollar a gallon while gas held roughly where it was, an unusual split and one worth understanding before your next fill. The boats kept selling anyway. July was our strongest sales month of the year, and for the first time we are able to show you a full quarter of data rather than a single month. There is also news out of the industry this month that could put a large share of this country’s marinas and boat dealerships under a single owner, and I want to hear what you think about it.
On Our Radar This Month
- The strongest sales month we have recorded
- Our first quarterly report, covering April 15 through July 15
- Boat loan rates, unchanged from last month
- Diesel up a dollar a gallon, gas holding steady
- Federal Reserve update
- More West Marine closures, including three in Southern California
- Blackstone is bidding for MarineMax, and we want your take
- A new blog: last month we crossed a state line, this time we crossed a border
California Sales, June 15 to July 15
| Price Range | Boats Sold | vs. Prior Month |
| $100K to $250K | 56 | up 16 |
| $251K to $500K | 23 | down 1 |
| $501K to $1M | 8 | down 7 |
| $1M to $2M | 3 | down 3 |
| Above $2M | 1 | up 1 |
| Total | 91 | up 6 |
Ninety-one boats is the highest monthly total we have published. The movement came almost entirely from the $100K to $250K range, which added 16 transactions. Last month’s activity in the $501K to $1M range did not carry into July, settling back to 8. One boat above $2M changed hands after a month with none.
A note on where these numbers come from. Not every brokerage in the industry reports its transactions, so this is a sample rather than a complete count of every boat that sold in California. It is also the only data of its kind being compiled and published anywhere in our industry that we are aware of, which is why we keep doing it month after month.
California Inventory, Mid-July
| Price Range | Current Listings | vs. Last Month |
| Under $100K | 907 | down 8 |
| $100K to $250K | 491 | down 10 |
| $251K to $500K | 290 | down 3 |
| $501K to $1M | 147 | down 10 |
| $1M to $2M | 62 | up 1 |
| Above $2M | 55 | up 8 |
| Total | 1,952 | down 22 |
Overall listings were essentially flat. Two ranges moved enough to mention: the $501K to $1M range came down, and above $2M added 8 boats, its second month of growth.
Quarterly Report: April 15 through July 15
This is the first month we have enough history behind us to look at a full quarter rather than a single reporting period. Across those three months, 248 boats sold in California. Our monthly totals since early spring have run 42, 52, 72, 85, and now 91, so activity has built steadily through the season. The $100K to $250K range accounted for a little over half of everything that sold in the quarter, with the $251K to $500K range taking most of the rest.
We will publish this quarterly summary going forward. As the data deepens across a full year, we will be able to show seasonal patterns and year-over-year comparisons that a few months cannot support yet.
Financing
Rates from our lending partners are unchanged from last month. For buyers with strong credit, on 20-year fixed terms:
| Loan Amount | Rate |
| $50K to $99K | 6.74% |
| $100K to $249K | 6.24% |
| $250K to $499K | 5.99% |
| $500K and up | 5.74% |
Longer terms, variable rate options, and rate buydown programs are available depending on the deal. If you want to walk through what your situation looks like, give us a call.
Diesel Jumps a Dollar at the Fuel Dock
Last month prices were easing. This month they went the other way.
Fighting in the Middle East picked back up in early July and the price of a barrel of oil climbed through the month, briefly crossing $100 before settling back into the high $80s in the final week as strikes paused and talks began on reopening shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The month finished better than it peaked.
At San Diego fuel docks right now, gas is running around $6.96 a gallon under 150 gallons and around $6.70 in the 150 to 200 gallon range. Diesel is around $6.62 a gallon on fills of 300 to 500 gallons. Those are cash prices before tax.
The interesting note is the split. Gas stayed close to where it was last month while diesel moved up roughly a dollar a gallon, so diesel boats absorbed nearly all of this month’s increase. One thing worth knowing if you have any flexibility: pricing drops as volume goes up, and that $6.62 diesel figure is already the better rate on a large fill. Try to consolidate your fills where you can and stretch the dollar a little further.
Docks reprice daily, so a quick call or a VHF check before you pull in is always worth the minute.
What Happened to the Rate Cuts?
At the time of writing, the Federal Reserve is meeting July 28 and 29, with a decision expected Wednesday. Most forecasters expect no change to the benchmark rate, which has held all year, though a small increase is not off the table.
The larger shift is the one already behind us. At the start of this year the expectation across the market was that rates would come down in 2026. That has flipped. The Fed’s own projections now point toward a possible increase before year-end rather than a cut. For anyone weighing a purchase, that changes the arithmetic of waiting. The quotes above are strong by historical standards and they are available today.
More West Marine Closures, Including Three in Southern California
We covered the West Marine restructuring last month, and the picture has widened since.
The company has added a second round of closings, bringing the total to 91 locations out of roughly 200. Seven are in California and three are in our region: Santa Barbara, Oceanside, and Chula Vista. Closing sales are expected to run into late September. West Marine has said gift cards, rewards benefits, and warranties will be honored at remaining stores and online.
If one of those was your store, our service and parts team can help. We source parts and gear for our clients regularly and we are glad to do it whether or not you bought your boat through us. Call the office and we will track down what you need.
Blackstone Is Bidding for MarineMax. What’s Your Take?
MarineMax, the largest boat dealership group in the country, has been up for sale since spring. Reuters reported last week that Blackstone is among the final bidders. Blackstone already owns Safe Harbor Marinas, which it bought in 2025 and which operates well over a hundred marinas nationwide.
If this closes, one owner would hold a substantial share of both where boats are sold in this country and where they are kept. It would be one of the biggest ownership changes this industry has seen.
Nothing is decided yet. But a shift of this size would eventually work its way into slip rates, service pricing, and which brands get floor space. We would like to know how you see it. Reply to this email or give us a call, and we will share what we hear from you in a future report.
The National State of the Market
New boat sales nationally were down 5.6% through March according to the National Marine Manufacturers Association, compared with a decline of 8.8% across all of 2025. Softer than last year, but less soft than the year before.
That matters if you are shopping new. The current state of the market may lead to some nice opportunities, particularly on non-current model year boats. If buying new has been on your mind, this is a good time for it, and we are glad to have that conversation with you.
On the used side, national year-end data showed unit sales down about 9% in 2025 while average sold prices went up close to 5% in North America. Boats took longer to sell and sellers held their pricing rather than cutting it. That matches what we have been seeing in our own inventory numbers, particularly in the upper ranges.
New on the Blog: Last Month We Crossed a State Line, This Time a Border
Last month we wrote about helping a client find the right boat 3,000 miles from home. This month’s piece picks up the same thread and takes it further. It follows a project from the first search through the purchase, the refit work that came after, and finally the delivery from Pensacola to Belize.
It is the fuller version of what this job actually looks like when the right boat is not where you are and the boat you want still needs some work to become the boat you want. Worth a read if you have ever wondered how wide a search is worth casting.
Looking Ahead
What stays with me from this month’s numbers is how different this market feels depending on where you sit in it. Somebody shopping in the low six figures is in a market where boats move in a matter of months. Somebody selling above two million is working on a longer clock. Both of those are happening in the same harbor at the same time, and neither one is a problem to be fixed.
Volume has climbed through the season. Listings have held roughly steady. Rates have not moved. Fuel had a rough month and finished better than it started.
Thank you for reading. If there is something you would like covered in an upcoming report, tell me. Several of the sections in here started as a question somebody asked at the dock.
Sales figures represent reported California used power boat transactions on a rolling 15th-to-15th basis and reflect a sample of the market rather than a complete count. Inventory reflects active California listings at the time of reporting. Quarterly figures cover April 15 through July 15. Financing rates are subject to credit approval, vessel age, and lender terms. Fuel prices are approximate cash prices before tax and change daily.
Mark Gibbons · President / Owner · 50 North Yachts
mgibbons@50northyachts.com · (619) 997-9491