Boats for Sale in North Carolina

Registering and titling a boat in North Carolina

Boat registration runs through the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC), not the DMV. Any vessel with a motor, of any horsepower, has to be registered, and so does any sailboat 14 feet or longer on public water. NCWRC also issues titles. When you buy a used boat that is already titled in North Carolina, the seller signs the title over and you apply for a new one in your name. The commission sets its own fee schedule, so check the current amounts on the NCWRC registration page before you hand over cash.

If the boat is coming from another state, bring the out-of-state title or registration and a bill of sale. Trailers are a separate matter and go through the NCDMV.

Boater education

North Carolina requires anyone born on or after January 1, 1988 to complete an approved boating education course before operating a vessel powered by a motor of 10 horsepower or more. NCWRC runs free classroom courses and accepts NASBLA-approved online courses.

Where people boat

In the Piedmont, Lake Norman is the busy one: a Duke Energy reservoir north of Charlotte with dozens of marinas and a strong wakeboat and pontoon crowd. Lake Wylie, Mountain Island Lake and High Rock Lake are close by. Raleigh and Durham boaters lean on Jordan Lake and Falls Lake, both run as state recreation areas with public ramps. Kerr Lake (John H. Kerr Reservoir) straddles the Virginia line and is known for striper and crappie.

Out east the water changes completely. Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds are wide and shallow and kick up a short, steep chop when the wind blows. The Intracoastal Waterway runs the length of the coast, and towns like Oriental, Beaufort, Morehead City and Wrightsville Beach are boating hubs. Offshore anglers run out of Oregon Inlet, Hatteras and Morehead City for the Gulf Stream.

Up in the mountains, Fontana Lake and Lake Lure are smaller, colder and quieter, with tighter rules on some private and municipal lakes.

What sells here

Pontoons and tritoons dominate the Piedmont lakes because the water is protected and the lake-house crowd wants space. Bay boats and center consoles from 20 to 26 feet are the coastal favorite since they handle the sounds and can run the beach on a good day. Carolina-built sportfishers have a long history here too: the state is home to a cluster of custom builders around Wanchese, Manteo and Harkers Island.

Season

Lake season runs roughly April through October. On the coast plenty of people fish year-round, and fall is prime time for red drum and false albacore around Cape Lookout.

Buying tips for North Carolina boats

Ask whether the boat lived in salt or fresh water. A coastal boat should have a rinse history; look hard at trim tabs, the lower unit, trailer brakes and bunks, and stainless hardware for pitting. Lake boats that sat on a lift are usually in better shape underneath than ones kept in the water all summer, but check the lift's age and whether the hull shows a scum line.

Hurricane season is the other local factor. After a big storm, flood-damaged boats show up for sale. Pull the NCWRC registration history, look for silt in the bilge and under hatches, and be wary of a fresh engine with no paperwork.