Online marketplaces helped launch the internet into the stratosphere, taking it from the domain of geeks, nerds, and academics to a mainstay in the lives of everyday people. At their pinnacle, websites like Craigslist and eBay — before the latter and similar services like Etsy starting squeezing sellers with outsized fees and confounding buyers with increasingly convoluted user interfaces bloated with unwanted features and rife with scams — offered users immensely powerful marketplaces where they could find or sell almost any item their heart desired, no matter how specialized or obscure. As those services have increasingly fragmented and floundered, online buyers are left to wander the chaotic worlds of Facebook Marketplace or apps like OfferUp and LetGo, all of which provide little in the way of moderation or buyer security and offer generally miserable user experiences. While the public at large may be left to wade through this increasingly contaminated morass, boaters may now have a way to escape it thanks to Small Craft Sales, a new startup that seems intent on rekindling the heyday of online marketplaces.
Launched last week, Small Craft Sales aims to offer both buyers and sellers of small watercraft — think everything from inflatable SUPs to motorized skiffs and jetboats — a minimalist, clean, streamlined user experience intently and solely focused on watercraft. The project is the brainchild of Tim Romano, longtime fishing fly fishing photographer, writer, and face behind industry outlets Angling Trade and Flylab.
“Boat geeks know exactly what they want, but unstructured sites can be a mess,” says Romano. “We’re here to connect passionate boaters and simplify the process.”
In addition to a classified listing-style marketplace, Small Craft Sales plans to build an online community for boaters. The site plans to offer how-tos, stories, gear reviews and roundups, and more — all from the boating world. There will even be a forum for folks that need help moving and relocating boats.
Affordability also seems to be a focus for the site. Instead of taking a percentage of sales like other online marketplaces like the aforementioned eBay, Small Craft Sales has opted for a fixed-listing-fee model. Listing a boat costs just $35, not including any optional upgrades that would bring more eyeballs to your listing.
Photo: Tim Romano
To help get the marketplace rolling, the site is offering free listings for sellers that sign up for free account and list a boat before August 1. There’s also a host of giveaways and other incentives currently available to new sellers and buyers.
For folks that know Romano, calling him a boat aficionado might sound like a laughable understatement. “Fanatic” is more likely to ring true.
“I built this because I love boats and wanted a marketplace that didn’t exist—something simple, useful, and a hopefully a little fun. Small Craft Sales isn’t meant to be too serious, but it should work well and help people dream about their next “money pit”. We’re not out to gouge anyone. We’re just trying to offer a service that’s worth it, one without the scams and clutter you find elsewhere.”
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