There's no fixed timeline — you have unlimited consulting and support from your first search to final closing, however long that takes. Some members close in a month, others take six months, a year, or longer. It just depends on your timeline. Finding the right boat takes dedication and patience — the right boat is out there, but a large percentage of listings have serious issues, and finding a good one takes real time. Your consultant is with you every step of the way, always with your best interest in mind.

This is a learning program above everything else. Between viewings alongside your consultant, your handbook, and your sessions together, you'll absorb so much along the way that by the end, you'll be able to spot the same red flags they do. It's a great feeling seeing a soon-to-be owner who's toured 50 boats start sending over listings like a pro — because the program doesn't just find you a boat, it teaches you how to evaluate one yourself.

The program includes unlimited scheduled meetings with your consultant throughout the buying process. You can book time on his calendar as needed for listing reviews, vessel comparisons, inspection discussions, survey findings, offer strategy, negotiation support, and closing guidance.

Support continues until the right vessel is found and the purchase is complete — but that is only the beginning. Once you become an owner, Shipshape Society remains a resource for the rest of your ownership journey and beyond.

After going through the buying process with the Society, you are not simply handed the keys and left on your own. You become part of a community built around ongoing education, practical ownership support, valuable resources, and a shared passion for life on the water. The goal is not only to help you buy the right boat, but to help you enjoy, understand, and care for it long after closing day.

There are two payment plans — both include the exact same services and support. The only difference is when the engagement fee is paid.

Standard Plan (best overall value): a $2,000 engagement fee to begin, plus a 3% success fee at closing ($1,000 minimum), calculated on the final purchase price.

Flexible Plan (lower upfront): just $500 to begin, then a $2,500 deferred engagement fee plus the 3% success fee ($1,000 minimum) at closing. The lower upfront commitment costs $1,000 more overall than the Standard Plan.

The success fee is only owed when your purchase actually closes — so the bulk of what you pay is tied to results. Consider what it costs to get the wrong boat instead: a bad purchase can mean tens of thousands in surprise repairs, a vessel you can't sell without a loss, or years of ownership you never actually enjoy. The program is priced to protect you from that outcome.

Yes — the program is available worldwide via video call. Any boat, any state, any country — wherever you want to search, Dustin can review listings and run virtual pre-purchase inspections on your candidates.

It varies by search — graduates have averaged 80+ boats reviewed before closing, with every serious candidate getting a full virtual pre-purchase inspection at no extra cost.

That's fine — the program can start with reviewing and inspecting a specific boat you've found, then expand into the full search process if that one doesn't pan out.

The Boat Buyer Consulting Program concludes at closing. As a graduate, you'll have the chance to apply for the Vessel Orientation Program next, so you learn your new boat system by system and step into ownership with confidence.