NBOA Marine Finance Center

Boat loans underwritten
by people who know boats.

NBOA's Marine Finance Center teams up with Intercoastal Financial Group — a marine specialist with 30+ years in the category. Competitive rates and terms for new purchase, used purchase, or refinance. Most approvals within the hour.

Apply now Call 1-800-248-3512
Get started

Get pre-approved.

Pre-approval is quick, doesn't require a specific vessel, and gives you real numbers to negotiate with. A Financial Specialist reviews your file and returns a conditional approval — amount, rate range, and term — so you can shop a boat show or a private seller with confidence.

The programs

Three things we write.

Whether you're buying new, buying used, or refinancing a loan you already have, NBOA's Marine Finance Center is built to get you where you need to be — with a specialist lender, not a generic consumer bank.

  • New boat purchase — dealer-sold or manufacturer-direct
  • Used boat purchase — private-party or brokerage
  • Refinance — restructure, lower rate, or extend term on an existing marine loan
Our advantages

Why this process is different.

  • Experience — over 30 years in marine financing, with tens of thousands of boat owners helped into their vessel
  • Fast & secure — most approvals come back within an hour, and most files can close within days of application
  • Multiple lenders — our Financial Specialists shop your file across a panel of marine lenders and place it with the one best-suited to your specific profile
  • Flexibility — partnerships that can accommodate lower credit scores, higher debt-to-income, older vessels, or higher loan-to-value situations
  • Communication — tailored to how you want to work, by email, text, call, or in person, through funding and beyond
Rates

How pricing actually works.

Marine loan rates aren't posted like auto-loan rates because they price off four inputs at once: vessel age, loan-to-value, credit profile, and loan amount. A strong stack on all four gets you the best rate available; weakness on any one drags the file.

Because NBOA works through Intercoastal Financial Group's multi-lender panel, your application is matched to the lender whose program fits your file best — rather than getting a single rate sheet from a single bank. For most marine buyers, a specialist-matched loan beats what a generic auto or personal lender will offer, particularly on older vessels, larger loan amounts, and anything Coast Guard documented.

Why marine-specialist

Auto lenders don't understand boats.

If you've tried financing a boat through your bank or a generic auto lender, you've probably hit one of these walls: short maximum terms, no valuation methodology for the hull, no understanding of documented-vessel titling, or an outright decline past a certain loan size.

Marine-specialty lenders write loans where the vessel is the collateral — which means they actually understand the collateral. That changes the program structure in ways that matter:

Generic auto / consumer lender
Short maximum terms
Marine-specialty lender
Terms up to 240 months (20 years) on qualifying vessels
Generic auto / consumer lender
Retail Blue Book or auto-style appraisal
Marine-specialty lender
Marine survey on older/larger files, with lender-familiar valuation
Generic auto / consumer lender
Doesn't understand Coast Guard documentation
Marine-specialty lender
Handles documented-vessel and state-titled loans routinely
Generic auto / consumer lender
One rate sheet, one lender
Marine-specialty lender
Application shopped across a panel of marine lenders
Generic auto / consumer lender
Tends to decline older or specialty vessels
Marine-specialty lender
Program flexibility for older hulls, higher LTV, and uneven credit
Dealer vs. direct

Where your loan actually comes from.

Most boat buyers get offered financing at the dealer's F&I desk. That's one lender — the one the dealer has a relationship with — with one rate sheet. NBOA's model is different.

Working through Intercoastal Financial Group, your file is underwritten against a panel of marine lenders — strongest credit profiles routed to the lowest-rate lender, thinner files placed with the lender most likely to approve them. It's the same mechanic as how an insurance broker shops carriers.

Documentation

What you'll need to apply.

  • Information on the boat you're buying — make, model, year, and purchase price
  • In some cases, tax returns and bank statements (commonly for larger loans or self-employed buyers)
  • For used vessels 10+ years old or loan amounts of $50,000 and up: a marine survey
  • Proof of marine insurance in force before funding
  • For refis: current loan payoff and title documentation
Frequently asked

Questions & answers

What information do I need to apply for a loan?
To start, we need info on the boat you're buying. In some cases — larger loans or self-employed applicants — we'll also ask for tax returns and bank statements. A Financial Specialist will tell you up front what your specific file needs.
How long does the process take?
Anywhere from about two hours to two weeks. It comes down to how responsive you are with us. Most approvals are received within an hour; closings typically follow within days once documentation and title work are in place.
Is a marine survey required?
Surveys are mostly required for vessels 10 years and older or for loan amounts of $50,000 and up. Lenders use the survey to confirm vessel condition and value. The buyer pays for the survey.
Is zero down an option?
Zero down is available for certain credit criteria. A Financial Specialist can tell you whether your profile qualifies once we review the file.
How long is a loan approval good for?
Loan approvals are good for 30 days — enough runway to negotiate the deal, complete a survey, and close.
What's the maximum term available?
Max term is 20 years (240 months), reserved for larger loan amounts on qualifying vessels.
How much do I have to put down on my boat?
Typically 5–15%, depending on your credit profile and the vessel. For strong credit files, zero-down programs may be available.
Can I get pre-approved for a loan?
Yes. Pre-approval is the right first step if you're shopping a boat show or negotiating with a seller — you'll have a real loan amount and terms in hand before you commit.
Next step

Get pre-approved.

Pre-approval is quick, doesn't require a specific vessel, and gives you real numbers to negotiate with. A Financial Specialist reviews your file and returns a conditional approval — amount, rate range, and term — so you can shop a boat show or a private seller with confidence.

Pre-approval in about ten minutes.

Shop with a real loan amount and rate range — not a dealer-desk estimate.

Get pre-approved 1-800-248-3512