With a legacy spanning over 60 years, SkipperBud's has been dedicated to fulfilling our customers' boating dreams and embracing their boating lifestyle. Extending across the Midwest to the West Coast, SkipperBud's proudly stands as the largest boat dealer in the region with ma…
SkipperBud's - Bay City works with financing partners to help buyers secure loans for boats and watercraft. Contact SkipperBud's - Bay City to ask about current financing promotions, available lenders, and whether pre-qualification is available. You can also use Searchshop's built-in payment estimator on any listing to model monthly payments before reaching out.
SkipperBud's - Bay City is located at 1809 South Water St, Bay City, Michigan, 48708. They serve buyers in Bay City, Michigan and surrounding areas.
SkipperBud's - Bay City specializes in boats and watercraft. Browse their full inventory on Searchshop to see all available listings with year, make, model, photos, and pricing.
You can contact SkipperBud's - Bay City through the contact form or reveal their phone number on their Searchshop profile page. Include the year, make, and model you are interested in for a faster response.
Many boat dealers accept trade-ins as part of a purchase. Contact SkipperBud's - Bay City directly to ask about their trade-in program, how they value trade-in units, and how a trade-in would apply toward your next boat purchase.
Buying a boat from SkipperBud's - Bay City in Bay City, Michigan? Use this guide to evaluate any listing before you commit.
Match the boat to your waters
Pontoons and deck boats suit calm lakes. Deep-V hulls handle chop on larger lakes and coastal water. Center consoles are versatile for fishing. Ask SkipperBud's - Bay City which models suit the waterways near Bay City, Michigan.
Inspect the hull carefully
Look for stress cracks, blistering, or repairs on fiberglass hulls. Check the transom for soft spots by pressing firmly — a solid transom feels rigid. Osmotic blistering costs thousands to repair.
Check engine hours
Inboard and outboard engines are typically rated to 1,500–3,000 hours. Low-hour engines with service records are worth more. Ask to see oil change and winterization records for any boat at SkipperBud's - Bay City.
Request a sea trial
Test the boat on the water before buying. Run it at full throttle. Listen for unusual noises. Check that the throttle and steering respond smoothly. Reputable dealers like SkipperBud's - Bay City will accommodate this request.
Verify title and registration
Ask for the current title and confirm the hull identification number (HIN) matches. Check for any liens with your state boating agency. SkipperBud's - Bay City should be able to walk you through the paperwork.
Marine financing has unique terms. Here is what to know before financing a boat through SkipperBud's - Bay City in Bay City, Michigan.
Typical Loan Terms
10 to 20 years for larger boats. Smaller boats are typically financed over 5 to 10 years.
Down Payment
10% to 20% is standard. Some lenders require more for older vessels.
Pro Tip
Get pre-approved by your bank before visiting SkipperBud's - Bay City — it gives you a rate to compare against dealer financing.
Marine lenders (USAA, SunTrust, Essex Credit) specialize in boat loans and often offer better rates than general banks. Get a pre-approval before visiting SkipperBud's - Bay City to compare against dealer-arranged financing.
SkipperBud's - Bay City is a boat dealer in Bay City, Michigan listed on Searchshop. Browse their full boats and watercraft inventory, view detailed photos, compare prices, and get in contact directly from this page. Searchshop aggregates boat dealer listings across the country so you can compare stock and pricing in one place before you visit or call.
Buyers in and around Bay City, Michigan can browse the full inventory at SkipperBud's - Bay City, read verified buyer reviews, and reach out through the contact form on this page. Each listing at SkipperBud's - Bay City shows year, make, model, condition, mileage or hours, and current asking price. Use the monthly payment estimator on any listing to model financing before stepping on the lot.
The inventory at SkipperBud's - Bay City is updated regularly on Searchshop. Each listing shows high-resolution photos alongside the year, make, model, trim, and price. Mileage, condition notes, and available options are listed on each vehicle detail page. A built-in loan calculator lets you estimate your monthly payment based on purchase price, down payment, and loan term before you call or visit. Save listings you like to compare them side by side. If a unit you are interested in is no longer showing, contact SkipperBud's - Bay City directly — dealers often have incoming trades and new arrivals not yet listed.
Buying from a local boat dealer in Michigan has practical advantages. Local dealers handle state title, registration, and sales tax in-house. Warranty and service work are easier to coordinate nearby. Local dealers carry inventory suited to the region — boats suited to local waterways and seasons. Visiting in person lets you inspect and test ride before you commit. Use the Searchshop dealer directory to compare Michigan boat dealers by city, brand, or inventory.
Use the contact form on this page to ask about a specific listing, request more photos, or schedule a visit. Include the year, make, and model for a faster response. Ask about trade-in valuations, financing promotions, and upcoming inventory. SkipperBud's - Bay City is in the Searchshop boat dealer directory serving Bay City, Michigan and surrounding areas. Browse other boat dealers on Searchshop to compare inventory and pricing near you.
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At a Glance
With a legacy spanning over 60 years, SkipperBud's has been dedicated to fulfilling our customers' boating dreams and embracing their boating lifestyle. Extending across the Midwest to the West Coast, SkipperBud's proudly stands as the largest boat dealer in the region with marinas and stores located in Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio, Washington, and California. As your premier boating destination, we offer a comprehensive range of services and products to meet all your boating needs. From boat service and storage to rentals and sales, we cater to both seasoned boaters and newcomers, prov...
Dealership and staff deserve a ZERO! Purchased a new 2021 boat over $50k. Drove 5-1/2 hours to pick-up the boat and sales guy doesn't show up and failed to respond to several phone calls. Regional Director of Finance (Ryan) with almost no personality and less customer service aptitude delivers our boat and shows no interest in taking care of the transaction other than selling extended services. Multiple problems/defects are noted with boat and we are promised warranty replacements/repairs. Upon hooking my 2020 truck to the trailer, service tech tells me I need to go back into the store to buy a $8 -5-prong plug coupler since my truck has 4-prong and RV plug receivers.... wow, spend $53k and get less than a full tank of fuel and have to buy the $8 part! After several weeks without title work, registration and follow-up on defects, I make several attempts to reach sales guy AND the general manager (Tracy). Again, no response to multiple messages. Had to actually call corporate customer service to get someone to respond. After lip-service and apologies from a guy with VP title, its discovered our registration and title work were never submitted and Ryan admits to "dropping the ball". However, we are promised swift action only to receive our title and registration with wrong name(s) incorrect info. STILL WAITING ON INFORMATION AND WARRANTY ITEMS. Was thankful to find a boat in the current market, but Skipper Bud's has got to be the worst experience I've had. Can't believe the culture/business model they deliver. ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE and PISS-POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE.
These are some of the pics of my boat after I got it back from Skipper Bud's Inside Storage for the winter. I had started to clean it up so all the grease around motor is cleaned off..Mind you, my boat was showroom ready when I dropped it off and yet this is how I got it back after paying 500.00 for inside storage and 130.00 to grease one wheel axle. If you value your boat please...please..don't take it there. They are a joke...read their service mottos at the bottom ....need I say more....
What can I say, there a great experience to work with. Mike our salesman was very knowledgeable about the boat we purchased. Alex was fantastic. Got us a great rate, and wasa blast to talk with. Melissa another ace. Got very reasonable boat insurance. I would buy from them again.!
BEWARE DO NOT BUY A BOAT FROM THIS COMPANY I GAVE THEM 5K DOWN ON A BOAT AND WAS TOLD IT WAS 100% REFUNDABLE THEY FIRST ORDERED ME THE WRONG BOAT THEN PROMISED ID HAVE THE BOAT BY MEMORIAL DAYI THEN LOST MY LOAN FROM THE LENGTH OF TIME THAT WENT BY I CANCELED THE BOAT AND THEY REFUSE TO GIVE MY MONEY BACK THEY ALSO CAN NOE NOT PROVIDE ME WITH A LOAN AND STOLE 5K FROM ME THESE PEOPLE ARE THIEF'S Edit* a year later and still have not returned my money. These people are scam artists please don't get took like I did. I did go out and buy another boat from an honest dealer so they are out there skipper buds is just not one of them
Called multiple time to order a cover for our boat that had to be ordered through a dealer. Never received a call back, finally get a hold of someone get a price and told them to order it was told someone will call me back. Never happened I called back was told a different price, ok order it! My credit card info was taken and I was expecting to see a charge to my account. A few days later still no charge so I call again to check and all I got was excuses about being the only one there and being really busy and he would get to it. Oh also another price change. Another few days go by and nothing on the credit card or a phone call so I called again to see what is going on. Was told they where going to stay late and get everything ordered. I call the next day to see if the order was placed and was sent to voicemail and I left a message to call me back I want to cancel my order because if I can’t trust you to place my order like the first 3 time how can I trust you to call me when it’s in. Two days late I get a call telling me that it is in and yet the price has change again. Stay far away from any Skipper Buds I am yet to hear of anyone who has had good service from these people!
