Have you ever come across the term Scratch and Dent but were unsure what it meant? Perhaps you encountered the term before when looking to purchase a large appliance or new furniture for your home. But did you know Scratch and Dent programs also apply to outboards? While the pricing may be appealing, buying an outboard with minor damage may sound risky. Well, we are here to set the record straight on why a Scratch and Dent outboard is one of the best value propositions there is when it comes to buying a new (yes, new!) outboard.

The concept is quite simple and can save you thousands of dollars on big-ticket purchases making your dream of owning that Yamaha XTO or Mercury Verado a reality. Scratch and Dent refer to brand new, large items that got banged around during transport and may have (but often do not) cosmetic damage. They're fresh off the assembly line, unused, and perform exactly as designed. Sounds too good to be true? Well, it's easy to back up that claim as full manufacturer warranties apply to every Scratch and Dent outboard we sell. The only thing that sets a Scratch and Dent outboard apart from our other inventory is that the external packaging was damaged during shipment or while in storage. Damage could have occurred at the loading dock, or a pesky forklift may have dinged up a crate at the warehouse. If a new outboard has damage to its external container, including minor scratches and or dents, it qualifies as a Scratch & Dent outboard. These engines are then returned to the manufacturer, where dealerships like Boat Specialists can buy them and then offer them to customers at a discounted rate. If you're lucky, you can find some impressive deals on brand-new outboards with full warranties and often no visible markings!

You are probably saying to yourself, "Wow, how do I get my hands on one of these!?". Here is how it works. About once a month, we receive a list from top manufacturers like Yamaha and Mercury of what is currently available. Since we love passing along deals to our customers and firmly back the program, we typically order whatever we can get our hands on, all at discounted pricing that we pass on to you. Every customer will receive the same warranty as a non-blemish motor. Additionally, Scratch and Dent motors are still eligible for financing and power-matched installations. Every blemish motor we receive is unpackaged, inspected, and tested before sale. An inspection by our certified mechanics confirms that any damage is cosmetic only and that these motors are guaranteed to be free of any mechanical defects. Before any sale is completed, we document and send you photos of all damage on the engine to get your approval before shipping or installation, sweetening the deal even more for our out-of-state customers (Florida and Texas, we are looking at you). If we can't find you a motor that meets your standards, we will return any deposits in full back to you. Any sized motor can end up in the Scratch and Dent program, from a 2.5 horsepower portable to the incredible and powerful 425, so we recommend checking back to our site regularly!

So how much money will you save? You can expect to save anywhere from 5-20% on a Scratch and Dent motor, which means you have even more money to pimp out that stereo system or get that fish-finder you've been drooling over. These outboards are one of our most in-demand products, and many of these motors are sold before they even arrive at the shop. So if you've been planning on getting dad's old Montauk 17 out of storage to restore or want to slap some new power onto that Mako 23 for a fishing weekend with the boys but were weary of the price tag on a new engine, this program may be just for you!