Small Craft Sales Partners with Down River Equipment to Power Online Listings for Raftopia Swap
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Free boat listings, expanded visibility, and a broader marketplace for one of the country’s largest raft gatherings.
We're pumped as we've partnered with Colorado-based retailer Down River Equipment to expand the reach of the used boat swap at Raftopia, the company’s long-running annual event that marks the start of the boating season.
Through the partnership, Small Craft Sales will spearhead the online boat listing side of the Raftopia swap, giving sellers a much broader audience leading up to the event while helping buyers preview boats before showing up in person. SAVE THE DATE: 3/17/2026 the first day for uploading your boats for Raftpopia.
Raftopia is widely considered one of the largest raft gatherings in the country. The weeklong event welcomes thousands of river runners to Down River Equipment for major in-store discounts on new gear, an outdoor exhibition featuring leading river-industry manufacturers and nonprofits, a used gear sale, food and drink vendors, and wraps up with the highly anticipated used boat swap on Saturday April 11th.
Raftopia runs Monday, April 6 through Saturday, April 11, with the used boat swap taking place Saturday, April 11 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
More Visibility for Boats — Before the Event Even Starts and its all Free.
Leading up to Raftopia, individuals can list boats for free on Small Craft Sales - starting March 17th all the way up to the event, giving their craft visibility to buyers well beyond the event itself.
Listings connected to the event will receive a “Raftopia” badge, indicating the boat will be physically present at the event and available for inspection. Sellers will also receive additional promotional support, including:
• A paid Instagram promotion for the listing
• Inclusion in the Small Craft Sales newsletter, reaching more than 13,500 subscribers
• Placement on the Small Craft Sales marketplace leading up to the event
Small Craft Sales operates with a straightforward philosophy: no commissions, no listing fees (right now), and no middleman. Transactions happen directly between buyer and seller and this holds true for Raftopia.
If a boat doesn’t sell at Raftopia, the listing can remain active on Small Craft Sales with the event badge removed. Sellers who already have boats listed on the platform can also opt to add the Raftopia badge if they plan to bring their boat to the swap.
