Your boat should be as clean as you would expect to be buying yourself. Clean the boat inside and out just like when you're launching the boat in the spring. Here are some important items to pay attention to:
After you have washed the boat thoroughly give it a good wax. If there are slight scratches and the boat lost its luster you can use a buffer with a rubbing compound and then a quality wax.
Clean your bilge so it's fresh smelling and clean the teak
Make sure the head smells clean!
In the galley you can clean the carpet, clean the curtains, and upholstery including the Bimimi top
Repair any item that doesn't work properly
Clean oil off of engine (steam clean), change oil
Charge the battery
If you have a trailer touch it up, clean and fill the tires with air
Take off items which don't look original and make the boat look cheep
Junk won't be attractive to a buyer. Empty all of the drawers, take all of your items off of the boat
If any of your items will be left on the boat inform the buyer they will not be included in the sale
Have the original papers that came with the boat and a brochure of the boat for the buyer to glance at
- If you have made improvements to your boat keep your receipts to show the buyer
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It's generally easier to sell a smaller boat because you can sell it yourself or trade it in. If you have a larger boat you will want to use a yacht broker to sell it. Yacht brokers simplify some of the more complicated issues when selling a larger boat. As with cars, you'll get less for a boat trade in and more if you sell it yourself and do a little legwork. If you decide to sell the boat yourself there are a few options. You can advertise in classifieds, online classifieds, newspapers, and magazines. When most buyers look for a boat to buy they usually proceed to a classified in the newspaper or on the Internet. |
It's sometimes hard to set the perfect price to high or to low. You don't want to scare buyers away and at the same time you wouldn't want to give the boat away. Check the classifieds to see what other boats of the same model are priced at. It's a good idea to show buyers what the same boat is selling for. Adjust the price according to the condition of your boat; just remember electronics can make the price much different. Also check the marine blue book, such as NADA or ABOS, to find out what your boat's private party value is. When checking the blue book make sure you judge the condition of the boat correctly (We all know how tempting it can be to raise the price). |
It's your first time selling and you have the check in your hand, now what? You should have a bill of sale, which is a document that transfers ownership of an asset from a seller to the buyer, a basic agreement for sale of goods or a sales receipt. It should contain: the price, buyer and sellers names, driver's license numbers, addresses registration numbers, type and size of boat, and all of the equipment included.
Liability can be an issue when selling a boat. You should
send a pink slip to the boat registration agency to inform
them when the sale will be made and when the new owner
has taken over registration. As soon as your boat is
sold it's important to cancel your insurance. Listing
the boat "as-is" is not always protection. Though it
may turn off buyers you should list the defects clearly
to avoid liability. If you are going to give the buyer
a sea trial you should have a non-refundable deposit
so the buyer agrees to pay for costs, like launching
the boat or paying for fuel.
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