Learn everything about boats
 

Welcome to our boats Archive. Have fun browsing!

 

Article #15: What You Need To Know Before You Sell Your Boat

(Browse for more articles)

 
As the owner/operator of a full service tackle, cutesy wall plaques, and half
boat detailing-yacht maintenance business full paint cans are NOT part of the
I can't help but chuckle sometimes at boat-and look tacky. A few cleaning
seeing the extremes that otherwise supplies, in their own locker is probably
bright, intelligent, successful, people all right as long as they're kept neat
will go to in a misguided attempt to save and clean.
a few dollars. 7. Make a list of things that need
One of the biggest mistakes that we see attention, and get it taken care of. A
is that people will decide to sell their few dollars spent now will pay back in
boat without first having her completely spades when the time comes to show your
detailed. boat. Anything that isn't right will
According to Rob Scanlan, a well known stick out like the proverbial sore thumb,
and respected Master Marine Surveyor; be noticed and start the price spiraling
"Detailing a boat is the single most down. (if it doesn't just send them
important investment of time, energy and scurrying off shaking their heads)
money a seller can make because a clean Hint: If you are not a woman reading this
and shiny boat sells faster and for a lot and don't have a wife of your own, ask
more money. I strongly recommended that a your mother or sister, or see if a friend
seller enlist professional assistance to will loan you his for a few minutes. For
do a quality (Email) (Web site) some reason women can smell things that a
We at BoatDocs1, do a lot of work here on man would never notice. You may think
the Emerald Coast with local yacht that men buy boats but in my experience
brokers and know what the standards are they buy the boats their women like.
for a "ready to show" boat. These Along this same line, pay particular
professionals know that the cosmetic attention to the cabin and heads.
appearance says everything to the 3. Prioritize the Job
prospective buyer as to the overall care With your list you are in good shape to
and maintenance that the previous owner decide what needs to be done and whether
has given the yacht. Add to that the or not you want to do the work yourself
universal wisdom about first impressions or have it done by a professional.
and it's not hard to see the importance Most of the professional yacht
of this vital first step. maintenance companies we are familiar
Even if you intend to do most of the work with, would be happy to take a look and
yourself we can offer the expertise to give you an estimate of what it will
assure that your time and money are cost to have the work done right. We can
spent wisely. Our trained eyes will do part of the job, for example the
often pick up the little details that compounding/polishing and will gladly
only a prospective buyer would notice and help you choose the best wax to finish
likely balk at. the job yourself.
Here is an outline of the standard What about those little chips and dings
procedures we use when preparing a yacht in the gelcoat?
to be put up for sale: Many books have been written on
1. Thoroughly Wash and Dry the Boat fiberglass repair and it isn't the intent
Note: For this part, pay attention to of this article to cover the subject in
everything you see and unless your any depth but many small repairs are
memory is a lot better than mine, make well within the reach of a fairly skilled
notes on a piece of paper for later. do-it-yourselfer. Like anything else
- Wash and chamois-dry your boat top to though, if you have never done it before,
bottom including transom. "consult an expert."
- clean Isenglass and other ports/windows I've been building and repairing in
- wipe down and dress all aluminum fiberglass since I was 14 and while the
stainless first wooden boat I glassed was water
- clean and dress vinyl seats tight and lasted a good many years, it
- wipe down fly bridge and cockpit was far from pretty. The small
- vacuum exterior carpet investment you lay out for expert repair
- clean and dress nonskid now will pay big dividends when your boat
2. Stand Back and Survey the Boat sells at the price you want.
Note: Bring your list and organize it In the Emerald Coast region the standard
with the following outline fees for compound/waxing run between
* Put yourself in the buyers shoes, be $15.00/ft. and $18.00/ft. for the topside
critical, the buyer will. (rub-rail up) which includes a thorough
1. Is it shiny? It's the first thing most cleaning and treatment of the vinyl,
people notice. windows, isenglass, and metal. In other
2. What about the smell? People have a words, for the price of doing the "hard"
way of getting used to almost anything. part we'll detail the entire topsides and
Get a second opinion and see the hint leave it in "ready-to-show" condition.
below. Hulls (rub-rail down) run about $8.00/ft.
3. Is all hardware intact and but, of course, the boat must be out of
presentable? Just because you've used the water in order to do it. (This
that broken table for years and are walking on water with a hi-speed
rather fond of it, to anyone else, it's electric buffer in hand is still beyond
just a broken table. me, but I'll let you know;-)
4. What about dings, any damage to the Fiberglass repair runs from $45.00 to
fiberglass? Aside from the fact that $65.00 per hour and in general as with
broken gelcoat can let water into the most everything else, one gets what one
core of the lay-up and delaminate the pays for. The up side to this is that
fiberglass, it just plain looks BAD. when approached in a professional manner
5. What about rust? You are probably the dents and dings of ten years hard
thinking right now; (what's a little rust use can be repaired and made to look like
on a boat?) Let me tell you. A little new in an amazingly short time.
rust on a boat is a sure sign that the All too often we have seen people save
owner let's little things go by unnoticed $300.00 or $400.00 on a detail only to
and if there is one thing there are loose $Thousands$ on what their boat
always more. What about oil changes? I could have sold for. Then too, our
wonder if he flushed out the outboard local marinas are clogged with many
after use? The object of this little examples of boats with "For Sale" signs
exercise is to make the boat look like which were never given the least bit of
you are conscientious and a stickler for attention to make the passer by want to
having everything perfectly "SHIP SHAPE." stop and think, "Hey, I wonder what it
6. One more little tip that you have would be like to call that boat mine."
probably already thought of. Take a look Some of these boats have sat for years
around the boat and remove EVERYTHING when all they ever really needed was a
that isn't part of the boat. little T.L.C.
EXAMPLE: I remember, years ago, someone saying
Engine controls, compass, life jackets, something about being penny wise and
flare kit, and a first aid kit ARE part pound foolish? Let's not let them be
of the boat. Knick-knacks, fishing saying that about us.






1- A- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8- 9- 10- 11- 12- 13- 14- 15- 16- 17- 18- 19- 20- 21- 22- 23- 24- 25- 26- 27- 28- 29- 30- 31- 32- 33- 34- 35- 36- 37- 38- 39- 40- 41- 42- 43- 44- 45- 46- 47- 48- 49- 50-