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