Buying a boat is usually a long-term investment, sometimes last the span of a lifetime. They can bring countless hours of joy and adventure, and there aren’t many boat owners that regret investing in their beloved vessel. But much like car ownership, there may come a point where an owner might feel the need to sell their boat. This could be because they can no longer maintain it, or they simply want to upgrade or downgrade to something that better suits them.

Unlike a car, selling a boat can be a bit more of a challenge, and it can be worth knowing exactly what to do to find a successful sale. Here we will break down some easy-to-digest tips and tricks for selling a boat without any hiccups.

Preparation Is Key

A buyer looking to buy a new vessel will be looking for something that immediately catches their eye, and he best way to do this is by making sure the boat is as visually appealing as possible. This means it’s a good idea to take a few days to clean the boat and make sure it’s looking its best. Cleaning the interior and exterior of the boat as thoroughly as possible is highly recommended, as well as cleaning any cosmetic problems that might turn a potential buyer away. It’s also a good idea to make sure that the vessel’s service record is organised and ready to go, which can be easily brought out and shown to a prospective buyer.

If the boat comes with a trailer, it should be checked, and any damage should be repaired. It’s also good form to make sure that the engine is running well, which might mean having a service done before it goes out onto the market.

Determine a Value

Before putting it up for sale, it’s advised to try and calculate what the vessel is actually worth, and how much it would realistically be able to sell for. Some might want to have a professional come in and properly evaluate the boat to give their estimate of its worth, but this can also be costly to do.

For those that don’t want to pay for an evaluator, the next best thing to do is look at the service record of the vessel, how much they sell for brand new, what kind of wear and tear it has, and even what kind of markup seems fair when putting it on sale, if any. It also may be worth raising the price just a bit to give the owner some leeway for negotiations with buyers, similar to how betting NZ works.

Get It Ready For A Sea Trial

A sea trial is the boat equivalent of a test drive, and it’s something that a seller needs to be prepared for. It’s important to keep COVID-19 in mind when preparing a sea trial, meaning that everything should be thoroughly cleaned as well as possible, and that there is plenty of hand sanitizer available for potential buyers to use when taking the boat out.