Here at West Coast Yachts, we will handle all the details of marketing your yacht, negotiating the deal on your behalf, and all of the confusing paperwork. We are full service brokerage and we handle literally every part of the sale! When getting your boat prepped for the market, there are a few things that you can do to make sure that your yacht stands tall among the competition. Take these guidelines into consideration and you’ll have your boat sold quickly!

Exterior
First impressions are the most important aspect of a showing, and they are often times the difference in making an offer at all, or continuing the search. Most buyers aren’t able to visualize what a boat could look like.
Cleaning and waxing the boat is the best money you can spend.
Clean and varnish bright work as needed- a fresh coat goes a long way!
Is the canvas and Isinglass in good condition? If not, it may make sense to replace or repair it.
Tidy up your dock lines, power cords, and the surrounding dock- start making a great impression before prospective buyers step aboard.
Bottom cleaning- make sure the bottom is being cleaned regularly.

Interior
Make sure the heads are spotless and odorless, and have the holding tanks pumped out regularly.
Store away personal effects that make it difficult for potential buyers to imagine their items in your boat.
Clean the carpeting, upholstery, appliances, and the inside of the refrigerator!
De-clutter. Clean out storage compartments and remove any inventory not intended to be sold with the boat. You’ll be surprised at how much gear you’ve stowed. Buyers are looking for storage, and opening a locker that is overflowing is an instant turn off.

Engine Room
Clean the bilges and ensure that they are dry, clean, and odor-free.
Replace the oil and change filters if they are due, or close to being due.
Top off all fluids- oil, transmissions, hydraulics, & batteries.
Repair anything that you already know is broken or defective, including all electronics, lights, and accessories. It’s less expensive to repair them now than it is to be forced into fixing it as a condition of the sale , or risk losing the deal. There is no greater disappointment to a buyer than to find that equipment onboard is not in working order.
Check for leaks and repair them in advance. A surveyor is going to find them anyway!

Pre-sale Inspection
West Coast Yachts highly recommends having a pre-market inspection done as part of the listing process. There are many benefits to this approach. Most importantly, it helps to sell your boat faster by avoiding major disappointment when problems are discovered. For a few hundred dollars, you’ll learn about any deficiencies that may hinder a potential sale, and have the ability to address them before a surveyor finds them. You’ll likely save money by being pro-active, and more importantly, the deal.

General
Organize your paperwork. Have the owner’s manuals onboard and available. Keep all of your repair and purchase receipts and maintenance records. Buyers love to see good records, and this will increase their confidence in the yacht they are planning to own.
Be aware of your monthly carrying costs versus time on the market. This involves determining the asking price, as this is the most crucial element in accomplishing a quick sale and maximizing financial gain. Always remember that the longer it takes to sell a boat, the more carrying costs you will incur, so you will need to factor carrying costs into your decision making when you are presented with an offer. Know your slip, insurance, maintenance, repair, and mortgage expenses.

I hope this article gives you some ideas on how to get your potential sale off to a running start. We go the extra nautical mile to help all our clients needs when it comes to buying or selling a boat. For some of the maintenance and repair work mentioned in this article, we can give you a quote from our sister company BalboaYachtServices.com  It definitely pays off to have minor repairs and maintenance done before potential buyers come aboard.

As always, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to give us a call! (949) 673-2060