Getting Your Boat Ready to Sell

Getting your boat ready to sell means not only ensuring that everything is OK by your standards, but also meeting expectations and allaying fears of buyers. When shopping for a used boat, buyers want to see one that has been well-loved and cared for, and they do not want to see a bunch of repairs that will need to be fixed right away.

The first step toward better "curb appeal" (or perhaps "dock appeal") for your boat is to wash it. If you have already done that, go back and look more closely. When you open a hatch, is there a ring of dirt in the drain channel around the hatch lip? Down in the various compartments and lockers and in the bilge of the boat, is everything clean? That dust in the lockers or the film of oil in the bilge can cause buyers to walk away from your boat. Everything should be clean and dry, inside and out.

• If you want to sell your boat yourself — and if it's under $25,000 and in Florida — you can list it online for free at Affordable Boats Online.

Appearances Matter

Once your boat is clean, it still may not look too good. Worn out dock lines or sailboat running rigging, faded canvas coming unstitched, sun-damaged seat upholstery that is starting to crack, or exterior wood work that needs attention can all detract from the buyer's initial impression of a boat. Some of those things are easy to fix, and your time and effort will pay off in the form of a faster sale and/or more money.

If a buyer looks at a sailboat with old, worn out running rigging and a tired Bimini top, the first thing they think is that after the purchase, all of that stuff will need to be immediately replaced. They do not want that project, but may be willing to undertake it if they like the boat, but here's the kicker: most buyers will immediately deduct the cost of the needed replacements from any offer they might have been willing to make on your boat.

This means that the person selling the boat will wind up paying for new running rigging and new canvas, either by replacing it before putting the boat on the market, or by receiving less money from potential buyers once the boat is on the market. The only difference is, some buyers will get a bad impression of the overall care of the boat because of the worn out equipment, and will walk away without making an offer.

The net result is, if you are selling a boat and it has worn out equipment that is relatively cheap and easy to replace, you might as well replace it, especially if it affects the visual appeal of the boat. Buying new equipment for an older boat generally does not increase the value of the boat, but it can preventthe value from going down, and it can make the boat easier to sell.

What About the More Expensive Equipment?

Next look at the large, expensive parts of the boat: the engine and sails on a sailboat, and the engine(s) on a powerboat. Do you see white creeping corrosion around the cooling system fittings and through-hull fittings? Is there rust on things like cooling jackets, engine mounts, or water heaters? Boat buyers don't want to see any of that stuff. Get in there with clean rags and brass-bristle toothbrushes and clean off any rust or corrosion, then wipe everything down with an oily rag (or several oily rags, if it is a realmess.)

OK, now the boat is REALLY clean, top to bottom and inside and out, and anything that was looking bad has been replaced. Time to separate the wheat from the chaff. Go through the entire boat, and if a thing is not working or does not obviously increase value, or if it is not included in the sale of the boat, remove it from the boat. Boats show best when clean and empty. Buyers looking in a locker or drawer don't want to see all of your accumulated junk in there. They want to see an empty space, ready to be filled with all of their accumulated junk. They don't want to see inoperative, old electronics or lights. All of the equipment on the boat should work properly, or should be repaired or removed from the boat prior to marketing the boat.

If your boat is really clean, does not look neglected or corroded, does not appear to have worn out parts and equipment that need to be replaced, and it is being offered at a fair price, it will sell reasonably quickly. If people look at your boat but do not buy it, the condition is not as good as you think it is. If no one even calls and no one looks at your boat, chances are that the price is just too high.

• If you want to sell your boat yourself — and if it's under $25,000 and in Florida — you can list it online for free at Affordable Boats Online.