A surveyors’s view of boat selling

Boat Preparation Tips to help sell your yacht from Martyn Jenkins of Marlin Yacht Surveys

After making myself comfortable for the flight to Barcelona I read once again the sales details of the vessel I am about to survey. From the sales sheets and photos the yacht looks to be well equipped.

At my destination I am greeted by the vessel, but, I can tell within a few minutes that something is not right.  Yes the actual details of the boat are accurate, the equipment is all there. But the way the vessel is presented is very poor. It’s dirty and the gel coat needs a good polish, the antifouling is last years if not the one before that.  Inside the bilges are very dirty and lockers full of well, ‘stuff.

The idea of a survey is to establish not only the structural integrity of the hull and deck but also to answer the question ‘how well has the vessel been maintained?’. It’s good to have the carpets clean and the work surfaces polished but, we surveyors look well beyond that. We lift hatches, look into the bilges and lockers.

It is the owners responsibility to present his vessel for sale and subsequent survey in a manner that shows off the vessel and it’s equipment in its best light.

Would you ask people to view your house that’s for sale with the grass uncut, rubbish in the hallway and old bikes rusting away in the driveway. No. So here are few tips to help sell your boat and subsequently help the surveyor. (I am assuming the vessel is out of the water.)

• Polish the topsides
• Apply a new coat of antifouling
• Keep the deck and cockpit clean and all ropes in neat coils or bins
• Keep varnish work in good condition
• Make sure ALL navigation and electrically powered equipment is in correct working order.
• Clean and keep clean bilges
• Make sure the bilge pumps are clean and work as they should.
• Clean under all cabin sole, cupboards and lockers
• Ensure the engine room and engines are clean
• Remove unnecessary personal equipment from lockers
• Make sure the batteries are fully charged and well maintained

Marlin Yacht Surveys is a YDSA-member yacht survey company based in Palma de Mallorca offering survey, guardinage and both vendor and purchaser support in the sale and purchase of yachts.