| A captain and owner checklist for selling the boat from December 09 issue. [message #859] |
Tue, 08 December 2009 14:50 |
 SanCocho
Messages: 70
Registered: November 2006 |
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Selling Your Yacht – A Check List for Owners and Captains
As Jonathan Burkard of Allied Marine's Stuart, Fl. office says, “When you put a boat up for sale, you have to remove the emotion from the process.”
That means visualizing the boat like a potential buyer and his captain.
So the first step in the process is to “depersonalize,” removing personal photos and fishing trophies, souvenirs, collectibles, etc.
The first rule is to declutter.
“Start with the galley, removing everything from the counters, including the toaster oven.”
Buyers will be opening all the cabinets so if you have a junk drawer, empty it out, advises Burkard. “Filled pantries and drawers send a negative message of inadequate storage. Everything that is not essential should be put boxes and stored off the boat. That goes for well-stocked pantries as well.”
Order is essential.
Lockers and tackle drawers should be cleaned out.
Sink fixtures and heads should look shiny and new.
Surveyors and buyers always are on the lookout for water stains, he said. Leaks must be repaired and stains taken care of.
Carpet cleaning services should also be employed to steam clean both rugs and furnishings. But if either of these is in poor condition, new carpeting and or upholstery should be considered.
Odor control can be a big issue on older vessels. Ozone sprays such as Ozimum are useful for removing odors without perfuming.
The engine room is the heart of the boat and should be as spotless as possible. That means no visible rust or grease. If the equipment does not look new, consider having the engines professionally painted. Also, lighting should be bright and clean.
Here are a few simple fixes that can add dollars to the bottom line.
• New bottom paint.
• Polish all chrome and stainless on the boat including the tower.
• Clean and seal all teak.
• Finally, if a seller really wants to jump start the sales process, Burkard suggests paying for an independent survey before putting the boat on the market. “Not only will it save you and your captain the hassle of having to find a mechanic on short notice after the boat fails the buyer's survey, it will alert you to issues that need addressing before the boat goes on the market.” While that is all good, Burkard says the biggest advantage to pre-surveying the boat is that buyers are more likely to put an offer in on a yacht that has been surveyed than one that has not. “The buyer's reasoning is that they are not wasting money to survey a boat that might not pass inspection.”
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