Did you know that, according to WJLA, boat sales increased by 75% in 2020? If you’re thinking of selling your boat, now is a perfect time, since many people are looking for fun ways to spend their time outdoors.

If you want to sell a boat, you might be overwhelmed with all the different things you have to do before selling it.

Whether you’re selling the boat to get a new one, or you need to sell it to improve your financial situation, it’s both an emotional and stressful process.

And if you’re looking to do it fast, this only adds to the stress. How are you going to clean up your boat so that buyers are interested, market it in the right places, and get a buyer, fast?

With the right strategies, you can get rid of your boat quickly. It’s all about taking the right steps in the right order, and knowing how to find the right buyers. Once you’ve sold your boat, it’ll be smooth sailing from here on out.

Read on to learn more.

Fix Up Any Issues

If you’ve been putting off fixing up any issues with your boat, such as a door that doesn’t shut properly or a mechanical issue that’s not ideal but easy to put up with, now’s the time to do those repairs. Otherwise, you might scare off buyers—or have to lower your price significantly.

You might not have a problem with a hatch that sticks out or a bathroom door that needs to be closed by fiddling around with the lock for a minute, but that’s probably because you love spending time on your boat, and these are just minor inconveniences.

But they won’t look good to potential buyers. These issues will be one more reason for them to pick another boat instead of yours.

They might also raise a worry that there are other more important parts of your boat—for example, the engine—that you’ve allowed falling into disrepair.

This also means fixing up any furniture, too. Are the seat cushions a bit faded, or is there one that doesn’t match? Are there any tears or scratches? Maybe some of your decor is a bit dated, or your wallpaper is peeling.

Fix any of these issues so buyers aren’t turned off when they see your boat.

Declutter and Do a Deep Clean

Speaking of the interior of the boat…chances are, you’ve got some interior decorations that probably have to go. Because a boat is a place for recreation and fun, you might have some personal decorations such as shells, posters, or potted plants to make it feel yours.

That’s fine when the boat’s yours. But when buyers are coming into look at it, it might make the boat seem cluttered. That means it won’t look as spacious on the inside, and it might also look messy to buyers.

Both of these issues can make buyers feel the boat is worth less than the price you’re asking for. It’s also harder to imagine setting up the boat how they want once they buy it, with their own personal objects.

So go through your things, and get rid of anything that might add too much clutter. You’ll also want to remove any fishing gear, water skis, or technology such as remote controls, leaving the space as clear as possible.

Additionally, when it comes to how to sell a boat, you’ll want to do a deep clean. Over the years, sand and mould may have started to collect in your boat. Vacuum and scrub as hard as you need to remove these.

And don’t forget to clear off dust with a duster and by wiping down surfaces.

If you’re really in a rush, hire a professional cleaner to do the job. Then, when your potential buyers walk into a clean, open, luminous boat interior, they’ll be far more likely to buy and pay the price you’re asking for.

Choose the Right Price to Sell a Boat

Once you’ve prepped your used boat for buyers to look at it, you need to think about the right price to sell it at. This can be difficult to do, since you probably have a personal connection to your boat and consider it priceless.

That’s why you need to take the right objective steps to decide on the price of your boat. You can’t rely on your emotional considerations. This is the best way to sell a boat. To do this, follow these steps:

Do Your Online Research

Look at online sites where boats are sold, such as Boats.com and Yachtworld, to see what price comparable boats are sold for. Print these off so that you can study them, and write down important details such as features they’ve had added on, any issues with exterior or interior damage, and engine hours and how old the boats are.

Based on how your boat compares to these, you should be able to come up with a range to sell yours at. Remember to note the location, too, since prices will be higher in more expensive areas.

Check Out Pricing Guides and Talk with a Boat Broker

Pricing guides can also give you a good idea of a selling range. Use NADA and BUC, keeping in mind that the numbers are more likely to reflect what a bank judges your boat’s value to be—which might be quite different from what it will actually sell for.

For this reason, you’ll also want to talk with a boat broker. Look on their website, and if they have a boat that’s like yours, ask them about why it hasn’t sold yet, how much they think it’s worth, and what else they might have to do to finally get it sold.

Because they’re in the business of selling boats, a boat broker will likely be friendly. Just be aware that if you’re looking to sell the boat on your own without giving anyone commission, don’t let them convince you to make you a client!

Decide on the Price

Once you’ve taken the steps of doing your online research, checking out pricing guides, and talking with a boat broker, you should be ready to choose a price that reflects all the work you’ve done.

When the price is in the right ballpark, you’ll get interested faster, and negotiations won’t take as long—which means you’ll sell your boat faster than if you hadn’t done any research.

Market Your Boat to Find a Buyer

Once you’ve made your boat ready to be viewed and chosen the right price for selling your boat, it’s time to market your boat. That way, you’ll find a buyer who’s excited to buy your boat even before they’ve seen it, which will speed up the boat selling process.

One of the best places to sell a boat is online, so put up ads on boat-selling sites like Boattrader and Yachtworld.

Craigslist is also a great choice, and asking nearby clubs and marinas to advertise your boat on their website or in their members’ newsletter will get you lots of interest.

Your online ad should list all the basics of your boat, as well as its features and high-quality photos of the exterior and interior.

In addition to online, send your ad to print magazines that cater to boat lovers. You can also sell your boat offline by putting it in a boatyard, or by renting space by the highway so that drivers can see it.

Finally, when selling a boat privately, advertise it on social media and ask your friends and family to spread the word.

Have All the Right Info Available

Once buyers start coming by to look at your boat, you’ll want to be prepared with all the right info to give them if they need it. This is the fastest way to sell a boat because any questions or doubts they have can be answered immediately.

This will also make it more challenging for them to negotiate the price down too low. If they find what they think is a problem, and you have evidence that it’s not an issue, then they can only negotiate so much.

The info you should have with you includes the boat’s full history (be honest, include any issues or repairs), as well as an inventory of all the equipment on the boat. Any features you’ve added should be included here too.

Have documents such as the original sales bill, and registration and administrative documents, too, so that everything checks out legally once you do a quick sale.

Need More Tips on Selling Your Boat?

If you need more tips on selling your boat or have questions about any of the steps covered in this article, we’d be happy to provide help. Here at Westshore Marine and Leisure, we’re experts when it comes to boats.

From helping you sell a boat to getting it repaired, we do it all. Visit our contact us page to learn more.