There comes a time in all boat buyer's lives when they want/need to sell their boat. Hopefully it is to get a bigger, better model or something better suited to your changing lifestyle. Whatever the reason, here are a few tips to make selling your boat easier, quicker, while getting you the best price for your boat. In addition to these tips, here are just a few of the benefits of listing your boat with us:

• You will have 35 salesmen in 6 locations working to sell your boat.
• Your boat will appear on a range of popular boating websites like yachtworld.com and boattraderonline.com as well as our website.
• Your boat will be listed in various printed marine publications such as Yachts for Sale and Latitude 38.
• Your boat listing will be on our brokerage board that we bring to all the boat shows we attend.

The First Impression.
Nothing makes a statement like a first impression. We have all grown up hearing this and it is true with boat buying/selling too. It is often at that first moment, a person decides whether or not they would like to see more of that boat. A clean, well maintained boat will attract better buyers and get you more $$. The following are some items to consider before listing your boat. Have the deck and hull been waxed and polished? Are the lines clean or do they look like they were lost at sea for years? Is the woodwork in good shape? Is the canvas in good shape and cleaned? Is there anything on the exterior of the boat that doesn't look cared for?

A Clean Interior.
Hopefully they have taken the next step and want to look around the boat. Here is your chance to shine and to get them to "fall in love" with your boat. Here are some items to consider.
Does the interior look cared for and free of odors? Have all the floorboards been washed? Does the head smell? If so, flush with a cleaning solution and replace any hoses/clamps that are leaking or corroded. Are the cushions clean? How about the stove & fridge? Storage lockers? Remove as much of your personal items as possible to show how much room for storage there is. A cluttered boat with full storage lockers will look like it doesn't have enough storage.

The engine room.
Buyers undoubtedly will be spending some time here. Nothing scarier than an engine that looks like it hasn't been cared for in years. Wipe down any grease/oil that has dripped down on or below the engine. If there are any leaks, corrosion, old hoses, get them replaced. Make sure all fluids are full and clean.

Systems Check
Do all the boat systems work? Make sure all your systems are functional and working properly, especially the items you don't use frequently. Do all the lights work? Radio transmitting/receiving? Autopilot synched with electronics? Refridgerator cooling? Batteries fresh? Bilge working? Generator charging properly? Buyers will want to switch on everything at some point, including those items you haven't used in awhile, so be prepared. The less it is used, the better the chance it will fail when you go to use it.

Advertising your boat
Every broker is different in how he advertises your boat. How is your boat being advertised to prospective buyers? Print? Internet? Email? Does the company have a good reputation in the marine industry? With H&S, you get 35 salesmen in 6 California locations working to sell your boat. We have mutliple marketing campaigns going all the time, your boat will be actively marketed on the major marine websites as well as marine publications to get your boat noticed, faster!

Keeping it in top shape while listed.
You just never know when a buyer will come take a look at your boat. No quicker way to send a buyer running away then to have a dirty exterior. Pay the boat washer to come around a little more frequently while listed. Spend time on your boat making sure that everything is in proper working order and that you are not scrambling to fix something when a buyer is coming to take a look.

Thanks for taking the time to visit us at H&S Yacht Sales. We are sure your choice of working with us will be gratifying. Thanks again! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to drop us an email at info@hsyacht.com or give us a call at 800-845-7420.

Ever wonder about putting your new boat in charter? We have added a Charter Info page to the site. The basics of what you need to know to place your new boat in charter and how it can save you thousands of dollars! We also have an article below that was published in the East Bay Times and written by our own Don Durant, VP and Manager of our Alameda Store. The link for this article is below and also on our Charter Info page.

Placing a New Boat in Charter - What you need to know (.pdf)