First Impressions

Presentation like anything else is all important to the onlookers eye “appealing” is the sales tactic in any industry a tidy and clean house, car or boat will sell better, so make the effort.

Initial Facts

Compile all the basic information for the purchaser, photograph boat details and phone numbers.

Measure the boat from stem to stern without the fenders “steel tip to toe” as it were the fenders can be a minimum of 18” and you may find a difference in length as the mooring length may be quoted and not the true length of the boat. When a boat is built the price reflects the hull length without the fenders.

Name of the boat to be recorded as it may not have a HIN plate.

Style of the boat to suite your leisure requirements as there are a few styles available, cruiser open back deck, trad enclosed and semi-trad half enclosed back deck.

Boat Licence displayed containing the boat name and may indicate when it was last used.

BSS current boat worthiness certificate lasts for four years but like a car’s MOT only valid on the day of the test.

Ownership Details

Present Owner details to ensure the seller or broker have the right to sell.

Owner Address to be confirmed so you know where they live should there be any problems at a later date.

Proof of Ownership by the way of a receipt from a previous owner of builder.

Reason for Sale may give some room for manoeuvre on the price.

Current Broker ask around for information on the broker, how long they have been in the business etc.

Contact Numbers and e-mail addresses to be collected for all involved save hunting for them at a late date.

Finance Details

Sale price comparison with similar boats ensuring it reflects the current value.

Offer price usually there is some flexibility to the sale price depending on the age, condition and usage.

Finance ask if there is any outstanding loans or finance against the boat.

Identification

HIN plate manufacturers identification plate fixed to the hull you need to see the plate to record the information.

The plate carries the builder, the hull size, the carrying capacity, the year of build.

The number is in this format xxxxxx326xxxxx , the year of manufacture, the hull length 32Ft 6in.

Fit out

The Shell can be manufacturer by a boat builder and the interior can be done by ones self or someone else not necessarily by the boat builder. You need to have all of the relevant paperwork for the equipment, the gas and electrical installation

Mechanics

The Engine and its compartment have to be in good condition it’s the boats lifeline, no engine no mobility stranded springs to mind. A clean engine and compartment is a good indicator to its reliability and sales tatic.

Service History record indicates the importance given to the engine to ensure it’s reliability.

Bilge Area should be clean and free of water, oily water. The presence of oily water indicates leaky engine and or stern gland packing requires replacing, this is where the water may be coming from.

Engine Cooling system can be either raw water pumped from the canal through the engine and out through the exhaust or a skin tank which will need maintaining and antifreeze. There may be a calorifier in the system for the hot water.

Water Tank integral to the hull either the boat steel which can rust through if it has not been maintained properly or a stainless steel tank, which doesn’t rust.

Bottom plate condition needs to be checked this is normally done out of water if a survey is done, but can be assessed in water as the underside can be reached in water.

The Hull types vary either all steel, part steel or GRP (Glass Reinforced Plastic) fibreglass, the all steel thickness the bottom being up to 12mm with the sides up to 6mm and the cabin 4mm. The earlier boat thickness were in the order of 6mm x 4mm x 3mm.

Last Blacking of the hull’s underside needs to be done every two years to keep the rust at bay much like the cars of the 1960’s were under sealed to protect from the adverse weather conditions, check when it was last done.

Moorings

Securing a parking place for the boat will also help to sell if the purchaser wants to moor the boat in its marina.

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