Any tips on selling your boat? Other than good photos, description and posting in the usual on line venues that is. I looked into having my local marina consign but I have a hard time letting go of 10%.
Thanks
Thanks
Tips on selling your boat...
- Thread starter freeheelbillie
- Start date
The most important consideration is price. If the boat is to sell quickly, it needs to be priced to the market and when is it shown, it must show well. If you are selling the Catalina 30, remember there are a lot of them out there.
Another consideration is how close you are to the boat and how much time do you have to show it. I tried selling a boat on my own once. I lived about an hour away, every time I went to show the boat, it was a 3-4 hour trip, an hour drive each way, an hour with the potential buyer, and an hour to open the boat up clean it up a bit and close it up again. How much is your time worth? In the end, I went with a broker who was more active about selling it and was located in the same place the boat was.
Another consideration is how close you are to the boat and how much time do you have to show it. I tried selling a boat on my own once. I lived about an hour away, every time I went to show the boat, it was a 3-4 hour trip, an hour drive each way, an hour with the potential buyer, and an hour to open the boat up clean it up a bit and close it up again. How much is your time worth? In the end, I went with a broker who was more active about selling it and was located in the same place the boat was.
Just did that. No broker. I've done this several times, always selling for a good price in a month or so. But it requires hard work.
First, prep the boat. If you can fix it or clean it, no excuses. All the personal stuff goes home, all of the projects you have been postponing get finished, right now. Look through a survey list and make certain it meets all standards.
https://www.practical-sailor.com/issues/37_78/features/Selling-your-Sailboat_12222-1.html. It needs to be exceptional among Catalina 30s.
Next, market the boat. Build a blog page. List it on a number of low-cost sites. Talk about in on Facebook, forums, friends, etc. It is surprising the number of boats that actually sell by word of mouth.
Finally, commit to keeping it clean and be prepared to spend time with many lookers. Take the serious ones out.
Remember that a broker is going to expend no effort on a smaller boat. Zero. The only thing you get is a Yachtworld ad (buried under thousands of others) and some help with closing. Any marketing effort will be on you, broker or not. And without a broker, you can reduce the price!
First, prep the boat. If you can fix it or clean it, no excuses. All the personal stuff goes home, all of the projects you have been postponing get finished, right now. Look through a survey list and make certain it meets all standards.
https://www.practical-sailor.com/issues/37_78/features/Selling-your-Sailboat_12222-1.html. It needs to be exceptional among Catalina 30s.
Next, market the boat. Build a blog page. List it on a number of low-cost sites. Talk about in on Facebook, forums, friends, etc. It is surprising the number of boats that actually sell by word of mouth.
Finally, commit to keeping it clean and be prepared to spend time with many lookers. Take the serious ones out.
Remember that a broker is going to expend no effort on a smaller boat. Zero. The only thing you get is a Yachtworld ad (buried under thousands of others) and some help with closing. Any marketing effort will be on you, broker or not. And without a broker, you can reduce the price!
What I learned from selling a few boats myself:
Remove EVERYTHING that you don't want to sell with the boat...if buyers see it, they'll expect it to stay.
Spend the money to have the boat detailed to as close as "showroom new" as possible. Then keep it show room clean.
Make sure EVERYTHING works perfectly.
You're not just selling the boat, you're selling the fun of sailing it...so get it out of the slip and into water open enough to get photos with sails up and underway...heeled a bit is good, but not enough to scare off a first time buyer. Interior photos should have a little staging.
And it should go without saying that there cannot be a trace of odor anywhere!
Remove EVERYTHING that you don't want to sell with the boat...if buyers see it, they'll expect it to stay.
Spend the money to have the boat detailed to as close as "showroom new" as possible. Then keep it show room clean.
Make sure EVERYTHING works perfectly.
You're not just selling the boat, you're selling the fun of sailing it...so get it out of the slip and into water open enough to get photos with sails up and underway...heeled a bit is good, but not enough to scare off a first time buyer. Interior photos should have a little staging.
And it should go without saying that there cannot be a trace of odor anywhere!
That sums it up nicely.
Also remember that you are normally selling it to two buyers; the sailor and the partner who wants it to feel like a home. Get both sorts of people to review the boat and tell you what needs fixed, cleaned, or staged.
And no smells! Even for the pure sailor who doesn't actually care that much about the cabin, smell = project boat and rot. It means the owner either didn't care or didn't understand boats. Either is bad.
Great insight folks! I live only about 11 miles from the boat and have the flexibility with work to show it on short notice. I keep a clean and clutter free boat just as a personal preference so that helps. Price is always an important consideration in relation to comps in the area. Here's my listing, any input is appreciated. https://catalina.sailboatowners.com/classified2/adsmanager.php?adid=20082&task=showad
Very nice! Very clean, which hokey as it sounds, really matters.
I like to see an anchored photo. I would also do a Blogger page where I could go into more details and tell more of the story. I would also prepare a "convey" sheet and a "features" sheet as backup, that get right into the details. They don't need to be posted, just available. As Peggy hinted, there can misunderstandings.
I like to see an anchored photo. I would also do a Blogger page where I could go into more details and tell more of the story. I would also prepare a "convey" sheet and a "features" sheet as backup, that get right into the details. They don't need to be posted, just available. As Peggy hinted, there can misunderstandings.
I did a thread on this topic not too long ago. My boat sold in one week. Sailing Texas was a good website. Here is also a good place to list. You may want to see if you can find that thread.
Do research! See what other boats similar to yours are going for because a smart buyer will compare them. They may also show up with a NADA price guide. Though they aren't usually accurate, they may try to use it as a negotiation tool.
A broker once told me the cheapest thing you can do that will sell your boat are the running rigging and bright work. He said that if your bright work looks good and you replace the running rigging most buyers will associate that with the boat being well maintained.
Don't take things personally. You may get some tire kickers. They may irritate you a lot. Don't take it personally, there is always someone out there thinking that they are going to get something for nothing! Realize that selling may take time.
My Catalina 30 that I had before my last boat, the Compac 23, took over a year to sell.
Do research! See what other boats similar to yours are going for because a smart buyer will compare them. They may also show up with a NADA price guide. Though they aren't usually accurate, they may try to use it as a negotiation tool.
A broker once told me the cheapest thing you can do that will sell your boat are the running rigging and bright work. He said that if your bright work looks good and you replace the running rigging most buyers will associate that with the boat being well maintained.
Don't take things personally. You may get some tire kickers. They may irritate you a lot. Don't take it personally, there is always someone out there thinking that they are going to get something for nothing! Realize that selling may take time.
My Catalina 30 that I had before my last boat, the Compac 23, took over a year to sell.
You're likely to get a better price for it in the spring 'cuz buyers will be looking at paying for storage, insurance and maybe a boat loan for 6 months before they can sail it, which makes fall the season for bargain hunters. Otoh, you're also facing those same expenses if you do wait till spring to sell it. Just some things to consider....
As a former sailboat dealer, Bad obsession and Peggy Hall gave you some of the best advice and a lot is first impression. Suggest a few flowers of course fake not real and sheets of paper with specs and gear
Last edited:
I think, imho, that the most important part in selling a boat is MAKING THE SALE. IF you have determined to get rid of the boat (harsh language but stark reality), who care what you put in your pocket? Wasn't the end result, the target, the mission, to sell the boat?
That said, when I had to sell, yes, HAD TO SELL my Hunter 25, I went to ebay and dis a simple, fee free, NO RESERVE, NO MINIMUM, seven day auction. Someone started the bidding at one cent. It soon ran into thousands. But more importantly, at the end of the week, SOMEONE ELSE was the owner of Sandpiper.
That said, when I had to sell, yes, HAD TO SELL my Hunter 25, I went to ebay and dis a simple, fee free, NO RESERVE, NO MINIMUM, seven day auction. Someone started the bidding at one cent. It soon ran into thousands. But more importantly, at the end of the week, SOMEONE ELSE was the owner of Sandpiper.
That was brave. It could have sold for one cent, theoretically. I get your point though. I'm more concerned with getting rid of something quickly and smoothly than squeezing the last possible dime out of it.
What infuriates me are the bottom feeders. You can advertise what is obviously a $50,000 boat for $500, and one of these degenerates will offer you $400.
What infuriates me are the bottom feeders. You can advertise what is obviously a $50,000 boat for $500, and one of these degenerates will offer you $400.
Sailers are a minority in my neck of the water. Probably 30 powerboats to 1 sailboat. That being said I'm on my 4th sailboat in less then 10 years. I've sold my past 3 boats very quickly, less then 2 weeks time. Maybe I have been lucky but I think it's because I'm big on maintenance including cosmetic. I also list them at a reasonable price. The first looker has always been the buyer.
I would not say "Negotiable" in the add as you have done. You'll end up having to either fend off or get dragged into some quasi-negotiation before the potential buyer even comes to take a look. You do not want to negotiate or even act like you're willing to until you've had a chance to present the boat to a buyer standing there ready to "pull the trigger" if the price is right, etc. If s/he or they like it, you'll of course do better on the selling price at that time.
Last edited:
The first sentence in the ad had me wondering what is wrong with this boat. The boat only had two owners and the second owner is selling it after owning it for only a year. Red flags went up in my mind with visions of a boat full of many problems. I would suggest removing the first sentence "The owner bought this boat in 2016" It doesn't bring value to your ad.
To all the other good advice already offered, I would say this:
Focus on the details that make your boat different and unique.
Every Catalina 30 ever made. has a v berth. Don't waste words on it, unless it offers $5k custom mattress or something unique
I like the way you are using the heating and air conditioning as a way to sell an extended sailing season. Nice touch.
Address the engine in detail. I tend to buy and sell at the lower end of the market, but the engine -- and sails -- are probably the two biggest budget busters. Make sure the buyer knows he/she has nothing to worry about
Underscore that every instrument, switch and light funcions perfectly.
Best of luck
Focus on the details that make your boat different and unique.
Every Catalina 30 ever made. has a v berth. Don't waste words on it, unless it offers $5k custom mattress or something unique
I like the way you are using the heating and air conditioning as a way to sell an extended sailing season. Nice touch.
Address the engine in detail. I tend to buy and sell at the lower end of the market, but the engine -- and sails -- are probably the two biggest budget busters. Make sure the buyer knows he/she has nothing to worry about
Underscore that every instrument, switch and light funcions perfectly.
Best of luck