Boat Evaluation With Ten Easy Tips

It is possible to determine the value of a boat by yourself before buying or selling. Besides having a general idea of the market value for the kind ob vessel, it is fundamental to know what to look for. This ten point checklist tells you about the most important factors that may affect the end price of that boat or yacht:

1) Start with the boat hull and understructure. Are there any scrapes, cracks, signs of badly executed repairs, or fading? All these will negatively impact the boat value. Please note that the hull is best examined with the boat out of the water.

2) Take a hard look at all the hatches, and at the areas where different parts of the boat are joined together. Everything should fit well, not be warped by humidity, and be impermeable. Open and close all hatches and sea locks, checking that they are in good shape and well maintained.

3) Now it's the time to check the engine block, including transmissions and steering. Look at the state of maintenance of all the electrical and liquid cables, and of the transmission. The latter should be smooth, and easily switch from forward to neutral to back. The color of the engine oil is a potential indicator of engine problems.

4) Test electrics & switches: Test anything that has a switch or a handle, to see that they function correctly, in particular navigation lights, horn, bilge pumps, internal lights, winches, heating, generator, cooking facilities, taps, toilets. Also check all electrical cabling, looking for any signs of repair, temporary fixes, rust and loose connections.

5) What secrets do the bilges hide? Open up the floorboards to have a look. If you see any signs for oil or water, ask about previous flooding. If the bilges are dirty, maintenance on the boat has probably been haphazard.

6) Now revisit all the external surfaces, from the deck to the inner furnishings, and also all the upholstery. Are there any problems that may result in a lower value of the boat? What is the status of repair of all these items?

7) Have another look at the wooden parts of the boat, if any are present. Is there any sign of warping, chipped areas, or damp spots? Is the wood well maintained? This is a difficult and expensive area to repair, and you want to make sure that there won't be too much to do extra.

8) For sailing boats, check the sails and the rigging . Check that all the sails and rigging (including spares) are in good condition; do not only look for evidence of repairs, but also make sure everything functions easily and flows freely.

9) Are any accessories, such as dinghies or navigation electronics, part of the boat evaluation? Don't overlook these as they may make quite a difference on the end price, and provide a basis for extra negotiations and price reduction.

10) Check the safety equipment: Pay special attention to the boat's safety equipment, whether or not it is included - if it is complete and in good shape, there are good chances that the boat has been kept in good order.