Tips for Selling Your Boat in Record Time

There are many reasons to sell your water craft, whether it be financial troubles, downgrading to something smaller with less maintenance, or upgrading to the biggest, shiniest, newest boat you can lay your hands on. Just like anything else, you need to put your best foot forward when it comes to marketing and selling your possession. No matter if you have a speedboat, yacht, or pontoon, these tips will make any vessel stand out on the market.

Make it Shine. 

First impressions make the biggest difference in the world. Perspective buyers should be shocked and awed as soon as he or she lays eyes on your boat. That shock and awe comes when the boat is reflecting the sun as much as the water it sits on. There is a simple trick that achieves this level of glistening glory. You can wash and wax your boat to perfection, but when someone calls and says they will be over in a half hour to look at your vessel, sellers are not left with many options. Use spray-on furniture wax in a pinch. It does not last for much more than a day, but it makes a lasting impression.

Touch Up the Undercarriage. Even though you do not see the bottom of the watercraft when it is on the water, a fresh paint job makes it look much cleaner and more eye-catching when the buyer sees it out of the water. Take a look at all of the other areas of the boat where the paint gets worn off and touch up anything unsightly.

Start Your Engines. Try to fire up the engines within the hour the perspective buyer is expected to arrive. This will help insure that the engine will start cleanly without any sputtering or stalling. Even if the engine is in excellent condition, a bulky start will leave a bad taste in the buyer’s mouth.

Clear the Decks. Be sure there is nothing inside the storage compartments or on the decks of the boat other than the items which are absolutely essential, such as safety gear. Not only does this make the craft more visually appealing, but it also brings its spaciousness and storage capacity to the forefront.

A-Listers Only. When it comes to taking the vessel out for a test drive, limit the number of passengers the buyer is allowed to bring along. This ties into the illusion of spaciousness. If the deck is cluttered while the buyer is out on their test drive, they may be deterred from buying the boat because it does not seem like much else will fit on board. Keeping the number of guest riders to a minimum also limits the weight during a test drive, so it will handle much more easily while the buyer has it out on the water.

Attribute it to Your Lifestyle. The inevitable question is going to come up when selling a water craft: Why are you selling? Even though the answers may be endless, you can simply tell your buyer that you are selling your boat due to a lifestyle change. It is ambiguous, but most people will not ask any further questions at the risk of possibly offending you.


Market, Market, Market. No one is going to come looking to buy your boat if no one knows it is for sale. Know where your perspective buyers will probably be coming from, and market nationally instead of locally. Choose an online venue such as AdamSea to market your water craft and reach more perspective buyers than using the classifieds in a local paper. AdamSea helps buyers connect to sellers in a convenient setting where everyone can easily find exactly what they are looking for.