How do I sell my boat?

How do I sell my boat?

Believe it or not, selling a boat is not generally complicated; but it is a commodity which in most cases is best done by a broker.

At the very top of the market say 100 – 180 meters (yes, meters) these Motor Yachts are usually sold by Private Treaty. Let’s face it, at that level the number of buyers are few and far between and generally known to each other; the identity of the owners is public knowledge too. So if you spot DILBAR from your existing Super Yacht a quick Google search will tell you who the owner is Alisher Usmanov.

So, back here on planet earth lets look at the options for the majority of boat and yacht owners.

If your boat is 20 meters plus and the value is say £ 400,000 and up then there are a plethora of good, honest, professional brokers who will market your boat for you, irrespective of its location. You can contact me and by return I will send you an E-brochure which describes what I consider to be the best route to market, the costs involved and how the marketing is done. A brokerage house is when all said and done, a marketing company. Owners choose a responsible broker, and they market the yacht until a buyer is found and the broker then facilitates the deal. That over simplifies the process, but in essence that is what it entails.

When we look at boats and yachts with a value of between £ 100,000 and £ 400,000 again there is no shortage of good brokerage houses who can help – yes you probably can do it yourself. If you have spent £ 100,000 in disposable income on a non-essential item, such as a boat. Then the chances are you are you are smart enough to sell it yourself; but some avenues, when it comes to marketing your boat are simply not open to you. The most successful portal websites, such as yachtworld.com do not carry advertisements for private advertisers; Yachtworld is I suppose, the Rightmove in the boat world. Secondly, we brokers have also learned a thing or two along the way. Presentation, the protocols, contracts, VAT, surveys, registration, clear title and the Protocol of Delivery and Acceptance ensuring no comeback on the seller, is all part and parcel of the brokers toolkit. It can also expensive and time consuming if you get it wrong.

Brokerage houses also often have a database of active clients; I had an enquiry from an Egyptian client in 2007 who eventually bought a boat from me in 2015. He had bought two others in the meantime, but when the right offer came up, he was quick to respond. It is also the depth of that relationship which is important; if I think a boat is right for a client after sending them details, I will call them and discuss it with them.

So what about smaller boats or those of a lower value – this can leave sellers floundering – the larger brokerage houses are often not interested or geographical differences make it uneconomical. I am happy to recommend good brokers though, so please get in touch.

Jonathan Browne +33(0)6 23 76 18 84 jb@jebsenrossi.com