Selling Your Sailboat? Do This First!

Sat, 30 May 2026 11:00:06 +0000

Selling your sailboat this season? Before you list it on YachtWorld, Boat Trader, Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, or with a yacht broker, there are several things you should do first if you want your boat to sell faster and avoid losing thousands during survey and negotiation. In this Practical Sailor episode, we walk through a complete sailboat seller’s checklist, including how to price your used sailboat, whether to sell privately or use a broker, what paperwork and maintenance records to gather, what to clean, what to fix, how to prepare for survey and sea trial, and how to write a better boat-for-sale listing that builds buyer confidence.

Whether you’re selling a Catalina, Hunter, Beneteau, Jeanneau, Island Packet, Tartan, C&C, Pearson, Sabre, or any other used cruising sailboat, this guide will help you prepare your boat before it goes on the market. We cover sailboat staging, decluttering, engine presentation, bilge cleaning, listing photos, disclosure, survey issues, price negotiation, included gear, and closing paperwork so buyers know exactly what they’re looking at. If you’re getting ready to sell a sailboat, list a used boat, work with a yacht broker, or prepare for a marine survey, this checklist will help you make the boat easier to trust, easier to inspect, and easier to buy.

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