How to sell a boat quickly?

[Graham376]

I disagree with this. Serious buyers of a Sadler 29 know they sail well, and are more likely to go for an example which is on the hard, and they can survey without needing to pay for a lift out. This was how we both bought and sold ours.

I agree with you. I didn't take any of our 4 boats for a test sail before buying, one (our first) was in the water and the other three were on the hard on broker's pitches which allowed a good look over the hulls before deciding whether to go further with offer and survey.

 

[Resolution]

How can you assume a 'serious buyer' will know the Sadler 29 sails well? They maybe newbies, or upgrading from a smaller yacht and have no experience of them.
Given the cost of a new engine, I'd want to make sure it was up to the job under load - ie in real world conditions. If I was planning on taking the yacht some distance to her new berth, I'd definitely need to be satisfied with engine reliability.

Much better to have the boat out on the hard, on the brokers patch. Then the broker can easily show potential buyers round, the PBs can see what shape the hull is in. If the engine is old and the PBs have doubts about it, they can always make a conditional offer, subject to sea trial. The vast majority of yacht buyers have been sailing and have some idea of how yachts handle under sail in general. If they want to know about a particular make of yacht, there are usually boat tests available, or owners to ask. Saddler 29 should pose no problem in this regard.

 

[steve yates]

if its inherited, and you dont want it, just price it cheap as it is, right now. And I mean a few thousand under, not a couple of hundred. It's june in 26 days and then you have to start paying fees. They will rack up quickly, as will sorting the boat for a buyer.
Whatever you get for it is a bonus, until someone takes it off your hands it's a bloody liability.

 

[pagoda]

When a boat is slow to sell, its not just down to too high an asking price. Its due to lack of attention to detail - tatty interior, scruffy exterior, loads of junk and old rope, a rusty engine etc. Lack of tlc is very obvious.
If its clean and tidy inside and out, the engine runs sweetly and has had a service and its ready to sail away, you've more chance of a quick sail. Online selling requires lots of good quality photos.

+1 we looked at almost 20 boats while looking for a replacement. Lack of interest/care /maintenance was very apparent to us. The "given up- , tie her up and just sell it" attitude DOES NOT SELL. Consequently we put a good amount of effort into the presentation of our perfectly sail-able older boat. Many boats are sold on the wife's say -so and her sense of tidiness, not to understate the sense of smell!
Make it attractive, tidy, clean, with a folder of photos on the chart table, a maintenance log etc etc. Once you have the boat presentable, then either DIY sell or delegate to a broker. We used Boatshed with a realistic price and waited 2 months before a sale.

 

[steveeasy]

The same princibles apply to selling boats as in business. Right product, right price, right place. Get her looking smart. clean sailcovers. fresh clean decks. clean running rigging. clean inside and fresh. no junk. Fresh coat of anti foul. parked in the right place, and a good price, the lowest of all the overpriced boats on appoloduck. what more can you do. Most buyers are looking for a good deal. they wont be bothered about sea trials if she is good and a good price.
I tried selling a very tidy Dehler several years ago. wrong place and no one was interested. I put her in a brokers where there was a good foot fall of customers. good price and she sold in January. Key is exposure,

Steveeasy

 

[JIMS44]

As someone who has just bought his first boat, It really ticked me off when you drive a few hours to view a boat to find it has flat batteries and is dirty with a bilge full of oil and diesel. I don’t know why brokers can’t be a 100% honest on the phone before hand, instead of she needs a bit of a clean up. I was shopping in £15-£20k range, Sadler 29, Konsort, moody 29 etc, plenty out there with old engines, electrics, sails & rigging and unrealistic values. I made imo good offers on two boats rd 35% less than asking price, both boats needed a lot of upgrades, both offers turned down. The right boat came along and I snapped it up. Since then both boats I made offers on the brokers have phoned me up a few months later and asking if I am still interested and the owners would sell at what I offered.................

So I would say the same as others, have it cleaned spotless
Make sure batteries are charged and engine starts
Plenty of photos and a video
A realistic price for boat of said age and condition.

Best of luck.