| As the owner/operator of a full service boat | | | | the boat-and look tacky. A few cleaning supplies, in |
| detailing-yacht maintenance business I can't help but | | | | their own locker is probably all right as long as they're |
| chuckle sometimes at seeing the extremes that | | | | kept neat and clean.Make a list of things that need |
| otherwise bright, intelligent, successful, people will go to | | | | attention, and get it taken care of. A few dollars spent |
| in a misguided attempt to save a few dollars.One of | | | | now will pay back in spades when the time comes to |
| the biggest mistakes that we see is that people will | | | | show your boat. Anything that isn't right will stick out |
| decide to sell their boat without first having her | | | | like the proverbial sore thumb, be noticed and start the |
| completely detailed.According to Rob Scanlan, a well | | | | price spiraling down. (if it doesn't just send them |
| known and respected Master Marine | | | | scurrying off shaking their heads)Hint: If you are not a |
| Surveyor;"Detailing a boat is the single most important | | | | woman reading this and don't have a wife of your |
| investment of time, energy and money a seller can | | | | own, ask your mother or sister, or see if a friend will |
| make because a clean and shiny boat sells faster and | | | | loan you his for a few minutes. For some reason |
| for a lot more money. I strongly recommended that a | | | | women can smell things that a man would never |
| seller enlist professional assistance to do a quality | | | | notice. You may think that men buy boats but in my |
| (Email) (Web site)We at BoatDocs1, do a lot of work | | | | experience they buy the boats their women like. Along |
| here on the Emerald Coast with local yacht brokers | | | | this same line, pay particular attention to the cabin and |
| and know what the standards are for a "ready to | | | | heads.3. Prioritize the JobWith your list you are in good |
| show" boat. These professionals know that the | | | | shape to decide what needs to be done and whether |
| cosmetic appearance says everything to the | | | | or not you want to do the work yourself or have it |
| prospective buyer as to the overall care and | | | | done by a professional.Most of the professional yacht |
| maintenance that the previous owner has given the | | | | maintenance companies we are familiar with, would be |
| yacht. Add to that the universal wisdom about first | | | | happy to take a look and give you an estimate of |
| impressions and it's not hard to see the importance of | | | | what it will cost to have the work done right. We can |
| this vital first step.Even if you intend to do most of the | | | | do part of the job, for example the compounding |
| work yourself we can offer the expertise to assure | | | | polishing and will gladly help you choose the best wax |
| that your time and money are spent wisely. Our | | | | to finish the job yourself.What about those little chips |
| trained eyes will often pick up the little details that only | | | | and dings in the gelcoat?Many books have been |
| a prospective buyer would notice and likely balk | | | | written on fiberglass repair and it isn't the intent of this |
| at.Here is an outline of the standard procedures we | | | | article to cover the subject in any depth but many |
| use when preparing a yacht to be put up for sale:1. | | | | small repairs are well within the reach of a fairly skilled |
| Thoroughly Wash and Dry the BoatNote: For this part, | | | | do-it-yourselfer. Like anything else though, if you have |
| pay attention to everything you see and unless your | | | | never done it before, "consult an expert."I've been |
| memory is a lot better than mine, make notes on a | | | | building and repairing in fiberglass since I was 14 and |
| piece of paper for later.Wash and chamois-dry your | | | | while the first wooden boat I glassed was water tight |
| boat top to bottom including transom.clean Isenglass | | | | and lasted a good many years, it was far from pretty. |
| and other ports/windowswipe down and dress all | | | | The small investment you lay out for expert repair |
| aluminum/stainlessclean and dress vinyl seatswipe | | | | now will pay big dividends when your boat sells at the |
| down fly bridge and cockpitvacuum exterior | | | | price you want.In the Emerald Coast region the |
| carpetclean and dress nonskid2. Stand Back and | | | | standard fees for compound/waxing run between |
| Survey the BoatNote: Bring your list and organize it | | | | $15.00/ft. and $18.00/ft. for the topside (rub-rail up) |
| with the following outline* Put yourself in the buyers | | | | which includes a thorough cleaning and treatment of |
| shoes, be critical, the buyer will.Is it shiny? It's the first | | | | the vinyl, windows, isenglass, and metal. In other words, |
| thing most people notice.What about the smell? People | | | | for the price of doing the "hard" part we'll detail the |
| have a way of getting used to almost anything. Get a | | | | entire topsides and leave it in "ready-to-show" |
| second opinion and see the hint below.Is all hardware | | | | condition. Hulls (rub-rail down) run about $8.00/ft. but, of |
| intact and presentable? Just because you've used that | | | | course, the boat must be out of the water in order to |
| broken table for years and are rather fond of it, to | | | | do it. (This walking on water with a hi-speed electric |
| anyone else, it's just a broken table.What about dings, | | | | buffer in hand is still beyond me, but I'll let you |
| any damage to the fiberglass? Aside from the fact | | | | know;-)Fiberglass repair runs from $45.00 to $65.00 |
| that broken gelcoat can let water into the core of the | | | | per hour and in general as with most everything else, |
| lay-up and delaminate the fiberglass, it just plain looks | | | | one gets what one pays for. The up side to this is that |
| BAD.What about rust? You are probably thinking right | | | | when approached in a professional manner the dents |
| now; (what's a little rust on a boat?) Let me tell you. A | | | | and dings of ten years hard use can be repaired and |
| little rust on a boat is a sure sign that the owner let's | | | | made to look like new in an amazingly short time.All |
| little things go by unnoticed and if there is one thing | | | | too often we have seen people save $300.00 or |
| there are always more. What about oil changes? I | | | | $400.00 on a detail only to loose $Thousands$ on |
| wonder if he flushed out the outboard after use? The | | | | what their boat could have sold for. Then too, our local |
| object of this little exercise is to make the boat look | | | | marinas are clogged with many examples of boats |
| like you are conscientious and a stickler for having | | | | with "For Sale" signs which were never given the least |
| everything perfectly "SHIP SHAPE."One more little tip | | | | bit of attention to make the passer by want to stop |
| that you have probably already thought of. Take a | | | | and think, "Hey, I wonder what it would be like to call |
| look around the boat and remove EVERYTHING that | | | | that boat mine." Some of these boats have sat for |
| isn't part of the boat.EXAMPLE:Engine controls, | | | | years when all they ever really needed was a little |
| compass, life jackets, flare kit, and a first aid kit ARE | | | | T.L.C.I remember, years ago, someone saying |
| part of the boat. Knick-knacks, fishing tackle, cutesy | | | | something about being penny wise and pound foolish? |
| wall plaques, and half full paint cans are NOT part of | | | | Let's not let them be saying that about us. |