| Boat Evaluation For Yacht And Boat Owners |
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| Written by JohnHoward | |
| Tuesday, 24 February 2009 | |
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When considering whether to independently determine the value of a boat before buying or selling, you may find the following evaluation checklist of help. We also suggest that you do this appraisal together with a friend as four eyes see better than two. You can use this checklist when looking at the vessel, to help you examine the condition of the boat, and to spot repairs or improvements that may be necessary to take into account before settling on a final price.
When considering whether to independently determine the value of a boat before buying or selling, you may find the following evaluation checklist of help. We also suggest that you do this appraisal together with a friend as four eyes see better than two. You can use this checklist when looking at the vessel, to help you examine the condition of the boat, and to spot repairs or improvements that may be necessary to take into account before settling on a final price. 1) Start with the boat hull and understructure. Are there any scrapes, cracks, signs of badly executed repairs, or fading? All these will negatively impact the boat value. Please note that the hull is best examined with the boat out of the water. 2) Take a hard look at all the hatches, and at the areas where different parts of the boat are joined together. Everything should fit well, not be warped by humidity, and be impermeable. Open and close all hatches and sea locks, checking that they are in good shape and well maintained. 3) Now it's the time to check the engine block, including transmissions and steering. Look at the state of maintenance of all the electrical and liquid cables, and of the transmission. The latter should be smooth, and easily switch from forward to neutral to back. The color of the engine oil is a potential indicator of engine problems. 4) Test electrics & switches: Test anything that has a switch or a handle, to see that they function correctly, in particular navigation lights, horn, bilge pumps, internal lights, winches, heating, generator, cooking facilities, taps, toilets. Also check all electrical cabling, looking for any signs of repair, temporary fixes, rust and loose connections. 5) What secrets do the bilges hide? Open up the floorboards to have a look. If you see any signs for oil or water, ask about previous flooding. If the bilges are dirty, maintenance on the boat has probably been haphazard. 6) Now revisit all the external surfaces, from the deck to the inner furnishings, and also all the upholstery. Are there any problems that may result in a lower value of the boat? What is the status of repair of all these items? 7) If there are any wooden parts on the boat, examine them thoroughly as repairs and replacements of these can be quite expensive. Is anything warped by dampness, faded or chipped? Have there been some previous restorations that were badly executed? 8) For sailing boats, check the sails and the rigging . Check that all the sails and rigging (including spares) are in good condition; do not only look for evidence of repairs, but also make sure everything functions easily and flows freely. 9) Are any accessories, such as dinghies or navigation electronics, part of the boat evaluation? Don't overlook these as they may make quite a difference on the end price, and provide a basis for extra negotiations and price reduction. 10) What about the safety equipment? If any is include, don't only determine its value but use it also as an indication of the general state of the boat, as people who keep their boat well usually have safety equipment in top condition. About the Author: For newbie sailor and experienced mariner alike, no site but BoatValueWorld.com gives you all the tips and info on boat prices. Old seaman or young cabin boy? Make sure that you know all there is to know about yacht evaluation by following the links above. |
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