Selling a boat

[Sailorbob8599]

Old age and failing health is forcing me to put my small coastal cruising boat up for sale this spring. I intend to sell it through a broker, a fellow with whom I have made initial contact. I believe he lives relatively close to the marina, but I'm not sure on which side of the border. I do not know him personally, but having had a chat with him, he seems to be a likable character. Also, I see his `For Sale`signs on a number of other boats in the marina where I keep my boat but I do not see any competitor signs. It would appear he has the business all tied up.
I am Canadian and I keep my boat in a U.S. marina right at the Canada/U.S. border. This fellow sells boats on both sides of the border, and I would imagine the reason there are no other brokers is, there is probably insufficient business to make it worth their while.
This will be my first experience selling a boat through a broker and I`m wondering what i should know about him before I sign on the dotted line?

I'm the kind of person who is fastidious about cleaning anything I want to sell because it sells faster. My boat has sat in the water for only 18 months since it was first launched in August of 2015. Although the bottom had anti-fouling applied prior to launch, it has accumulated a tremendous amount of growth; Mussels, Barnacles, and other forms of sea life around the waterline, as well as large patches below. - - - The reason for this is because the anti-fouling product applied at the marina where it was launched was deemed to be defective. Must have been, because I have been fully reimbursed by the dealer who sold the product although, I have a suspicion it was just very old stock that had exceeded its shelf life . . . but that's neither here nor there.
The point is, I want to haul the boat and have the bottom properly cleaned and re-painted at the marina where I'm berthed prior to showing it to prospective buyers.
Here's what has me a little bothered. The broker says I should let the would-be purchaser pay to have the boat hauled for the hull inspection. My opinion is, how can a prospective buyer inspect the hull with all that growth on the hull? He also says once a deal is struck, the future owner should expect to pay for the new anti-fouling.
I don't know about you guys, but I know how I would feel if the boat I was wanting to inspect was covered in sea life. Yes, I can accept some people might expect to apply bottom paint to a used boat they have just purchased. I'm not sure what is best. I'm also concerned that if I go ahead with the application of new anti-fouling paint that a buyer just might think it was done to hide something.
I would appreciate comments from those of you who are truly knowledgeable in selling a used boat.
Once I get your opinions, I will tell more about the boat I have for sale, and post some pics.

[UNCIVILIZED]

Why not apply one coat, with 2 at the waterline, & then let the next owner apply the balance of the remaining paint. And if there's any question as to "the why" behind the fresh bottom paint, it's simple enough to explain both that the boat was due for it, & that the old paint wasn't up to par. As evidenced through your being refunded the cost of the bad paint. For which paperwork likely will be more than sufficient to satisfy anyone who cares to know the reasons behind the boat's fresh "makeup".

Personally, so long as a boat passes survey, and I find no flaws in her hull, then I'd have no reason to suspect foul play if she'd recently been given a bottom job. And I'd probably appreciate that she'd been freshly redone, so long as it was decent paint. As it would mean less labor, & coin coming out of my pocket for the first year or two of ownership. And money's usually a bit tight when one first buys a boat. So the fresh paint thing's actually a bonus, & might be used as such when selling her.

[CarinaEnqvist11]

Originally Posted by UNCIVILIZED

Why not apply one coat, with 2 at the waterline, & then let the next owner apply the balance of the remaining paint. And if there's any question as to "the why" behind the fresh bottom paint, it's simple enough to explain both that the boat was due for it, & that the old paint wasn't up to par. As evidenced through your being refunded the cost of the bad paint. For which paperwork likely will be more than sufficient to satisfy anyone who cares to know the reasons behind the boat's fresh "makeup".

Personally, so long as a boat passes survey, and I find no flaws in her hull, then I'd have no reason to suspect foul play if she'd recently been given a bottom job. And I'd probably appreciate that she'd been freshly redone, so long as it was decent paint. As it would mean less labor, & coin coming out of my pocket for the first year or two of ownership. And money's usually a bit tight when one first buys a boat. So the fresh paint thing's actually a bonus, & might be used as such when selling her.

I agree with this.. HE said it all..

[Byrdman]

Or pull it, paint it, and leave it on hard. Let the buyer pay to splash it for the sea trial to confirm the purchase. No joy riders and tire kickers that way...

[Jd1]

Every boatyard in my area does a pressure wash as soon as the boat gets pulled. The buyer will have plenty of opportunity to inspect the hull. It is also easy to negotiate a coat of bottom paint into the deal. I think it is wasted money to pull the boat, paint the bottom, put it back into the water, just to have the buyer pull it to do the inspection.
My personal preference is to see a boat in the water. Being on the hard would be a bit of a turn-off (for me).
Having said all that, it doesn't cost much to get a diver to clean the bottom and at minimum, assuming out-of-control growth, I would clean the water line to give the boat better 'curb appeal'.
When I pulled my boat when I purchased, I had the seller pay the incremental cost of the paint job as the bottom paint was coming off in sheets. I looked at it as a bonus because I knew I had brand new paint and was there to see how it was applied (my first experience with a bottom job).
Of course any bottom cleaning will be covered with new growth if the boat sits for several months ....

[Sailorbob8599]

Originally Posted by Byrdman

Or pull it, paint it, and leave it on hard. Let the buyer pay to splash it for the sea trial to confirm the purchase. No joy riders and tire kickers that way...

Thanks Byrdman, sounds reasonable, and I like the idea of preventing joy riders and tire kickers. But . . . there's always a but . . . the service shop is operated by a contractor who rents both shop and yard space at the marina.
he applies a daily charge if left on the hard beyond the time it takes to power wash and apply new Anti Fouling. I've forgotten exactly what it is, possibly a $100/day ... certainly enough that it's a strong deterrent. So, with yard space at a premium, it limits owners from taking up valuable work space.

[Sailorbob8599]

Thanks Jd1, I don't think a diver is an option near this particularly isolated marina. I'll have the marina service shop do the bottom and put her back in the water.
I'll take time/dated, close-up digital photo's of the hull cleaning and paint job. Prospective buyers may then accept photographic evidence, or haul her if they prefer a visual inspection. The buyer can have the photo's.

[UNCIVILIZED]

Ensure that the paint will retain it's efficacy if the boat's to be out of the water for more than a few days. Otherwise you're just burning money, applying it beforehand.