Advice on Sailboat selling..

[Alm0d0g]

I have a classic 40 ft wooden boat in the Seattle market that I want to sell. It was my first large boat. I successfully got thru the buying part, had years of enjoyment, now I need a game plan for the selling the boat.

Anyone have any experiences that I can learn from? What value does the broker add? Expected costs? I think my value is between $18-$24k: is that too low for a broker here in Seattle? Anyone have luck marketing and selling their own vessel? Was there a particularly helpful advertisement method?

I actively sail the boat and still plan on a Summer vacation aboard (provided it has not been sold) so it is in good working order with all the basic amenities.

[JPA Cate]

If she is a good example of a boat of her age and from her builder, I'd advertise her in the American Wooden Boat magazine. Try selling without a broker, keep it simple, and you can "afford" to accept a slightly lower price. Make sure you take everything personal off the boat before you sell it. Make it as clean as humanly possible. Make sure everything is working perfectly. Put notices on local yacht club notice boards.

Good luck. I hope you find a good new custodian for your beauty.

Ann

[Jolly Roger]

Ann makes good common sense. I would add, take good photographs, and I don’t mean from a mobile phone either. If you haven’t got a decent camera ask or pay someone who has, to take good shots of everything. You can then easily e-mail them to anyone who shows even the slightest interest. A picture is worth a thousand words.
The secret is exposure, exposure, and if that fails, exposure.

[Stu Jackson]

Isn't 18 to 24 a large range?