Scott Bailey Solicitors have been closely involved with the South Coast marine community for many years. Amongst their ranks, they have a Harbour Commissioner and a former professional from the UK Ship Register and Receiver of Wreck – not to mention several sailors and boat owners. If you are looking for a marine law firm with a deep understanding of the local marine sector, they are here to help. From yacht brokerage and pleasure craft registration to advising marine businesses and marinas, Scott Bailey’s expert team has extensive experience handling a wide range of personal and commercial marine legal matters.

And as the weather turns, the Boat Show finishes and the Americas Cup Challenger Series takes a break after its exciting semi-finals in Barcelona, if you are thinking about selling your boat this autumn, here are some top tips for getting it ready for sale.

Top tips when selling your boat

The weather seems to have changed to an autumnal feel, and the ever brilliant Southampton Boat Show is well under way, and for us, these two events signal that the end of the boating season is near.  It is also often a time when people think about selling their boats, perhaps because they have spotted a new dream vessel they’d like, or they want to spend the winter looking for next season.  So if you are thinking about selling your boat this autumn, here are some top tips for getting your boat ready for sale.

Get your boat looking ship shape

The first one is get your boat looking spic and span.  Aside from making sure the decks are clean, and the engine is turning over nicely, gather together any service records and maintenance receipts. A sensible prospective buyer will ask to see these, so it is handy to have everything organised and already to hand.

Go through your most recent survey

If your boat has had a recent survey, go through this and make sure any defects have been rectified, or if they haven’t been rectified, be able to explain why.  Experienced buyers will almost certainly ask if you have the most recent survey report or service report. If anything was flagged up, they will usually want to see that you have taken action to rectify the problem.

Proof of title

Make sure you have evidence of title to hand, either the original build certificate if you bought the boat from new, or the bill of sale from when you bought the vessel.  If you can’t find the original bill of sale, do get in touch with us, as it may be that we can assist. Having no evidence of title can throw a spanner in the works when it comes to finance, registration, insurance, and ultimately selling a boat further down the line.

Marine mortgages

If you have an existing mortgage on the vessel ensure you know what is required by the lender to be able to discharge the mortgage either on completion of the sale to the new buyer. 

How we can help

If you are thinking about selling your boat, but feeling a little out of your depth about where to start, and the process, do get in touch.  As experienced marine lawyers, particularly when selling your yacht privately we can assist with preparation and negotiation of the sale contract, assisting with replies to due diligence enquiries, and liaising with any finance companies involved, as well as guiding you through the process up to completion, and if required, dealing with transferring the registration.

This article was written by Celia Hawson, paralegal in Scott Bailey's Company and Commercial Law department. Having spent years working in the Cruise and Shipping industries, including stints at the UK Ship Register and with the Receiver of Wreck, Celia has a particular interest in Maritime businesses.

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Founded in 1930, Scott Bailey has grown to become a leading firm in the New Forest, providing a full range of legal services to private individuals and businesses. Services for individuals include Residential Conveyancing, Divorce, Family, Wills Trusts & Probate, Litigation & Disputes.

SME business legal services include Corporate, Commercial, Intellectual Property, Dispute Resolution, Landlord & Tenant, Insolvency and Employment Law. Scott Bailey LLP is one of only a very few firms based in the New Forest providing these specialist services. 

The first firm in the region to receive the Law Society's prestigious LEXCEL award for high standards of practice management and customer care, Scott Bailey LLP promises top-quality, professional help from a team of expert solicitors who will put your best interests at the heart of their work.

Scott Bailey was delighted and proud to win "Business of the Year" at the 2023 New Forest Brilliance in Business Awards - read story here.