Questions to Ask Before Buying a Used Yacht

• How many owners has the boat had, and how long has the current owner had it?
• How has it been used — private cruising, fishing, charter, liveaboard?
• Where has it been kept, and has it been stored ashore or in the water?
• Why is it being sold?

• What are the current engine and generator hours, and do the service records support them?
• When were major services, overhauls or rebuilds done, and by whom?
• Are there oil-analysis reports?
• When were the bottom, running gear and through-hulls last serviced?

• Has the boat ever been grounded, struck, flooded, fire-damaged or involved in an insurance claim?
• Has it been through a hurricane or named storm, and what repairs followed?
• Are repair invoices and any post-repair survey available?

A repaired boat can still be a sound purchase, but repairs should be documented and examined by your surveyor.

• Which electronics, appliances and systems have been replaced or upgraded, and when?
• What is included in the sale — tender, toys, spares, safety gear, linens?
• Is anything excluded? Ask for a written inventory.

• Who is the registered owner, and is the vessel owned personally or through a company?
• Is it free of liens and loans, or how will they be cleared at closing?
• What is its flag, and for a foreign-flagged boat in Mexico, what is its import status?
• Do the hull identification number and engine serial numbers match the paperwork?

Have documentation reviewed by an appropriate professional. See documentation for a yacht sale.

Ask your surveyor what they will and will not inspect, whether a haul-out and sea trial are included, and whether you need separate engine, generator or rigging specialists. A survey reduces risk; it cannot eliminate it. Read more in our marine survey guide.