Yacht Sales in Puerto Vallarta & Banderas Bay

Boats on Banderas Bay are spread across several marinas on both sides of the state line — around Puerto Vallarta’s hotel zone, in Nuevo Vallarta and further north along the Riviera Nayarit. The bay’s size gives owners room for day cruising, fishing and watersports, and the coast to the north and south offers longer passages for those who want them.

When you compare boats here, the marina matters: it affects access for viewings and surveys, proximity to service providers and the practicalities of a sea trial.

Demand is broad: flybridge motor yachts and express cruisers for entertaining and coastal cruising, sportfishing boats for the offshore grounds, catamarans for stable day use, and sailing yachts among the cruising community. Many owners use a boat both privately and, where permitted and properly arranged, for charter — which raises its own questions about wear, licensing and records.

If a vessel has been chartered, ask for engine and generator logs, maintenance invoices and any commercial permits or inspections that applied. Heavy use is not automatically a problem — some charter boats are maintained very carefully — but it should be documented and reflected in the survey scope and the price you negotiate.

• Confirm haul-out availability and the surveyor’s schedule early; the winter season is busy.
• Inspect hull, running gear and through-hull fittings out of the water.
• Have engines and generators evaluated by a qualified technician, with oil analysis where appropriate.
• Test air-conditioning, refrigeration and electronics under load during the sea trial.
• Review the vessel’s documentation, flag and import status with the appropriate professionals.

The Pacific hurricane season generally runs from mid-May through November; ask how the boat has been secured in past seasons.