How to Sell a Yacht

To sell a yacht: define your objective and timing, obtain a realistic view of market value, choose how the yacht will be represented, prepare the yacht and its records, launch accurate marketing, qualify buyers, negotiate an offer, sign a memorandum of agreement with the deposit held by an escrow agent, manage survey and sea trial, clear title and liabilities, and close with a bill of sale and protocol of delivery.

Each step can change the price achieved and the risk carried by the seller. Few sales fail on price alone; many fail on preparation, documents or survey.

Is the priority price, speed, discretion, certainty of closing, or a smooth move into the next yacht? These objectives conflict. A seller who wants maximum price and minimal visibility, within weeks, needs to choose which matters most.

Write the objective down before appointing anyone. It shapes the mandate, the asking price and the marketing.

There is no universal right time. Seasonality, boat-show calendars, the yacht's location, its survey and class cycle and charter commitments all matter. Timing a launch before the main buying season can help, but a poorly prepared yacht launched early can lose momentum.

Time on market varies widely with size, age, price position and condition. See the guide on how long it takes to sell a yacht.

Owners moving up often want to sell and buy in parallel. Sequencing matters: closing dates, deposits, crew transfer and berth arrangements should be coordinated so the owner is not carrying two yachts or none. Trade-ins are uncommon and should be evaluated as two separate transactions.

Market value is what an informed, willing buyer is likely to pay. Asking price is a marketing decision. They are not the same, and the gap between them affects how quickly qualified buyers engage.

Lund does not publish price-per-metre values or universal depreciation curves; values depend on builder, designer, condition, history, specification and comparable sales. See the yacht valuation guide.

An aspirational price can deter the buyers it is meant to attract and make the yacht look stale. A price below market can leave value on the table. The goal is a credible price supported by comparable evidence.

Price reductions are a normal part of the market and are not a sign of distress, but repeated small reductions often signal uncertainty. Decide in advance how and when the price will be reviewed. Choose the pricing currency deliberately and remember exchange-rate movement during a sale.

The seller's broker advises on price and strategy, prepares the listing, markets the yacht, qualifies buyers, manages viewings and negotiation and coordinates the transaction through closing.

Look for sale experience in the yacht's size and type, clarity on who will actually do the work, references, a written marketing plan and transparency about conflicts.

A central agency appoints one broker to manage the sale and coordinate with all other brokers, who may introduce buyers under a shared commission (co-brokerage). An open listing lets several brokers market the yacht independently.

Central agency usually keeps one yacht, one price and one consistent set of information in the market. Open listings can create conflicting prices and duplicate listings. Read the mandate's term, exclusivity, termination and commission-protection clauses carefully.

Commission is normally paid by the seller from the sale proceeds at closing and is usually shared with any co-broker who introduces the buyer. There is no universal commission percentage; terms are set in the listing agreement.

Separately, budget for preparation, photography, survey support, repositioning, berth, crew retention, legal fees and any agreed marketing costs. Ask whether any fees are payable if the yacht does not sell.

A broker who acts for both seller and buyer has a conflict. It may be permitted if disclosed and agreed, but the seller should understand whose interests are being represented at each stage. See yacht brokerage explained.

A public sale maximises exposure. A private or discreet sale limits who knows the yacht is available, which can protect the owner's privacy, crew stability and charter business, but reaches fewer buyers.

Private does not automatically mean a premium or a discount. Some sellers start privately then go public; once public, the online footprint is hard to withdraw. See the off-market yachts guide.

First impressions matter. Clean, declutter and remove personal photographs and items that identify the owner. Resolve visible defects and service overdue systems.

A cosmetic refresh can help presentation. A major refit before selling rarely recovers its cost unless it resolves a known issue buyers would price heavily; take advice before starting one.

A pre-sale survey can reveal issues before a buyer finds them, allowing the seller to repair or disclose them and price accordingly. Know the yacht's class status, upcoming surveys and any outstanding recommendations, because buyers and lenders will ask.

Organised records build trust: registration, class and flag documents, builder's certificate or bill-of-sale chain, VAT evidence, maintenance and refit history, engine hours and service records, equipment manuals, crew certificates and safety certificates.

Sensitive documents should be shared only with qualified parties at the right stage, through a controlled channel, never publicly.

Agree early what is included in the sale: tenders, toys, equipment, linen, crockery, spares. Prepare a written exclusions list for art, wine, personal items, and any tender or support vessel not included. Unclear inventory is a common source of late disputes.

Specifications should be accurate and verifiable. Do not round up length, invent refits or claim features that cannot be documented. A buyer's survey will find errors, and inaccurate listings damage credibility and negotiating position.

Descriptions should be specific rather than superlative. Explain what makes the yacht distinctive with evidence.

Professional, current photography is essential. Old images, misleading retouching or photographs showing removed equipment create problems at viewing. Video, drone footage, a general arrangement plan and a virtual tour help buyers shortlist remotely. Confirm the rights to use any imagery.

A launch typically combines listing on industry databases, distribution to the broker network, targeted outreach, the broker's own site, selective press and boat shows or private viewings. Decide how price, location and owner identity will be shown.

Momentum is strongest at launch. When sold, the listing should be marked sold accurately; Lund never invents sold history.

A qualified buyer has a realistic budget, intent and timeline, and can evidence funds when appropriate. KYC and anti-money-laundering checks are part of a professional sale.

Viewings should be arranged through the broker, with the crew briefed on what to show and say. Feedback should be recorded and shared with the owner; reports should focus on qualified interest, not inflated view counts.

An offer should be written and set out price, deposit, conditions, survey and sea-trial arrangements, delivery place and closing date. Compare offers on certainty, not price alone.

There is no standard discount from asking price. With multiple offers, handle the process fairly and transparently. An accepted offer is not a sale; the yacht is not sold until closing.

The parties typically sign a memorandum of agreement, often on the MYBA form, reviewed by a maritime lawyer. The buyer pays a deposit, commonly to an escrow agent; it is not the seller's money until the conditions are met.

Payment fraud is a real risk. Verify bank details by a trusted channel, never accept changes by email alone, and never pay into a personal account. See the MYBA MoA guide.

The buyer arranges and pays for survey and usually for haul-out, while the seller makes the yacht available and has crew support it. Disclose known defects honestly.

Defects found may lead to renegotiation, repairs, a price adjustment or rejection. Distinguish material findings from minor ones. If the buyer rejects the yacht, the deposit is typically returned under the contract terms, and the yacht is relaunched with lessons learned. See the survey and sea trial guides.

Expect checks on title, ownership structure, mortgages, liens and claims, flag and deletion, class status, VAT status, charter bookings, crew contracts, management agreements, insurance and berth arrangements.

VAT-paid status is not universal and must be evidenced. Selling the owning company rather than the yacht raises separate legal and tax issues; take specialist advice. Lund does not provide tax advice.

Future charter bookings must be disclosed and either transferred or cancelled under their contracts; a buyer may not want them. Crew should be informed with care; do not promise crew employment to the buyer. Plan crew retention and final pay. Brief the management company early.

Closing typically involves the bill of sale, protocol of delivery and acceptance, deletion certificate, closing statement, release of funds from escrow and payment of commission. Risk passes at the agreed moment.

At handover, remove excluded items, transfer crew as agreed, hand over manuals and records, and reset passwords, network accounts and connected devices. Keep copies of transaction records.

Confidentiality usually continues after closing. A sold announcement should be agreed with the buyer. Update listings promptly so the yacht no longer appears available.