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It’s easy to accumulate items on a boat, such as an old bag of potato chips from last year’s party or the sweater some guest left onboard after a celebration in 1979. When owners decide to sell their boat, they usually experience a strong sense of awe at how much they’ll have to take off of it. The following tips will help turn the floating storage unit back into a clean and spacious vessel again.
Armed with empty storage bins and garbage bags, boaters should first open up all storage compartments both inside and out, to get a better idea of just how much stuff is on the boat. Then, they should throw out any old food or random junk, while storing bedding and personal items they want to keep.
Once the inside of the vessel is organized, owners should focus on cleaning and detailing the exterior. Assuming the craft is stern in, as they usually are when docked, it will be the area potential buyers see first. Making it sparkle is easy with these pointers.
After emptying and washing all exterior storage compartments, boaters should lift up all hatches and wipe around the gutter track, hosing out the drain so water and debris flow freely. Shurhold’s Brite Wash is an effective, yet gentle multi-surface boat soap great for cleaning dirt, grease, salt and more without dulling the finish.
After scrubbing the waterline, owners should pull up all deck carpets, washing them and the floor underneath. Only the carpets that look clean and new should be put back.
Cleaning vinyl seats is simple with Shurhold’s Serious Marine Cleaner. Designed to clean a multitude of surfaces, Serious Marine Cleaner was created for the professional detailer. It’s important to lift up all seats in the cockpit area to clean under and around them.
Utilizing a plastic window cleaner such as Serious Shine from Shurhold along with the company’s Microfiber Towels helps prevent yellowing and keeps the material in good condition. After washing the windows and boat, it’s beneficial to wipe and polish any stainless steel. This can also be easily accomplished with versatile Serious Shine.
If the craft is in need of a wax job, owners can get away with simply waxing the topside by rubbing the rail up and the transom. It’s the main area a potential buyer will be looking at closely. Pro Polish is formulated with cosmetic-grade ingredients and contains no fillers or talc, protecting a boat’s finish against sun, salt, acid rain and other harsh environmental elements.
Even after all this cleaning and washing, the craft will get dirty again in a matter of days or weeks, depending on where it’s moored and the weather. Sellers should plan to wash it on a regular basis to ensure the boat looks its best, every three or four weeks, and to dust the interior and check the heads every four weeks.
Real estate agents often stage houses they have listed for sale to make them look more inviting, comfortable and stylish. Boaters can apply the same ideas to their vessel.
Since most items have been removed from the yacht, only those that will create the image of carefree and stylish boating should remain to decorate the space. The bed should be made and a clean throw blanket can be laid over the corner of the bed with a book on it. Pillows should be fluffed to make the space more cozy.
The only items that should be in the head are new hand and bath towels, as well as a fresh bar of decorative soap in a dish that won’t slide around. The tanks should also be checked to make sure they’ve been recently pumped.
All food should be removed from the refrigerator. A bottle of wine or other treats that won’t spoil or could be thought of as items to bring to a picnic can stay, but it’s time for owners to stop keeping food in the fridge.
Creating a delightful scene in the galley, the table can be set for two. A vase with faux flowers looks nice as long as it doesn’t take up a lot of room.
If owners stick to these tips, they’ll end up with a clean and spacious-looking boat. This will make it even easier for the seller to impress an interested buyer.