What to Look for When Buying a Yacht

Knowing what to look for when buying a yacht will make your large, relatively expensive purchase easier in the long run. A yacht could easily be the next largest purchase next to your home or that fancy sports car so taking time to identify and purchase the right yacht is imperative. Below are a few things to look for when buying a yacht.

1. Check the history of the yacht. Yachts can be traded through many owners during the life of the boat so check to see how many hands have sailed the ship. A yacht with fewer owners may signal a boat that was maintained and loved and babied.
2. Check maintenance records for the yacht. Ask to see any and all maintenance records before going forward with your yacht purchase. There should be at least a yearly engine update, along with records for bottom painting.
3. Take a sea trail aboard the yacht. No one should ever make a large purchase of a yacht without experiencing her at sea. Take the boat out and rev up the engine. Check the handling. If there's a flying bridge, check that the steering works as expected.
4. Get a survey of the yacht. Although a survey can be quite expensive as the boat will be hauled from the water, you should have the yacht looked over by a qualified yacht surveyer. Similar to a home inspection, a yacht surveyer will give you the pros and cons of the specific boat. Ask your yacht broker for the names of two good surveyers so you can choose whom you want to use. And, consider pricing before signing up - boat surveys can vary by as much as a thousand dollars.