Buying a used boat, whether sail or motor, means checking its condition. This applies to the hull, engine, sails and all on-board accessories. The easiest way to do this is to ask the seller for a complete inventory, on which you can enter your comments and your estimate of the boat's condition.
To help you in this process, we've drawn up a typical inventory, which can be used on a motorboat as well as a sailboat, to try and avoid forgetting any items to describe. You are free to add to or delete items from the list.
For each case, if possible, note the date of purchase (by consulting the invoice) and its condition (good, average, to be serviced). With your pencils!
Hull
- Ballast and keel
- Rudder rudder
- Passe-coques and Vannes
Cockpit
- Front balcony
- Rear balcony
- Spinneret and candlesticks
- Rear skirt
- Boxes
Bridge
- Deck panels
- Aerators
- Mast feet
- Mooring bucket
Rigging
- Mat
- Stay cables
- Boom
- Furling systems (Genoa,GV)
Canopy
- Mainsail
- Genoa
- Other sails
- Spi
Engine
- Mounting
- Engine block
- Cooling
- Fuel
- Exhaust
- Propeller shaft
- Cable gland
- Propeller
- Alternator
- Batteries
Equipment
- Depth sounder
- Electronics
- VHF
- Driver
- Windlass
- Charging systems (solar panels, wind turbine, charger)
- Heating
- Moorings
- Fender
- Other
Security
- Bras
- Lifelines
- Lifebuoy
- Bilge pump
- Fire extinguisher
- Rockets (date)
- Liferaft (number of people, revision)
Moving in
- Kitchen
- Toilets
- Couchettes
- Vaigrages
- Floors
- Lighting
Find and download the Check-List "What to look for when buying a boat" . A sheet to print out in A5 format (half of A4, 148 x 210 mm) and keep. This way, you'll always be able to compare your visits.
