Identity and authority to sell
Record manufacturer, model, build number, registration and other identifiers exactly as they appear on the boat and in its documents. Any discrepancy must be explained before money changes hands.
Verify who is selling and on what basis that person or organisation may dispose of the boat. Ownership evidence, powers of attorney, registers and contract parties must align; obtain legal advice where uncertainty remains.
Describe the actual boat
A model name says little about an individual example. Put the build year, engine, rig, keel, layout, equipment, known damage and promised repairs in writing. Photographs support but do not replace clear contract wording.
Identify movable equipment included in the sale and anything expressly excluded, covering safety gear, electronics, tender, tools, spares and personal belongings.
Payment and conditions
Payment stages should correspond to traceable conditions such as an independent survey, sea trial, document review or transfer free from encumbrances. Avoid ambiguous wording for material conditions.
MyBoatDesk is not legal advice and does not hold client money. The purchase file structures questions, evidence and agreed steps so professional advice can start from a complete record.
Treat handover as a separate event
Use a handover list for keys, documents, manuals, equipment, meter readings, tank levels and open work. Record the date, place, participants and visible deviations from the agreed condition.
After confirmation, the purchase file can prefill a boat record. Verify imported details on board before relying on them for maintenance, documents and future history.
Connect contract, inspection and payment in time
Before signing, define which questions remain open and what follows from an adverse inspection. A survey condition needs scope, deadline and a clear treatment of material findings. Payment, transfer of title, physical handover and transfer of risk are separate events and should not be collapsed accidentally into one ambiguous phrase.
Use a contract basis suitable for the country and transaction and obtain legal advice for uncertainty. This guide provides an organisational workflow, not individual clauses or a conclusion about which law applies.
Use handover as a control point
At handover compare identity, keys, originals, known damage, promised work and current meter readings as well as the inventory. Photograph discrepancies in context and record whether each was resolved, reserved or accepted.
Only after that check should purchase-file data prefill the owner’s boat record. Seller statements retain their source; owner checks, later workshop findings and corrections extend history without rewriting what was known at the time.
General information, not a survey or legal, tax or financial advice.
Primary sources and context
These sources support the general framework. The actual boat also requires its manufacturer documents, local rules and competent assessment.
- Directive 2013/53/EU on recreational craftEUR-Lex
Official source for the European product and documentation framework; not contract advice.