Safety tips for buyers

Buying a boat or yacht can be an exciting yet overwhelming experience. To ensure that you make your decision safely, we’ve put together a few simple steps which you can follow to protect yourself online and in person through each stage of the boat buying process. 

Step 1: Searching for boat's

• Keep an eye out for significantly undervalued boat's – if the deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. 
• If you see an ad that does not look quite right whether the photos don’t match the description or the details of the vehicle seem to be a bit suspicious, you can report it to our team for investigation. 

Step 2: Contacting the seller 

• Use the boatsales member messaging function to keep all your communication in the one place. This system will not pass on your phone number or email address. 
• Prepare some questions about the boat to ask the seller to help verify that they are genuine and that the boat is as described. 
• Do not provide the seller with your personal identification details like a copy of your license or banking information prior to seeing the vehicle in person. 

Step 3: Inspecting the boat

• Arrange to meet at a neutral location like a police station car park or service station forecourt and try to take someone with you. 
• Before you test drive the boat, make sure the seller’s insurance covers you for test drives. 
• Be wary of sellers asking for a deposit at this stage. If you do choose to put a deposit down, make sure you get a receipt stamped with the date and time. 

Step 4: Making an offer 

• Before making an offer, make sure you know your limits when negotiating. What are you willing to pay? 
• Do your research and know the value of the boat before making a deal. 
• Find out the legal status of the boat before making an offer. Purchasing a PPSR report  will give you peace-of-mind as you can quickly determine if the boat has ever been recorded as stolen, written off, has any finance owing on it.
• Check that the seller has the appropriate seaworthy certification for the vehicle (if applicable in your state or territory). 

Step 5: Paying the seller 

• Use a method of payment that provides you with proof of purchase like a receipt or email confirmation directly from the provider. 
• Ask for a signed receipt with the date and time to confirm payment. 
• Never send cash in the mail. 
• Check our security updates regularly for important information. 

Step 6: Get the boat insured 

• Make sure you have your new boat insured from when you pick it up so you are covered for the drive home. 

Related articles: 

I’ve purchased the boat, now what?
What do I do if a seller seems suspicious?