When a buyer gets serious about a boat, the questions change from "how fast does it go" to "what has been done to it." A seller who can answer with paperwork has an easier conversation. Here is what to gather before you list.
The records that come up on almost every sale
- Engine and drive service: oil changes, impellers, belts, filters, with engine hours at each one
- Bottom work: haul-outs, bottom paint, zincs and running gear
- Major repairs or replacements: risers and manifolds, outdrives, pumps, electrical work
- Upgrades: electronics, canvas, upholstery, new batteries
- Survey reports, and what was done about their findings
- Title, registration and documentation
Why dated receipts matter more than a summary
A one-page summary written by the seller is helpful, but buyers and surveyors trust invoices with dates, shop names and part numbers. If you only have a summary, ask your yard or mechanic for copies of past invoices. Most shops can reprint them.
Put it in order before you list
- Gather every receipt you can find: email, the glovebox, the yard’s office.
- Sort them by date and by system.
- Note the engine hours at each service.
- Fill the gaps you can by calling the shops that did the work.
- Keep it in one place you can share with a link or print.
How BoatRealm helps
Upload a stack of receipts, even a long PDF with a whole season of invoices, and BoatRealm reads each one into a dated entry with the receipt attached. When you sell, share a read-only Hull Record link with the buyer or broker, print a records PDF for the surveyor, or list the boat for sale on BoatRealm for free with the history attached. The records stay tied to the hull number, so the next owner keeps building on them.