You've taken the photos. You've answered the Marketplace messages. Someone actually turned up when they said they would, looked over the boat and offered a price you can live with. Excellent. You may have successfully done the part of the transaction that keeps many owners from trying a private sale in the first place.
But agreeing on a price isn't the same as finishing a boat sale. There is still a deposit, an inspection if the buyer wants one, proof of ownership, any outstanding loan, the actual money, and the transfer of possession. None of it is especially glamorous. All of it matters.
The deposit deserves more than a handshake
Consider a buyer offering $150,000 and proposing a $5,000 deposit. Who holds it? When is it refundable? What happens if a survey uncovers something unpleasant? If the buyer takes another week to decide, do you keep the boat off the market?
Write the terms down before you accept the deposit. Dates and responsibilities are more useful than the phrase “we'll work it out.” That phrase is a perfectly good way to choose a restaurant. It is a less impressive way to handle five figures.
A sea trial isn't always the end of the discussion
A marine survey or sea trial can prompt acceptance, renegotiation, repairs, or a permitted withdrawal. The purchase agreement should set the timeline and explain what happens to the deposit in each case. Agree on who pays the surveyor and haul-out. It helps to know the answers before the survey boat leaves the dock.
Check the paperwork while there's still time
A title that is “around here somewhere” is not ready for closing. Neither is an outstanding boat loan with no payoff plan. Some vessels are state-titled, some are federally documented, and trailers can have separate titles. The buyer's lender or insurer might have additional requirements. Gather the ownership records and identify the correct transfer route early.
The bank transfer is where improvisation gets expensive
Never hand over keys or signed ownership documents based solely on a screenshot that says a payment was sent. Verify final funds through your own bank or the agreed, independently verified closing arrangement. Treat any last-minute change in wire instructions as a reason to stop and check with a trusted number.
There's a middle ground between doing everything and hiring a full-service broker
If you've already found the buyer, a service like BoatClose may be worth exploring. BoatClose is designed to manage an agreed transaction through identity checks, deposit, documents, survey stages, completion, and the agreed release of funds. It isn't a listing service or a substitute for a marine surveyor, attorney or bank. It is a way to avoid personally coordinating every last step.
The private boat seller's field guide
We've put together a free 17-page guide that starts with pricing and advertising, then walks through deposits, inspections, paperwork and the closing. It finishes with a printable worksheet. Email required to unlock; phone optional.
Includes a printable closing worksheet.
For a private seller, the goal is straightforward: find the right buyer, be clear about the deal, receive the money safely, and send the boat to its next owner without leaving a problem in your wake.