There comes a time in every boat owner's life that their vessel is ready for a new home.  It can be the best of times and it can be the worst of times.  Here are a few tips for prepping your vessel for sale.  You'd be surprised how often most of these are forgotten.

• Change your fluids.  Most mechanics recommend an oil change frequency of every 100 hours or once a year, whichever comes first.  Oil samples done on motors with more than 100 hours or less than 10 hours likely won't be useful for the buyers.  So, change your oil and fluids, then run the boat around for 10 hours so that when/if the mechanical surveyor pulls them, they glean useful info about the internals of the vessel.

• Take the boat out!  If it's overheating get the cooling system checked and renewed if necessary!  See Ace Radiator (619.223.8811) or Barnacle Flush and/or your trusted marine mechanic.

• Gather your maintenance records and other useful documents and place on the vessel.  Ideally, scan the pages with your phone and email them to your broker

• Clean your bilge and lay down oil absorbent pads.

• Clean the topsides.  Buff and polish the exterior, oil old teak.

• Take the vessel for a test drive after any engine work.  There's no better way to kill a sale than a motor that doesn't perform properly on a sea trial.

But, before you do any of these things, CALL ME!!  Let me get my eyes on your boat and I'll give you an idea of what should or shouldn't be done to prep the vessel for sale.  And, if I don't have a any good suggestions, my wife certainly will.