The purchase of a yacht, large or small, will be one of the largest commitments you make - particularly financially. As such, ensuring your money and your privacy are protected throughout the process should be paramount. As a buyer, the good news is that the services of a BRBA member broker are free, so let’s look at what you will have access to when dealing with one during your purchase?

1. Knowledge and experience

A member of a professional body will only have got to that position through years of verified experience selling boats safely and securely. In the case of the BRBA, that knowledge and experience is checked against a very stringent Code of Practice, ensuring that the advice you are given is the best there is, backed up by courses and qualifications powered by British Marine and the Association of Brokers & Yacht Agents (ABYA) in tax, law, financial security, proof of title, warranty and registration.

2. Financial security

Passing a large sum of money through an agent requires an understanding of how (and where) that money will be transferred to the vendor of the boat you are buying. BRBA members are required to conduct such transitions through a separate account of their own business. Ahead of this process, a professional yacht broker will have ensured that there are no liens on the boat - to include mortgages or loans, local marina bills, VAT/tax payments, or service work. This heavy burden is fully supported by the weight of British Marine.

3. Proof of title

Proving that a vendor is in a position to sell all of the boat he is selling is at the absolute heart of the day-to-day tasks conducted by a professional yacht broker before the boat goes on the market. Once a sale has been agreed, the broker is required to ensure that they can pass a full and clear title to you, with all the documents that support that. BRBA members will therefore deal directly with the MCA and HM Coastguard to ensure that no stone is left unturned in proving your purchase. Without those documents, you will have a challenge selling the yacht when it is your time to move on to something else, so brokers frequently turn down listings where the vendor has been unable to produce enough paperwork to support their claim that they own the boat and wish to sell it.

4. Preparation for sea

The purchase of a pre-owned boat will, most likely, require that you commission a surveyor to verify that it is fit for purpose. A professional yacht broker will help you to set up the sea trial, then advise you on the best way to deal with the findings made by your surveyor. In accordance with British Marine's Code of Practice, member brokers will offer prospective purchasers a list of at least 3 surveyors. Should you wish to take the opportunity to add any new equipment on the boat, or even conduct a refit, a BRBA member will be able to advise you and make recommendations as to what will and will not work. 

5. And all the other things

There are many aspects to ensuring a trouble-free transition into ownership. They may include berthing, finance, insurance, valeting, guardinage, crew, and delivery to your home port. BRBA members have direct access to almost 2,000 other members of British Marine, divided by sector, who can ensure that you get the best advice from the people who are qualified to deliver it.

6. But before all of that…

A professional yacht broker will be aware of the boats near him that may well be coming up for sale in the next few months, as he’ll have probably been asked to value and photograph them by the soon-to-be vendor. In many cases, that broker may well have sold the boat two or three times beforehand, so he’ll know her provenance and service history. If the broker is also a dealer for a brand, he may well be taking that pre-owned boat in part-exchange against a larger vessel. In either case, talking to a professional broker before you are really on the market will ensure you are aware of a perfect match before it appears online.