9 Ways on How to Increase the Value of Your Boat

In one of our previous articles we looked at How to Price Your Boat for Sale, a factor that will of course depend on the condition of your boat and what features it offers buyers relative to the competition. A related question is, how do you increase the value of your boat? Let’s take a look at eight creative ways you can bolster your boat’s value, whether it’s a sailboat, motorboat, fishing boat or speedboat—even if you don’t plan to sell it right away. 

1. Perform Regular Maintenance

This is perhaps the most important way to maintain the value of your boat. A vessel left to the elements and not maintained will deteriorate quickly and lose value just as fast. While a normal maintenance schedule might already be something you have in place, be sure it includes simple but vital tasks such as washing the boat regularly to remove salt water and barnacles, as well as to prevent rust. You’ll want to change the engine oil and inspect the propeller regularly too. Otherwise, you should be keeping a look-out for any signs of damage or deterioration and act upon them before they get worse. 

This is the most important part of maintaining value in your boat. A vessel left to the elements and not maintained will deteriorate quickly and do the opposite of increase value. While a normal maintenance schedule might already be something you have in place, be sure it includes simple but vital tasks such as washing the boat regularly to remove salt water and barnacles, as well as to prevent rust. You’ll want to change the boat’s oil and inspect the propeller regularly too. Otherwise, you should be keeping a look-out for any signs of damage or deterioration and acting upon those before they get worse. 

A vessel left to the elements and not maintained will deteriorate quickly and lose value just as fast.

2. Install New Electronics 

Our ever-growing love of technology doesn’t stop at boats, and by installing some up-to-date gadgets you can give your boat a modern make-over and enjoy the benefits until you do sell the boat. Media control centers are gaining popularity and allow you to work all technology from one central point. Combine this with quality speakers (or even some wakeboard/water skiing speakers on a watersports boat) and you’ll be turning up the tunes out at sea. While many love their boat for the ability to escape land life for a while, others will be delighted by the option of onboard WiFi. With technologies improving all the time, you can have good speed internet along the coastal (and even in bluewater) to run apps such as weather reports and navigation, as well as those all-important Instagram shots. 

Other than entertainment technology, think about investing in electronics such as a charter plotter, marine GPS system and fish finder. Modern electronics will not only make your boating life easier and safer, you may become a much more successful fisherman. In the process you will add value to your boat when it comes time to sell it.  

3. Upgrade the Interior 

A swish-looking interior will instantly add value to your boat and give you a comfortable and welcoming place to spend your time. Check out our blog on restoration tips and advice for ideas on how to upgrade fabrics and saloon cushions, update the portholes or windows, or replace interior vinyl or carpets. Adding to your galley, if your boat has one, can also impress potential buyers when it comes time to sell, with new appliances and worktops creating a fresh and well-looked-after vibe. 

4. Improve the Lighting

Lighting can create an upmarket atmosphere on your boat, whether you add hull lights to illuminate the water after dark—a popular feature on luxury superyachts—or more commonly inside the boat. Consider adding them to the cockpit or in the saloon for a cool and stylish look. And, as LED lights are relatively cheap to buy and install—and energy efficient—and can be both an enjoyable and valuable addition to your boat. They come in a white color as well as the new-to-the-market blue hues for a truly contemporary look. Imagine taking the perfect boat-selling video with your boat interior glowing invitingly at prospective buyers. 

Lighting can create an upmarket atmosphere on your boat, whether you add hull lights to illuminate the water after dark or more commonly inside the boat.

5. Bring a Head Aboard

We all have to go—and for many buyers and boat owners, not to mention their family and friends—where to find relief for the crew a full day out at sea is a key consideration. If your boat is a small day cruiser and doesn’t have a head (marine toilet), consider installing even the simplest portable model to add value to your boat. You don’t need a lot of space to create a small area of privacy; a small cuddy or even some modesty curtains hung in a corner will allow you to install a portable camping-style toilet for you and your guests to use during the day. This is very cheap, but popular addition that could be a small but pivotal factor in a sale, and you don’t have to worry about complicated plumbing, you simply empty the cartridge back at port. 

6. Invest in Fresh Boat Canvas

Nothing screams tired and unloved more than ragged boat canvas, and by investing in shiny new canvas, you will be making a big cosmetic impact on your boat. With wear and tear, you will find that you need new canvas every five years, although with care and repairs it might last longer if you’re not planning to sell immediately. But when selling your boat, a brand-new one is a worthwhile investment and tells buyers the boat is well-kept, clean and tidy. 

When choosing canvas, consider how it will look (choose a color to match the interior fabrics, for example), as well as its functionality, such as canvas with zipper windows or a higher section at the helm. There are many designs to choose from, so use this opportunity to really make a statement. 

7. Update Your Equipment List 

Prospective buyers appreciate a long list of additional equipment if it’s in good condition, so consider updating your supplies with updated versions. We’ve mentioned electronics above, but it’s also worth investing in everything from life jackets to ropes and lines and flares. All of it will make a buyer feel they are getting an excellent deal and ultimately add value to your boat. 

Prospective buyers appreciate a long list of additional equipment if it’s in good condition, so consider updating your supplies with updated versions.

8. Tidy Your Electrical System

This is a worthy exercise even if you have no intention of selling your boat, as well-maintained, organized wiring is safer for you as well as just being so satisfying. Give your boat an overhaul (it’s best to get a marine electrician in to do it) and replace old, tired wiring, route it properly with tubing and clips, and you can even use a shrink-wrapped connector over permanent connections to prevent water ingress. Once it’s all labeled, you’ll be gazing in satisfaction at your new streamlined wiring…and so will prospective buyers. 

9. Keep it Pristine

While this might sound like an obvious point, keeping your boat clean and tidy all year round does more than make it simply look good. In doing so, you will spot any small scratches or areas of mold or damage and act on them fast. This will save you money in the long term as you nip problems in the bud before they grow into big and expensive problems, and your boat will always look in its best shape. It’s all too common that boat owners don’t put the time and effort into the upkeep of their boat and then when it comes time to sell it they have a whole host of issues to handle or must drop the price to account for them. Put the elbow grease in now, fix those little issues, and you’ll get to enjoy your boat looking its best while also keeping the value up for when it comes time to sell.

This article was published in March 2021 and upfated in December 2023.