No matter how you feel about selling your boat, the process will go easier if you have kept a detailed maintenance log extending all the way back to when you bought it.
The reason this will ease the process is because the prospective buyer will feel much happier and more confident about the condition of your boat if he or she can see that diligent attention has been paid to maintenance.
Along that same line, when you buy a used boat, you will want to be able to check over the maintenance log to make sure everything has been done to keep the vessel in satisfactory working order. So, a good maintenance log is a big deal, whether you’re selling or buying a boat.
As an owner, a maintenance log is a great aid in caring for your boat. Noting the dates of regularly scheduled maintenance items, such as filter changes, and oil and other fluid changes, makes it easier to care for your boat, its engines and its systems.
The longer you keep a log, the more patterns of wear—based on your individual use—will begin to appear. So, you’ll know to replace the battery or cable before either leaves you stranded. Track your fuel purchases and engine hours too because fuel quantity burned versus hours is a good barometer of engine health.
It’s also helpful to keep track of part numbers, like spark plugs, filters, O-rings, the ignition-key number, etc. Also note fuse and breaker types, and the amperage ratings for all your devices. Note the bulb type and amperage for all lights. Doing so makes it easy to buy replacements. Reserve two or three pages at the back of your notebook as a repository for this info.
For the full story, see: https://www.boatingmag.com/story/how-to/reasons-to-keep-a-boat-maintenance-log/
– Rich Johnson
