Boat Brokerage
Boat brokerage · Sydney Harbour
Boat brokers Sydney
We list her properly, present her at her best, and put her in front of buyers who are actually in the market. Brokering on this harbour since 2010 — and the same team that sells your boat also services, details and manages boats, which is why the advice you get is worth having.
BIA accreditedBrokering since 2010Fergusons Marina, Mosman
Broker vs private sale
What a boat broker actually does
Anyone can put a boat on a listing site. The work that decides the price happens either side of that.
We find the buyer who is real
A private listing brings tyre-kickers, lowballers and people who want a free harbour cruise. We qualify enquiry before it reaches your boat, so the people stepping aboard are in the market and can settle.
Much of what we sell moves through people we already know are looking — buyers on our books, past clients, and owners waiting for a particular model.
We present her so she sells
She is seen online long before she is seen in person. Professional photography, an accurate specification and a complete history do more for the final number than any amount of negotiating.
Where she needs work first, we manage that too — sales preparation, detailing, servicing and antifouling all in house.
We carry the transaction
Offers, counter-offers, survey findings, sea trials, deposits held properly, title and encumbrance checks, registration transfer and settlement. It is the part that goes wrong in private sales, and the part nobody enjoys.
Nothing gets left to chance, and you are told where it stands without having to ask.
Brokerage services
What we do for a vessel on our books
Every listing gets the same treatment, whether she is a 27-foot launch or a motor yacht.
Appraisal and pricing
What she is actually worth today, compared against real comparable sales rather than optimistic asking prices.
- Free verbal market appraisal
- Written report where you need one
- No obligation to list with us
Presentation and preparation
Detail, service, antifoul and documentation, so she goes to market ready instead of apologising for herself.
- Detail, tidy and photography
- Specs, history and documentation
- Trades coordinated by us
Listing and marketing
Professional photography and a listing written by someone who understands the boat, across the channels buyers actually use.
- Professional stills and walkthrough
- Accurate specification and inventory
- Listed where buyers are looking
Buyer qualification
Enquiry is filtered before it becomes an inspection. Your time and your boat are not a tourist attraction.
- Enquiry screened and followed up
- Inspections accompanied
- Feedback passed back to you honestly
Survey and sea trial
The point where most deals wobble. We organise it, attend it, and deal with what the surveyor finds.
- Survey and sea trial coordinated
- Findings negotiated, not panicked over
- Rectification arranged in house
Settlement and transfer
Deposits held correctly, title and encumbrance verified, registration transferred and funds settled.
- Deposits held in trust
- Title and encumbrance checks
- Registration and handover
A boat that sits gets price-chipped. A boat that is ready gets offers
How it works
From appraisal to settlement
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We look at her and price her
A free appraisal against the current market. If the number you need and the number she is worth are far apart, we will say so.
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We prepare and list her
Whatever presentation work is worth doing, then photography, specification and listing. She goes to market ready.
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We sell her and settle
Qualified inspections, offers negotiated, survey handled, paperwork correct, funds and registration transferred.
- Free appraisal, no obligation to list
- Commission and fees in writing before you commit
- Deposits held properly in trust
- One person across your sale start to finish
The honest bit
How boat broker commission works
It is the question everyone wants to ask and nobody quite does. Here is the shape of it, in full.
Commission, plus listing and marketing
Brokerage commission is a percentage of the sale price, paid at settlement. Alongside it there are listing and marketing fees, which cover getting her photographed, written up properly and put in front of buyers. Both are set out for you in writing before anything starts.
Preparation is separate again
Detailing, servicing, antifouling and survey rectification are quoted individually before any work starts. They are your costs, visible, and never bundled into a vague number.
You see the full cost before you commit
Value, complexity and how much work she needs all bear on the numbers. You get the commission rate and the listing and marketing fees for your boat at the appraisal, in writing, before you commit to anything.
What it should buy you
A higher net figure than you would have reached privately, after commission, and a transaction that actually completes. If a broker cannot make that case for your boat, do not list with them.
Want the number for your boat?
Ask at the appraisal. It is free, there is no obligation to list, and you will get the commission rate and an honest view of what she is worth in the same conversation.
On our books
Boats we sell
Australian dealer for Duchy Motor Launches, Hardy Motor Yachts and Cockwells tenders — alongside quality used vessels. See current listings and recent sales.
Before you call
Boat brokerage questions we get asked
What does a boat broker charge in commission?
Commission is a percentage of the sale price, paid at settlement, and the rate depends on the vessel’s value and complexity. There are also listing and marketing fees, which cover photography, copywriting and getting her in front of buyers. We give you both in writing at the appraisal, so you know what selling her costs before you decide.
Should I sell my boat through a broker or privately?
The honest test is whether a broker gets you a higher net figure after commission, and a sale that actually completes. On a well-presented, straightforward boat that you have time to sell yourself, private can work. On anything complex, anything valuable, or if you would rather not manage inspections and survey negotiations, a broker usually nets more. We will tell you which we think applies to your boat.
How long does it take to sell a boat?
It depends on the vessel, the price and the season. Well-presented boats priced against the market move; boats priced on hope sit and then get chipped down anyway. Presentation and pricing are the two things that shorten it, and both are within your control.
Do you hold the deposit?
Yes. Deposits are held properly and released at settlement in line with the contract. It is one of the clearer advantages over a private sale, where deposit arrangements are often improvised.
What happens if the survey finds problems?
Usually it is negotiated rather than fatal. Findings get priced, and the parties agree who fixes what or how the price moves. Because we service and antifoul boats ourselves, we can quote rectification quickly instead of waiting a fortnight for a trade to come back.
Do you sell boats outside Sydney?
Sydney Harbour, Pittwater and the Central Coast are home ground. We do take vessels further afield where it makes sense — call and describe the boat and where she is kept.
Also worth a look
Where to next
Ready when you are
Tell us the boat
Make, model, year and where she is kept. We will give you an honest view of what she is worth and what selling her involves — usually the same business day.
Davis Marine Brokerage · Fergusons Marina, 81 Parriwi Road, Mosman NSW 2088 · Mon–Sat 9–5