How to read a yacht listing

A listing is a sales document. Read the figures that can be checked, discount the adjectives, and note what the listing leaves out.

Updated 24 Oct 2026 2 min read

Key points

Check the numbers: year, LOA, engine hours, VAT status, location, flag.
Read what is missing as closely as what is written.
Ask for the papers behind every claim of refit, survey or service.

The figures first

Year and model. Check the model year against the build year. Some builders change models mid-year.
LOA, beam, draft. Check them against the berth you have in mind. See How to read a yacht specification sheet: LOA, beam, draft, displacement, tankage, CE category.
Price and what it includes. Is VAT included, excluded or not applicable? Is the tender, the electronics, the canvas included?
Engine make, power and hours. See Engine hours, and whether they can be trusted.
VAT status. If the listing says nothing, ask. See What does VAT paid mean on a yacht?.
Location. Boat in a port, a yard, or on the hard?

The adjectives

Words like "immaculate", "lovingly maintained" and "recent refit" carry no information. Ask what was done, when, who did it, and for the invoice. A "new engine" can mean a new engine or a rebuilt one.

The photos

Look for the engine room, the bilges and the lockers. A listing that shows only the saloon hides the parts that cost money.
Check that the photos show the same boat throughout: same cushions, same helm, same electronics.
Look at the age of the pictures. Photos taken in the first year of a 12-year-old boat show a different boat.

Missing information

A good listing gives the year, hours, VAT status, flag, location and last survey. A listing without them may have been written in a hurry, or may be hiding a fact. Ask.

Price on application

Some listings show no price. The broker will quote it on request. Ask for the price, the VAT treatment and the date on which it was set.

Listings that copy each other

The same brochure text on three listings usually means the text came from the builder. Treat it as marketing, not as the owner's description.

Next step

Run the red-flag check in 10 red flags in a used yacht listing, then put your questions to the seller. See Questions to ask before travelling to view a yacht.

Also useful at step 4 10 red flags in a used yacht listing

General information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules change; check your own case with a professional or ask us.