Service history: what a seller should provide

A serious seller keeps invoices, logbooks and survey reports. They show the real hours, the real work and the real cost of owning this boat.

Updated 24 Oct 2026 2 min read

Key points

Ask for engine service invoices, haul-out and antifouling receipts, and any survey reports.
Check the dates and hours against each other.
No papers means a lower price, or a longer survey.

What a seller should provide

Engine and generator service invoices, with date and engine hours at each service.
Haul-out and antifouling records, with the date and the products used.
Survey reports for the last 10 years, if any, and the work done after them.
Rigging and sail records: the date of the last rig inspection, new shrouds, sail repairs.
Electronics and systems: receipts for new batteries, chargers, pumps, the sail-drive diaphragm if fitted.
The logbook, if one is kept, and the engine hour record.
The manuals, including the engine and generator manuals.

Service intervals to compare against

Engine makers publish intervals in their manuals, usually by hours and by calendar. Compare the actual service dates with the manual. For a sail-drive, manufacturers commonly ask for the rubber diaphragm to be replaced about every 7 years. See Propulsion and fuel: outboard, inboard, sterndrive, IPS, sail-drive, and diesel vs petrol. For standing rigging, ask the surveyor for the interval that suits the rig. See Standing rigging and spars: when replacement is due.

Read the pattern

Regular services at regular dates tell you the owner cared.
Gaps of several years show the boat sat, or the owner skipped work.
Many small repairs in one area point to a recurring fault.
Invoices from the same yard over many years suggest a continuous relationship, and that yard can answer questions.

If the papers are missing

Ask the seller to contact the yard or the engine dealer for copies. A dealer can read the engine's electronic record for hours. If nothing exists, assume the work was not done: budget for a full service and a longer survey, and price the boat accordingly. See Post-survey renegotiation: reduce, repair or walk away.

Ask for the papers early

Request them with your first questions. See Questions to ask before travelling to view a yacht. A seller who answers quickly with a folder in order is giving you information about the boat.

Also useful at step 4 Engine hours, and whether they can be trusted

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