Frequently Asked Questions

Our vessels have roughly 500 hrs on the engines for each year they are in charter.

Our boats are registered according to the owner’s nationality, typically under the French, British, or American flag, or under the Croatian or Greek flag for boats owned by us. Upon sale, we will request deregistration from the current flag so that you can register your boat with your local maritime authorities.

US/Caribbean: We don’t charge any taxes on the vessels that are located in the Caribbean unless you are a Florida Resident, and you plan to bring the boat back to Florida.

Europe/Med: Our boats are generally listed tax-free. Depending on the buyer’s location and nationality, we may need to collect a tax. For example, a European buyer purchasing a boat in Greece, Croatia, etc., is liable for local VAT. A tax-free purchase is possible in the case of export. Some European owners have already paid the VAT, in which case the price is listed as “Tax Paid.”

US/Caribbean: For water delivery from Tortola, BVI to Ft Lauderdale a captain normally charges around $500+/day, plus air fare, provisions, and $200+/day for each extra crew member needed for the delivery. These deliveries normally take 7-10 days depending on the weather.

Europe/Med: Our boats are delivered to their rental base. We can put you in touch with boat transport companies; in 2026, expect to pay approximately 400 EUR per day of sailing or 4 EUR per nautical mile, plus airfare and provisions.

US/Caribbean: If the vessel is due for its yearly out of water maintenance a bottom job will be included with the sale.

Europe/Med: The antifouling is less than a year old and can be redone if necessary when you take the boat out of the water for the inspection (recommended).

This is not easily answered as every boat is a little different, and not black and white.  It is best to speak with one our brokers to fully explain the process to you.

We don’t offer any financing, however, your broker can provide you with a list of finance companies to choose from.

This depends on where the boat was built.  All the Jeanneau sailboats were built in France, and the Robertson & Caine Leopard Catamarans were built in South Africa so Duty will need to be paid by the Buyer if brought back to the US.  The majority of the Beneteau Sailboats 40’ and under that we list in the Caribbean were built in Marion, South Carolina so Duty is not due on these.  However, all the Beneteau Sailboats over 40’ will have to have duty paid when brought back to the US.

Yes, if you are a European resident and the purchase was made outside of Europe, you must import the boat and pay VAT to the customs authorities of the first country of entry. If the purchase was made in Europe, the seller collects the VAT and remits it directly to the tax authorities.

We have Listing/Support Brokers who handle all of the Listings for the fleet, and then we have Selling brokers (or Buyer’s Broker) who work specifically for the Buyer so there is no confusion.

Our brokers adhere to the ethical guidelines of major brokerage associations (IYBA, YBAA, FYBA, BRBA, etc.) and use contracts reviewed by lawyers to ensure the rights and interests of all parties—both buyers and sellers—are protected.

No warranty is offered for the purchase of a used boat, which is why we strongly recommend a professional inspection.

US/Caribbean: Our typical timeline from initial offer to handover is between 8-12 weeks due to the phase out process that takes roughly 6-8 weeks.  However, it’s best to speak with one of our brokers to get a better idea of the current workload which will affect the phase out timeline one way or another.

Europe/Med: The sale itself can be completed in a few weeks. However, the longest part of the process is the deregistration of the flag, which, depending on the authorities, can take up to 5 months after the sale is finalized. It’s best to discuss this with your broker to get an estimate.

The majority of our listings are scattered throughout our Caribbean bases, but ask your licensed Moorings broker to see what is available in the US.

Some boats might have a prior survey that is available to be shown to a potential Buyer. Ask your Moorings Broker.

Boat insurance typically costs 1% of the value of the vessel per year.

US/Caribbean: We always have some boats that can be sold back into the fleet by a Moorings Broker.  Please inquire within to see the different options currently available.

Med: Our boats are generally sold at the end of the management period, and there is no option to extend. If you wish to resell it after a period of private use, we can offer our brokerage services.

US/Caribbean: A doc agent will charge you around $500 to register your vessel.

Med: Expect to pay around 500 EUR for an agent to handle the registration formalities, and 500 to 1,000 EUR if an import declaration is required

The escrow deposit is 10% of the initial offer.

US/Caribbean: This varies from one boatyard to the next, but you can expect to pay between $7-13/foot for the short haul during survey.

Europe/Med: This varies from one shipyard to another, but you can expect to pay between €500 and €2,000 (catamaran) for an inspection, plus additional fees if you wish to keep the boat in dry dock for a few days.

US/Caribbean: The surveyors in the Caribbean charge roughly $25/foot.

Europe/Med: European surveyors charge between €1,000 and €2,000.

Your Moorings Broker can check to see if there were any insurance claims on the vessel while it was in the fleet.

In Tortola the life rafts are not sold with the boats. At all the other locations if there was a life raft on the vessel when it surveys it will stay on the vessel for the closing. However, we will not service the life raft if it is needed. Its compliance with your future flag is not guaranteed.

We don’t include a dinghy/outboard with the sale of the charter vessels.  However, some crewed charter vessels will include a dinghy with the sale, but we cannot guarantee that you will have the necessary paperwork to register the dinghy.

Your broker can check with the base that you are purchasing the boat from to see if there is an option to purchase a used dinghy from the base. The cost is negotiated on site, and is a separate transaction.

The listed price for each boat is set by its owner and therefore varies depending on whether they want to sell quickly or get the best price!

All of our charter boats go through both pre and post charter checks, plus quarterly and yearly maintenance schedules. Then they are put through a meticulous phase out at the end of the program where you can purchase an ex charter boat for fifty cents on the dollar.

Our charter boats are very recent models and well-equipped. We spend a lot of time and money maintaining them carefully to avoid problems during charters. And keep in mind that the main cause of wear and tear on a boat is not sailing!

Absolutely, before you do so be sure to speak with your Moorings Broker to make sure the boats that you want to view are available for a showing, and not out on charter or tucked away in our Hurricane Hole.

If the vessel is still an active charter vessel you can book a charter (visit www.moorings.com or www.sunsail.com). Notify your broker to ensure that the boat assigned to you is indeed the one you wish to purchase.

Moorings operates on different business model to other charter companies, and performs scheduled maintenance that isn’t charged back to customer so maintenance logs are not typically available.

US/Caribbean: In charter the service life ranges from 2-3 years on average.

Europe/Med: The lifespan varies between 3 and 5 years (or even longer for battened mainsails), and we aim to present sails at 50% wear at the end of the management period.

US/Caribbean: Your broker can provide you a list of private contractors for your desired work list.  However, no outside contractors are allowed to work on the vessel until we close.

Europe/Med: Depending on the availability of our technical teams, we can offer this service in the Mediterranean. Please make the request through your Moorings broker.

We are not in the business to recommend a surveyor, however, your broker can provide you with a current list of surveyors where you intend to purchase.

Your Moorings Broker can let you know which boats are company owned assets, or privately owned.

Your Moorings Broker can run the current comps for the model you are purchasing which will give you an idea of the pace and price they sell.

US/Caribbean: All the inventory that was on the vessel at the time of survey will remain with the vessel.

Europe/Med: Generally, for boats in Europe, all charter inventory remains on board except for the tender and bedding (2 sets remain on board for the delivery crew).