SeaMemo
Charter boat handover: the complete checklist
At the handover of a charter yacht you check hull, deck, rigging, sails, engine, safety gear and papers in about an hour. Have every existing defect written down and photograph it. That protects your deposit at check out. The complete list with 16 areas is below.
How the handover works
- Papers first: check ship's papers, insurance, radio licence and inventory list, and have the deposit amount confirmed.
- Briefing by the base: engine, electrics, windlass, gas, toilets. Ask if anything is unclear.
- Your own round: with the list below, once outside, once inside. Photograph every existing defect.
- Have defects recorded: everything that isn't right goes into the charter company's report.
- Sign only once all defects are recorded.
Tip: also record a two to three minute video: once round the boat, engine room, interior. With sound on you can comment on what you notice.
The checklist: 16 areas
1. Hull
Bow, stern, port and starboard sides, waterline, transom, bathing platform, rudder blade, cracks and repairs in the gelcoat.
2. Deck and superstructure
Non slip surface, sprayhood, bimini, hatch covers, acrylic hatches, coaming, cockpit seals.
3. Fittings and rigging
Winches, genoa track and cars, cleats, traveller, mast foot, spreaders, shroud and stay turnbuckles, backstay, furling drum.
While checking fittings and rigging, look at the lines too: enough mooring lines on board, figure eights on the ends of the sheets, cleats firmly fixed. The knots you should know for this are in our guide to sailing knots.
4. Sails
Have main and headsail set or unrolled: clew, head, tack, batten pockets, reef points and seams.
5. Engine room
Oil level, coolant, V belt, shaft seal or saildrive gaiter, exhaust, bilge under the engine, raw water strainer.
6. Bilge and pumps
Main bilge dry and clean? Test electric and manual bilge pumps.
7. Seacocks
Check every seacock opens and closes, look for corrosion and verdigris. Hose clamps are a classic weak point.
8. Electrics and electronics
Switch panel, battery monitor, plotter, wind, log and depth, AIS, VHF with DSC, autopilot, navigation lights, anchor light.
9. Anchor and chain
Windlass, chain markings, swivel and shackle, bow roller, bow fitting. Ask how much chain there is. How to use them well in a bay is covered in our guide to anchoring a boat.
10. Safety equipment
Life raft service date, fire extinguisher inspection date, distress flares, life jackets with CO2 cartridge, harnesses, first aid kit.
11. Galley and gas
Cooker, gas bottle and connection, date on the gas hose, gas shut off valve, fridge.
12. Plumbing
Toilets, hoses and leaks, holding tank, water pressure, hot water.
13. Interior
Cushions, wood panelling, floorboards, companionway, window seals.
14. Tank levels
Diesel and water. Note the levels, since you are often asked to return the boat full.
15. Dinghy and outboard
Tubes, floor, oars, pump, outboard and serial number, tank, kill cord.
16. Ship's papers and documents
Registration papers, radio licence, insurance, logbook, inventory list.
Many scratches on the hull happen while docking. How to moor stern-to on a lazy line or anchor and come alongside is in our guide to docking a boat.
Typical disputes at check out
- Gelcoat scratches on bow and stern, especially after mooring
- Tears in sprayhood or bimini
- Damage to dinghy and outboard
- Rudder and propeller, which you can hardly see without diving
- Missing inventory: fenders, mooring lines, winch handle, crockery
All of this is easy to settle if it was documented at handover with photo and signature, and hard if it wasn't.
The list as an app, with signature
Exactly these 16 areas with all their items are built into SeaMemo's charter check. You tick off what is fine, attach photos and comments to defects and at the end both you and the charter company's representative sign on your phone. The result is a handover report as a PDF. For provisions and your packing list there are checklists, and for the first night in a bay the anchor alarm.
What belongs in your bag for a week of charter, from documents to shoes, is in the guide sailing packing list.
Get SeaMemo for free
Logbook, travel journal and crew in one app. For iPhone and Android, works offline at sea.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a boat handover take?
Allow 45 to 90 minutes, depending on the size of the yacht and how thorough the base briefing is. Don't plan it right before casting off; leave a buffer.
What if I find a defect?
Have it entered in the charter company's handover report, photograph it and clarify whether it will be fixed before departure. Safety relevant defects, for example on the life raft, gas or rigging, should be fixed before you leave.
Should I check underwater too?
If possible, yes: rudder, propeller and keel are common points of dispute. A look with a mask from the bathing platform is often enough for an impression.
Do I need an app for the report?
No, paper and your phone camera will do. An app such as SeaMemo structures the check, attaches photos to the right item and creates a PDF signed by both sides.