Boat Ownership Transfer
Transfer your complete boat history to a new owner when selling your vessel - a powerful feature that adds value to your sale.
When you sell your boat, the new owner will want to know its complete history. VesselVault's Boat Transfer feature lets you securely transfer all your boat's data to the new owner, giving them instant access to maintenance records, Captain's Log entries, inventory, and more.
Added Value for Your Sale
A complete maintenance history significantly increases buyer confidence and can help justify your asking price. Many boat buyers specifically look for vessels with documented service records.
The new owner receives complete access to all your boat's VesselVault data:
- Complete maintenance history
- All scheduled maintenance tasks
- Captain's Log sailing journal
- Wilf's Locker inventory
- All uploaded documents
- Complete boat specifications
Step-by-Step Process:
Navigate to Your Boat
Go to Dashboard → My Boats and click on the boat you're selling to view its details page.
Click "Transfer Ownership"
You'll find this button near the top of the boat detail page, next to "Edit" and "List for Sale" buttons. Only boat owners can see this button.
Review Your Documents
The transfer page shows all documents you've uploaded. Remove any personal items like:
- Passports or ID copies
- Personal contracts or insurance documents
- Bank statements or financial records
Keep receipts, warranties, and service records - these add value to the sale!
Enter Buyer Information
Provide the buyer's email address and optionally add a personal message. The buyer doesn't need to have a VesselVault account yet - they can create one when accepting the transfer.
Choose Archive Option
Decide if you want to keep a read-only archived copy of the boat for your records. This is recommended for your maintenance history documentation.
Send Transfer Invitation
Click "Send Transfer Invitation" and the buyer will receive an email with a secure link. The invitation is valid for 30 days.
When you send a transfer invitation, here's what the buyer experiences:
- Email Notification: They receive an email with a secure transfer link
- Account Check: If they don't have a VesselVault account, they can create one (it's free!)
- Transfer Preview: They see the boat details, your message, and what's included
- Accept Transfer: One click to accept and the boat becomes theirs with full history
- Immediate Access: They can start using VesselVault for their new boat right away
Before You Transfer:
You Will Lose Access
Once the buyer accepts the transfer, you will no longer have access to this boat in VesselVault (unless you kept an archived copy).
30-Day Expiry
Transfer invitations expire after 30 days. If the buyer doesn't accept in time, you can send a new invitation.
Owner-Only Feature
Only boat owners can transfer ownership. Engineers and viewers cannot initiate transfers.
Cannot Be Undone
Once accepted, the transfer is permanent. Make sure you're transferring to the right person!
We recommend keeping an archived copy when transferring your boat. Here's why:
Benefits
- Maintain proof of maintenance for warranty claims
- Documentation for insurance or legal purposes
- Reference for your next boat purchase
- Personal sailing memories and Captain's Log entries
What You Get
- Read-only access to all boat data
- Marked as "(Sold [date])" in your boat list
- Export to PDF anytime
- No ongoing fees or subscription
- Complete Your Records First: Make sure all maintenance is logged and documents are uploaded before transferring
- Clean Up Documents: Remove personal items but keep service receipts, warranties, and equipment manuals
- Update Final Details: Record the final engine hours, location, and any last maintenance performed
- Include a Message: A personal note to the buyer helps build trust and provides context
- Keep Your Archive: This documentation may be valuable for tax, legal, or insurance purposes
- Verify Email Address: Double-check the buyer's email to avoid sending to the wrong person