Everybody wants to get top dollar for their wakeboat right? Well, it starts with having great photos and video. We’ll go over getting your boat ready for photos, what to take photos and videos of, as well as some editing tips. If you follow our tips, you’ll be able to take awesome photos and videos that will make your wakeboat stand out in a crowded marketplace and attract buyers.
Photography tips for selling your boat
Remove all gear and personal belongings- this is the first step getting ready to photograph your boat.
Detailing – You want to start off with a clean and tidy boat so it’s looking its best. I highly recommend a professional detail or a thorough diy cleaning inside and out.Location – Ideally you want to take your boat to a wide open parking lot without background distraction. I find church parking lots work well. The ideal photo spot will allow you to take photos of your boat from all angles easily. You might have to move the boat around a bit depending on the light direction in order to get optimal photos from different angles.
Time of day to shoot – For best results take the photos around sunrise or sunset. These times are known as the “golden hours” because the light is soft to make your boat look its best. It’s hard to get good photos in the middle of the day when the sun is bright and harsh, but sometimes that is unavoidable. Shooting on a cloudy day is another solution, so check your weather forecast to pick an ideal day.
Number of photos take of your boat- There’s no such thing as too many photos of your boat, you want to take as many as you can to tell the story of the boat. I would suggest using a free google drive album to host your photos to send to prospective buyers. Quite often I seen too few of photos, and many are of poor quality.
How to take photos of the exterior of your boat
Below are key items and photo angles needed to present your boat correctly.
- Starboard and port side capture the entire boat from afar
- ¾ shot starboard and port side
- Bow
- Transom
- Front of hull bottom
- Windshield
- Swim platform
- Close up photos of any imperfections
- Well lit and close up gel coat to bring out true colors and metal flake if optioned.
Tower Shots
- Mounting points to hull to show it’s free of gel coat cracks, which is common
- Racks
- Speakers
- Bimini Top if equipped
Underwater running gear
You want to get on the ground to get good photos of under the boat to show the condition or any impefections
- Propeller
- Rudder
- Tracking fins
- Surf System
- Surf Pipe
Example of hull damage to show
Photos to take of the boat interior
- Captain’s chair
- Steering wheel head on – showing screen and/or gauges
- Close up of touch screens on, when applicable
- Dash Area/Throttle
- Close up of touch screens on, when applicable
- Photo of hour meter with hours
- Wide angle of interior to capture the layout
- Take multiple shots of interior from different seating locations
- Close ups of any imperfections
- Capture the flooring/carpet
- Bow Area Seating
- Close ups of any rips, tears, or imperfections
Storage Areas
- Take photos of rear lockers
- Show storage under seats
- Show Bow storage
- Sundeck and Engine Cover photos
- Any additional storage
Electronics
- Stereo head unit and control
- Stereo amps
- Interior speakers|
- Amps
- Any additional upgrades or add ons..
Engine Compartment
- Take multiple photos of engine
- Take photos of bilge area to show it’s clean and free of oil/fluid leaks.
How to take photos of your boat’s surf wave
The wave size, shape, and quality is very important to highlight when selling a surf boat so you want to get multiple shots of the wave.
- Photos of left and right side surf wave with no surfer and a photo taken from seating level
- Photos of left and right side surf wave with adult surfer and a photo taken from seating level
Tips
- Shoot photos from seating level
- Use photos of adults surfing (not children) so buyers can get a size perspective
- Avoid wide angle and really low shots to skew wave size
Needed photos of your boat’s trailer if equipped
- Take photos of all sides of trailer
- Get close ups of wheels and tires
- Take a photo of the coupler
- Winch
- Bunks (if boat in water)
- Trailer lights functioning
- Any damage or imperfections.
Bonus Shots
- Drone photos
- Boat underway
- Boat sitting still in water
- Boat docked
- Lifestyle shots of the boat being used and people having fun
Video Tips For Selling Your boat
Walk Around Video of the Boat for Sale
A walk around video of your boat is a great way to showcase its condition and allow potential buyers to see and hear it in action.
To create a high-quality video, we’ve compiled some helpful tips to follow which will ensure you capture your boat at its best. Additionally, we’ve included an example of a good walk around video to help guide you in the process.
Boat exterior part of your video should include:
- A walk around video of the boat
- Closeups of any imperfections or damage
- Any additional details or upgrades
- Tips: Walk and pan your camera slowly
Interior video shots
- The interior video should include the following:
- Seats
- Helm and instruments
- Bow area
- Stereo functioning
- Touch screen functioning
- Any additional features you’d like highlight
Bonus Shots
- Wakesurfing videos
- Drone videos
- Video f the boat moving in the water
- Lifestyle photos
Post-Production Editing Tips
- Use photo and video editing software to enhance colors and remove any blemishes but don’t over do it.
- Add captions to your photos or video to highlight key features of the boat
- Avoid over-editing which can make the photos or video look artificial
- Be mindful of the background in photos and videos to make sure there is nothing distracting or unappealing in the shot
Conclusion
As you can see, it’s very important to have great photos of your boat. Remember, the goal is to make your boat look awesome, as well as tell a story. The old saying, “a picture is worth a thousand words,” is very true when it comes to selling your boat. Videos are an additional value to the potential buyer as well.
