What checks should I do before buying privately?

We recommend a PPSR (Personal Property Securities Register) check to confirm no finance is outstanding on the vessel. Your broker also runs you through anything else worth checking for the specific boat before you commit.

How quickly can I get pre-approved?

Typically the same day. Having pre-approval in place means you can move quickly when you find the right vessel.

What if the seller wants cash fast?

Pre-approval gives you a conditional commitment from a lender, often the same day. Once paperwork is confirmed, payment is made at settlement, and the seller receives a remittance advice confirming it. Funds can arrive the same day but may take up to 48 hours depending on the seller's bank.

Do I need a survey for a private sale purchase?

Not as part of the finance application. Some buyers choose to arrange one independently for their own confidence in the purchase, particularly on an older or higher-value vessel. Your broker guides you through what's needed for your specific situation.

What if there's existing finance on the vessel?

The existing loan should be discharged at settlement. We guide you through this process to ensure the transaction is clean and the title transfers unencumbered.

Private Sale Boat Finance. Move Quickly When You Find the Right Vessel.

Buying a boat from a private seller? We arrange private sale finance before you exchange so you can move with confidence when the right vessel comes up.

Private sale support. Finance arranged before you exchange.

Private Sale Boat Finance: What You Need to Know

Choice of lenderTheir own products only

Pre-approval speedOften several business days

Vessel types coveredTypically standard boats only

Private sale supportRarely

Who they work forThe bank

Choice of lenderMultiple lenders, compared for you

Pre-approval speedPossible same day

Vessel types coveredAll vessel categories

Private sale supportYes, including inspection guidance

Who they work forYou

Broker vs bank, a real comparison
Feature	Your bank	Through a broker
Choice of lender	Their own products only	Multiple lenders, compared for you
Pre-approval speed	Often several business days	Possible same day
Vessel types covered	Typically standard boats only	All vessel categories
Private sale support	Rarely	Yes, including inspection guidance
Who they work for	The bank	You

Finance before you exchange

We arrange pre-approval so you can move quickly and confidently on a private sale.

Title and ownership checks

We guide you through checking for existing finance and encumbrances on the vessel before you buy.

Lenders suited to private sales

Not all lenders finance private boat purchases. We identify those that do.

Documentation Guidance

We tell you exactly what each lender on the panel needs before you apply, so there are no surprises partway through.

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The process

How Private Sale Boat Finance Works

We arrange pre-approval
We compare lenders and arrange conditional pre-approval while you negotiate.
Find your vessel
Identify the boat you want to buy and confirm the seller's asking price.
Complete the checks
We guide you through title and ownership checks before you exchange funds.
Settle and take ownership
Once approved and checks clear, we manage settlement and you take delivery.

Checklist

Buying privately? Use our checklist.

The steps from finding a vehicle to picking it up, including what you do and what we organise with the seller and lender.

Download the checklistPDF, 1 page

View the checklist online

Private sale boat finance, explained plainly.

Step 1 of 5

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Understand private sale boat finance

Buying from a private seller rather than a dealer is still financeable. What changes is that the checks a dealership would handle become part of the settlement your broker runs.

Ownership is verified and the vessel is searched on the PPSR before any money moves, which is how an undisclosed loan against the boat is found rather than inherited.

At settlement the lender pays the seller directly. Funds do not pass through the buyer, which protects both sides of a transaction between strangers.

Why choose a private sale purchase

Private listings are where most of the used market actually sits, so restricting yourself to dealer stock rules out a large share of the boats available.

Dealing with the owner also means dealing with the person who used the vessel. Questions about how it was run and what has been replaced get answered first hand.

Pre-approval matters more here than anywhere. Private sellers deal with whoever is ready, and being ready is the whole advantage.

Deciding if a private sale purchase fits

Not every lender writes private sale finance on vessels, so the pool is smaller than it is for a dealer purchase and the matching matters more.

The vessel's age is read against each lender's own limits, and private listings skew older, which narrows things again.

If the seller still owes money on the boat, it doesn't cause any issues. A payout figure is obtained from their financier and settled as part of the transaction.

How to apply for private sale boat finance

Get pre-approved before you make an offer, so the conversation with the seller starts from a position you can actually deliver on.

Send the HIN, the year, the engine details and the seller's asking price. Those identify the vessel well enough for the searches to begin.

Your broker collects the seller's ownership evidence and bank details, and payment is made at settlement with a remittance advice confirming it.

Tips for private sale boat finance

Agree the price subject to the checks clearing. A verbal deal ahead of a PPSR search is a deal you may have to unwind.

Inspect the trailer as carefully as the hull. It is registered separately, it wears differently, and it is part of what the lender is securing.

Keep the seller informed of the timeline. A private seller who understands how settlement works is far less likely to take another offer midway through.

Private sale boat finance at a glance

Ownership and PPSR checks are completed before any funds move
The lender pays the seller directly at settlement rather than through the buyer
A vessel with finance owing is paid out as part of the same transaction
Fewer lenders write private sale on boats, so the shortlist is narrower
Same day pre-approval is possible, which is what keeps you competitive with the seller

Private Boat Purchases, Handled

Private boat sales move fast. Having finance in place before you negotiate means you won't lose out to a cash buyer.

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A Panel of Lenders

We compare marine and boat lenders across our full panel to find the right structure for your purchase.

Same Day Pre-Approval Possible

Know your borrowing power before you step onto the dock or walk into a dealer.

Secured and Unsecured Options

We match the loan type to your situation, whether you want asset-backed finance or an unsecured personal loan.

All Vessel Types

From runabouts and ski boats to cruisers, sailboats and jet skis, we finance them all.

Private Sale Finance

Buying from a private seller? We arrange private sale finance so you can move quickly and confidently.

Rate Comparisons Upfront

We set out rates and structures side by side in plain terms before you commit to anything.

Marine Finance Repayment Calculator

Estimate your repayments. Adjust the sliders to match your situation.

Loan amount

$5,000$2,000,000

Interest rate (% p.a.)

4%20%

Loan term

1 yr7 yrs

Balloon payment (%)

0%30%

Monthly repayment

$1,014

per month

Weekly

$234

Total repayment

$60,829

Estimates only. Your actual rate depends on your profile and lender. Get a real comparison.

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More Marine Finance Options

Marine Finance Overview

All marine and watercraft finance options.

New Boat Finance

Finance a new vessel from a licensed dealer.

Used Boat Finance

Pre-owned vessel finance options.

Boat Refinance

Compare refinance options for existing marine loans.

Jet Ski Finance

Personal watercraft finance.

Low Doc Boat Finance

Self-employed and non-standard income marine finance.

Boat Finance Runs
on Its Own Rules.

Vessel age, construction, and whether it is trailerable or moored all shape who will lend on a private sale and on what terms. Your broker places the application where the vessel fits, rather than where the form fits.