Yacht Handover Checklist

What happens on handover day. What you must complete in the first 30, 60 and 90 days. Where UK buyers typically stumble. Drawn from supervised handovers on Mallorca.

The yacht handover is the most consistently underestimated moment of the entire transaction. Buyers spend months on the yacht model, the tax structure and the financing — and on handover day itself it all comes down to a four-hour walk-through with an inventory check. It looks like a formality, but it isn't: in those four hours it is decided whether you take on a complete yacht or a half-empty vessel with missing tools, patchy documents and a disgruntled crew.

This page is the checklist I have kept in spreadsheet form for my buyers for years — set out in full here and divided into four phases: handover day itself, days 1-30, days 31-60 and days 61-90. It does not replace personal supervision (that is my job), but it gives you and your broker the framework around which to structure the handover.

A yacht handover is not a formality. It is the only moment in which the whole transaction is still reversible — and the first day of the next ten years.

Julian Hoeke

Handover day — hour by hour

A typical handover of a 60-70 ft motor yacht takes 4-6 hours, organised into five phases.

Phase 1 — welcome and document check (30 minutes). Buyer, seller, both brokers, skipper and, where relevant, notary meet on board. The draft handover protocol is reviewed. All original yacht documents are verified: registration papers, CE conformity certificate, ship's record book, insurance policy, the latest survey reports, yard warranties. For a Spanish flag, additionally: Patente de Navegación, matriculación certificate.

Phase 2 — technical walk-through (1.5-2 hours). A systematic walk-through, bow to stern. Engine room, generator, watermaker, air conditioning, electronics bay, navigation station, tender davits, watersports stowage. Every item ticked off against the inventory list. Any anomaly (a missing item, a defect) is documented in writing on the spot, with a photo.

Phase 3 — inventory reconciliation (1-1.5 hours). A detailed reconciliation of the MYBA inventory list — typically 150-250 items on a 65 ft yacht. Logbook, charts, tool sets, watersports equipment, tender, upholstery covers, crockery, linen, software licences for navigation and entertainment. Differences are either rectified on the spot by the seller or agreed as a lump-sum deduction from the balance of the purchase price.

Phase 4 — demonstration run (1 hour, optional). A short outing with the seller's skipper to demonstrate all systems under load — bow and stern thrusters, anchor mechanism, autopilot, stabiliser (if fitted), generator at full load. Particularly important on yachts with complex hybrid propulsion or newer electric systems.

Phase 5 — signing and handover of keys (30 minutes). Signature of the handover protocol by buyer and seller. Confirmation of receipt of the final payment into the escrow account. Handover of all keys, codes and software logins. The first insurance confirmation is lodged. A photo together on the pontoon is optional, but my clients value it.

The first 30 days — mandatory list

Seven items that must be completed in the first 30 days — otherwise they become stumbling blocks for the next 90.

Day	Activity	Responsible
1-3	Convert insurance into an active policy	Buyer + insurer
3-7	Formalise berth contract with the marina	Buyer + marina
7-14	Crew contracts if taking crew on	Buyer + crew + employment lawyer
10-15	Activate yacht management contract	Buyer + management provider
14-21	Fuel account at the marina fuel dock	Buyer
20-30	Notarised copies of all yacht documents	Buyer + notary
25-30	First real run with a local skipper	Buyer + skipper

The order is not rigid — many items run in parallel. But all seven must be ticked off before day 30.

The 60 and 90 day phase

Days 31-60 — structural processing. This phase completes the slow administrative processes that could not be finished by handover. That includes the flag transfer, with registration in the relevant ship register (UK/DACH: typically 4-8 weeks; Spanish: 6-12 weeks depending on the Lista variant). For a Spanish flag, the matriculación payment falls due in this phase — the gestor files Modelo 565 with Hacienda, and the amount is set against an on-board valuation. Also: a first routine inspection at the local yard (often sensible 6 weeks after handover, to verify the survey findings), and a first tank microbial inspection where there has been a long lay-up.

Days 61-90 — adjustment and validation. The yacht is now fully in service. Crew operations are routine, maintenance cycles are running, the first charter booking (if a charter structure) has taken place. I use this phase for the performance review: fuel consumption against the manufacturer's figures, power draw against generator hours, air conditioning and watermaker against routine values. Deviations above 15% point to a maintenance need. In addition: tax-return initialisation under a Spanish flag — the accountant receives the first bookkeeping data from day 60 and consolidates it into the quarterly return.

What is no longer the handover phase after 90 days: from day 91 the yacht is finally "yours". Survey findings not addressed in the first 90 days fall under normal maintenance responsibility. Crew contracts not formalised in the first 60 days count as tacitly assumed. The transitional insurance expires and the full hull policy takes effect. From an owner's perspective: day 91 is the day the owner's life begins.

Three months after handover is when it is decided whether the yacht becomes a pleasure or a chore. With structured supervision, it becomes a pleasure.

Julian Hoeke

Continue reading

Buying a yacht on Mallorca — guide 2026 — the full process from first briefing to handover.
Spanish Yacht Tax — Matriculación — the tax position that falls due in the 60-day phase.
Yacht Financing Mallorca — financing structures that must be in place before handover.
Yacht Running Costs — the annual cost calculation that starts to run from day 31.

— Julian Hoeke

Frequently asked

Yacht handover — seven specific answers

What actually happens on yacht handover day?

Handover day is the formal completion act after contract signing, escrow payment and survey. It involves: a walk-through of the yacht with seller, buyer and skipper present; an inventory reconciliation against the MYBA inventory list (logbook, charts, tools, tender, watersports equipment, spares); the handover of all yacht documents (CE conformity, registration papers, service history, yard warranties); the formal handover of keys and codes (tender davits, air conditioning, generator, navigation software); and signature of the handover protocol. It takes 3-6 hours depending on yacht size and inventory depth. On larger yachts it usually spans two days. I attend every handover in person — even when I am not the seller's broker.

What must I do in the first 30 days after handover?

Seven mandatory items in the first 30 days. First: bind the insurance formally — the quote must be converted into an active policy, until then you are sailing uninsured. Second: formalise crew contracts if you have taken on a skipper or stewardess. Third: complete the berth contract with the marina — either a transfer from the previous owner or a fresh registration. Fourth: activate the yacht management contract if you use external management. Fifth: set up a fuel and diesel consumption account at the marina fuel dock. Sixth: lodge notarised copies of the yacht documents in your onshore safe. Seventh: carry out a first sea trial with a local skipper alongside — a yacht usually handles differently after handover than it did at the survey.

What comes on days 31-60?

The focus shifts to structural processing. First: flag transfer if changing — a Spanish Lista 6 or 7 registration, or a switch to a UK/DACH flag with the corresponding ship register. Second: matriculación if Spanish-flagged — the 12% tax falls due in this phase, formally handled by the gestor. Third: a first routine inspection at the local yard — around 30-60 days after handover is the ideal moment for an independent second inspection to verify the survey findings. Fourth: title registration in the Spanish ship register if the Spanish flag was chosen. Fifth: a first fuel-tank inspection for microbial contamination — diesel can be contaminated after a long lay-up, and the previous owner may not have run the yacht regularly.

What needs to be completed on days 61-90?

Days 61-90 are the adjustment and validation phase. First: crew operations fully consolidated — skipper routine, stewardess routine, maintenance cycle. Second: a first charter booking (if a charter structure was chosen) — the credibility of the charter activity towards Hacienda depends on real booking volume. Third: tax-return initialisation — under a Spanish flag the bookkeeping must run from handover, and your accountant receives the first data from day 60. Fourth: repair list finalised — the survey findings the seller did not rectify are now addressed by the buyer. Fifth: a first performance review — comparing fuel consumption, power draw and generator hours against the manufacturer's figures.

When do I officially take ownership — at contract signing or at handover?

At handover — the formal transfer of title occurs with the signature of the handover protocol and receipt of the final payment into the escrow account. The purchase contract is the upstream commitment; until handover, survey findings, technical defects or contractual gaps can still delay completion. The handover protocol is the actual act of transfer. From an insurance standpoint: hull cover only takes effect from the signature of the handover protocol — a yacht damaged between contract and handover is the seller's responsibility (or their insurer's). For this reason the handover protocol is often the most carefully read document of the entire transaction.

What are the most common handover problems for UK buyers on Mallorca?

Three recurring problems. First: inventory discrepancy. The MYBA inventory list typically runs to 80-200 items — on yachts above 60 ft often over 300. Sellers frequently remove personal valuables before handover (tool sets, watersports equipment, navigation software licences) and forget to reserve them in the contract. My advice: carry out a pre-inventory two days before handover and settle any differences in writing before handover day. Second: technical defects between survey and handover. Yachts can develop new problems in the 6-8 weeks between survey date and handover day — leaks, electronics failures, corrosion. A final inspection 24-48 hours before handover is mandatory. Third: crew takeover conflicts. If crew stay on, their contracts must be cleanly re-drawn — otherwise the seller's old promises to the crew (bonuses, tipping arrangements, holiday entitlements) follow the new owner.

Is there an official handover standard, or is everything bespoke?

There is an industry standard: the MYBA Sale and Purchase Agreement template, including Annex B (inventory list) and Annex C (handover protocol template). This MYBA format is the de facto standard in the western Mediterranean and is used by virtually every reputable brokerage house — Burgess, Edmiston, Camper & Nicholsons, plus local houses such as Hoeke Yachting. On the Spanish side, the ECPY format adds a few additional clauses covering Spanish charter activity. What is not standardised: the timeline between contract signing and handover (typically 4-12 weeks depending on complexity), the escrow arrangement (usually via a Spanish notary or a UK solicitor), and the inventory depth (negotiated between buyer and seller). My standard advice: never buy a yacht without a MYBA-compliant contract and a MYBA-compliant handover protocol. Verbal agreements or bespoke contracts carry unnecessary risk.

Supervision for your yacht handover?

A specific completion date, yacht class, planned location — a short note describes your situation. Personal reply within 24 hours.