BoatBid - FAQs

Why can’t I see the photos of the boat?
You need to be registered with either BoatBid or Boatshed to be able to view the extra photos. If you are already registered then log in using your email address and password. If you are a Boatshed customer you will need to create a password to use on the BoatBid website. If you are not registered then please complete the details on the form and click the register button at the bottom. Once you are logged in click on the link or main picture to the see the extra photos. You may need to refresh the boat details page first (ctrl and F5 or click the refresh button).

I’d like more information and to arrange a viewing on the boat, who should I call?
All the boats in the BoatBid.com auction have been listed by a qualified Boatshed.com broker. They will have visited the boat, taken up to 80 photos of her and prepared a detailed description of her whilst on board normally with the owner. They are the best person to speak to about the boat as they really do know her quite well and are able to arrange viewings.
To contact the broker directly click on the link to their contact details at the bottom of the blue brokers comments box on the right hand side of the page.

Can I make an offer on the boat before the auction?
All boats in the BoatBid auction are also listed with Boatshed.com so if you wanted to buy the boat before the auction then you just need to get in touch with the local broker who listed the boat. Once an offer has been accepted on a boat and a deposit payment has been made, the boat becomes "under offer" and she will be removed from the BoatBid entry list. To contact the broker directly click on the link to their contact details at the bottom of the blue brokers comments box on the right hand side of the page.

Can an offer be accepted on the boat whilst the auction is running?
Once the auction has started all offers must be placed as a bid through BoatBid.

Why do I need to register to bid?
We are asking all bidders to register which is really your way of saying that you are serious about bidding and to avoid the situation where you are serious but the other 10 people are not and you lose out because of it. So we hope you will think this is fair. You can only register to bid after the auction catalogue has been released (see www.boatbid.com for release dates) but you will be able to register to bid right up to the end of the auction.

Where do I click to place a bid?
The bidding screens won’t appear until the start of the auction. At the start of the auction a new link will appear next to the picture of the boat in the catalogue inviting you to place a bid. You will only be taken into the bidding screens if you are a registered bidder and are already logged in to BoatBid; otherwise the screens will default to either the log in or bidder registration page.

I’ve tried to place a bid but keep getting an error message what’s wrong?
The most likely problem is that the software cannot recognise your bid. Do not use currency symbols, the currency the boat is being auctioned in is already set and we can only accept bids in that currency. If you wish to enter a bid of 55,000 please ensure the currency symbol in-front of the bid box is $ and then enter 55000 into the box.

Why does the bid amount change to something else when I enter an amount?
Each bid needs to be a certain amount higher than the previous bid; this amount differs for each boat to ensure a reasonable rate of increase for each boat. The bid amount will default to this if you put an amount in which is lower than the last bid plus the bid increment price.

Is there a reserve price and what is it?
All the boats in the auction have a reserve price. The reserve price is set by the seller and is there to protect them. It is known only to the seller and the organisers of the auction and will not be disclosed to anyone else. We have selected boats for BoatBid which have realistic reserve prices, in many cases substantially lower than the price advertised on Boatshed.com.
In the event that the bidding does not meet the reserve price, the highest bid will be passed to the owner who may accept or negotiate further.
If you have placed the highest bid on a boat which did not meet the reserve price, the bid will be offered to the seller. Buyer or sellers are under no obligation at this stage as the auction has ended and the reserve price has not been met.

What is the starting bid price?
It is the price at which the bidding commences. We set this value to start bidding at a realistic level. The starting bid price is not the same as the reserve price.

What happens if I place the highest bid?
Reserve met: If your bid has met or exceeded the reserve price then you’ve taken the first step to buying a boat! The procedure will now be exactly the same as if you had made an offer on the boat via Boatshed.com. You will need to sign a standard Boatshed.com Agreement for sale, please contact us for a copy boats@boatshed.com.
You will also need to pay a 10% deposit within 5 days to secure the offer on the boat and you will have 21 days to carry out inspection and professional survey before completing the sale.

Reserve not met:
If your bid did not meet or exceed the reserve price then we will put your bid forward to the owner as an offer. We will then contact you to let you know the outcome and hopefully we will be able to negotiate between you and the seller to find an acceptable price. The procedure will now be exactly the same as if you had made an offer on the boat via Boatshed.com. (see above Reserve met)

What about survey and sea trials?
When the deposit is in place, the normal Boatshed.com boats sales process takes place. We recommend you have a survey.
When you buy a boat through BoatBid.com you have the full backing of a qualified Boatshed.com broker and have 21 days to complete professional surveys and sea trials. The Boatshed.com broker will be able to guide you through the purchase process step by step and advise you along the way.
How can I enter my boat into BoatBid?
The first step is to contact us. Click on the sell my boat link on the BoatBid home page, follow the link here:
Entering a boat into BoatBid
Email the BoatBid team on auction@boatbid.com.

What does it cost to enter my boat into BoatBid?
All the boats in the BoatBid auctions are already listed with their local Boatshed.com broker. The commission agreed between the seller and the broker remains the same when a boat is entered into BoatBid and we do not make any additional charges.

Why won’t the password you sent me work?
The computer generated alphanumeric passwords are a little confusing, the simplest way to ensure you input them correctly is to copy and paste them directly from the email we send you into the password box. Once you’ve logged in you’ll be able to change the password to something easier to remember. If you do have any problems with your password please forward any password emails we have sent you along with an explanation of the problem to help@boatshedsupport.com and we will look into it for you.