Surveys

Buyng secondhand When buying a secondhand boat it is essential to consider having a survey, not just for insurers or finance houses who may not in all cases need to see one, but to ensure
that the boat being purchased is in good condition and to find out what, if anything, needs doing to it. After purchase it will be too late and could be very expensive if a problem occurs which would have been discovered by a survey.

Age All secondhand boats should be surveyed. Time can be a great cause of rot, osmosis, metal corrosion etc. When afloat life may depend on the boat and her gear.

Ashore or Afloat To have a full survey done properly, it is essential that the survey is done with the craft out of the water and not afloat.

The right man for the job The right surveyor depends on many factors:

a) The type of craft
Many surveyors specialise in certain types of construction e.g. wood, GRP, ferro, steel, aluminium etc—make sure the surveyor is knowledgeable in the method and material
of construction.
b) Independent
In order to get an unbiased opinion, a surveyor must be fully independent of both the buyer, the seller and any intermediary who may be involved.
c) Qualified
There are several qualifications of which the most usual are Royal Institution of Naval Architects and the Yacht Brokers Designers and Surveyors Association. Members of the Association are qualified and carry indemnity insurance, an additional safeguard for the owner.

Insurance Condition Reports There will be times when an insurer will ask for a condition report. Insurers are seeking confirmation that a boat is basically sound and in a safe condition, normally when a boat reaches a certain age.

Points to remember 1. A survey should not be looked upon as an expensive irritation requested by an insurer or finance house, but as the best way of ensuring a boat is safe and good value for money.

2. If a survey has recently been done on the boat but which is over one year old, the surveyor who did the original report can be asked to do an update. This will be cheaper.

3. Almost certainly the surveyor will make recommendations. These divide into two types: essential work that should be done at once, before the craft goes into commission and minor items which may safely be left until the craft is next out of commission.