| COMMON QUESTIONS CONCERNING A BOAT SURVEY |
Anyone can title him or herself as a Marine Surveyor and start a business. Certain marine surveyors are permitted to use a designation denoting membership in accrediting organizations that require members to meet strict professional, technical and ethical standards. Captain David is accredited through SAMS (The Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors). We provide you with a professionally prepared report that can be accepted by your bank and/or insurance company. We use ABYC, NFPA and USCG standards in our surveys. How much will the inspection cost? How long will the on-board inspection take? These questions will be answered on an individual basis.
A thorough inspection will not be rushed and will depend on the type of survey required based on vessel size, equipment and on-board systems. Well-conducted surveys can provide good information on the vessels' condition, but they are not guarantees. The surveyor reports the condition in accessible areas only as it exists at the time of inspection.
Insurance companies and banks will require a survey on most older and even on some newer vessels. They will need to know her condition and fair market value in order to finance and/or underwrite the vessel. Knowing her condition and fair market value before you purchase is also important. However, the most important reason to survey your vessel is for the safety of the passengers and crew.
Surveys consist of three distinct aspects: 1) The static in water inspection. 2) The haul out to inspect the under water surfaces and running gear. 3) The sea trial. No survey is complete without performing these three aspects. The sea trial involves not only performance testing the vessel and its engines, but is also the time when many major systems are checked out. In addition to this, the surveyor will also check out the internal hull structures to make sure that all is as it should be.
Arrange to present a clean, shipshape boat and have all papers and miscellaneous gear ready. Live aboard vessels should be put in ready for sea conditions. If applicable, you will need to make arrangements with the marina to haul the vessel for bottom inspection, and retain a captain for sea trials. Lockers and cabin areas should be cleared of all miscellaneous gear.
The surveyor should never be asked to prepare a boat for inspection. The surveyor may request minor dismantling of interior ceilings, headliners, flooring, etc. in order to gain access to the suspected areas. Random removal and examination of below-the-waterline fasteners on wooden boats may be required. Any dismantling and re-installation of parts should be performed by qualified personnel and is the responsibility of the person ordering the survey.
The buyer/owner is responsible for the survey fee and the hauling charges. A boat with a fouled bottom needs to be cleaned. A pressure wash is typically the responsibility of the buyer. NOTE: Haul out fees must be paid at the time of hauling. The seller is typically responsible for the cost of someone to operate the vessel such as a paid captain, as well as insuring that it has adequate fuel.
How long does it take?
We schedule enough time to complete the survey adequately. Small boats are not necessarily easier to survey than larger ones. The same logistics are involved so that small boat surveys do not necessarily take less time. The fact is, we don't know how long the survey will take. The time involved is more a factor of the condition of the boat and the complexity of the systems than anything else.
Clients will ask, "Do you survey the engines too?" The answer to this is yes and no. An exterior evaluation will be performed. However, when it comes to some diesel-powered vessels the engines can be more complex and will require a manufacturer's certified technician. Most surveyors do not perform diesel engine surveys. In most cases we are not certified technicians. For reasons of economy, most surveys on yachts up to 75 feet are accomplished in one day. Therefore, it is highly recommended that an independent diesel surveyor be engaged for full diesel surveys.
On gas engines, we will perform a rudimentary engine survey. What this means is that not only do we performance test the engines but also perform a complete visual inspection. While this may not seem like much, an expert can learn a lot just by observing the condition. Much will depend on the size, age and condition of the boat, and how much time the surveyor will have available.
Oil spectrometer analysis of system lubricants is available at a nominal charge.
We provide condition and valuation surveys at competitive rates in the South Florida area. Our local service area is considered from Key West to Marathon. We are happy to service locations outside this area, however we add a nominal mileage charge.
During the sea trial, not only is the engine and overall vessel performance evaluated, but we test the steering, controls, shafting, engine mounts and exhaust systems. We also examine structural hull elements while under load. On sailboats, the overall sailing systems are tested and evaluated for condition and proper tuning. There are a lot of things that need to be looked at in a short period of time. Therefore, at the very minimum, we recommend that an open water sea trial be carried out for at least one hour's duration, but longer for larger yachts. Short runs in restricted waterways will not accomplish this objective.
We recommend open ocean trial runs whenever possible. However, when sea conditions are rough, we have to defer to the owner/seller's discretion because of the liability risks that would be raised if we insist on going out in rough water. Most insurance surveys do not require a sea trial, however during a pre-purchase survey we highly recommend one be scheduled.
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