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A pre-purchase survey, performed by a good professional surveyor, provides the prospective buyer with solid information about the condition of the vessel and its systems. With this knowledge, you the buyer, can then make an informed decision on whether this is the boat for you. Sometimes a pre-purchase survey even results in a price renegotiation with the seller when systems are found not to be functioning correctly. When we sold Safari and searched for her replacement Serengeti, we found ourselves on both sides of these surveys and learned a lot in the process.
 Following a check list is good methodology for a surveyor, and good evidence for the client as well. | |
Once you've found the boat of your dreams, what can you expect from a survey? Well, a good surveyor will have a very complete checklist to cover every aspect of the boat. They may begin by finding out the history of the boat from the present owner. Details are obtained, such as how many previous owners there have been, where the boat has spent most of its life, what sort of bottom paint is currently on it, and any construction details the owner may know. They'll also check the documentation papers and make sure everything is consistent with the numbers on the boat.
After this, the crawling around on hands and knees starts. In the case of a fiberglass hull and deck, the surveyor will determine the integrity of the deck by tapping it with a phenolic (plastic-headed) hammer to ensure proper adhesion of the fiberglass to any core materials. He'll also inspect the condition of stanchions and lifelines. A trip up the mast will allow him to make a personal inspection of the rigging, and check on the lights and instruments at the top of the mast.
 A thorough survey includes scrutiny of all structural and support systems down below. | |
For a complete survey, a boat needs to be hauled. That way everyone has a chance to check out the underbody. This is when the owner, if present, will usually be holding his breath hoping that there's no evidence of blisters or other problems. The surveyor again gets out the phenolic hammer and taps to confirm that there is no delamination or voids present in the hull and rudder. He or she may employ a moisture meter at this time to assess the moisture content of the hull laminates. The surveyor will also examine the thru-hulls for corrosion or hairline cracks. The propeller, shaft, and cutlass bearing are then closely checked to confirm no excess wear or shaft-alignment problems. And for anyone worried about getting stuck in the mud, the distance from the waterline to the bottom of the keel should be measured to confirm the draft of the boat!
In order to take note of proper functioning of all the running rigging, instruments, and condition of sails, the surveyor is customarily on board for the sea trial. Depending upon their expertise, surveyors check the engine to varying degrees. It is here that the engine is put to the test, usually opening it up to full revs. The surveyor should check for oil or water leaks, vibration, and ensure that the operating temperature remains within an acceptable range. Seasoned surveyors will also check the speed of the boat at various rpms. For the most comprehensive evaluation of the engine, you'll need to hire a mechanic to perform a diesel survey.
A complete survey will take a full, long day, and by the end of that time you should have a pretty good idea as to the overall condition of the boat and be able to make a well-informed buying decision. The surveyor will usually take a day or so to complete his official written report, but we found that most of the the important information could be found out verbally.
 Conducting a complete survey means hauling the boat. | |
In Serengeti's case, we already knew that she needed virtually every system replaced. She was 21 years old at the time, so we figured why pay someone else to tell us a particular system wasn't functioning right. We were convinced after our examination of the boat that she was very sound structurally, and nothing a surveyor could have told us about her systems and rigging would have been a surprise to us. This is certainly not something we recommend for every would-be boat buyer. We knew it was a risk because we were uninsured at the time, but the more we work on her and make things exactly as we want them, the more confident we are that we have a great boat and are happy with our decision.
By the way, Serengeti's draft was reported to be six feet, four inches in the listing. When we stretched the tape, she measured six feet, six inches, so she just sneaked in there under our maximum allowable draft. If we hadn't bought this boat and had to go through one more survey, I think we would have printed up some of those business cards and tried to make a living out of surveying ourselves.
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