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If all goes well this weekend, I'll need a 1978 Bristol 29.9 surveyed in RI and transported to ME.
Can anyone recommend a surveyor in the area?
I had someone tell me that their survey did not include the engine. The surveyor said they just don't do it. This sounds crazy to me; that's probably the thing that needs it most. Comments?
We used William Coble last year - he spent all day going through the boat and delivered quite a detailed report afterward. He also gave a lot of pointers during the survey. I would use him again in a heartbeat.
Adrian Johnson of Johnson Marine in Mystic, CT, did a 46' Moody for me last winter. He charged a fee per foot of length. Before engaging him, we talked a lot and he sent me a copy of a survey he had done a year or two earlier on a Moody so I could see the depth of his work. Based on that and his knowledge, I hired him. The boat under survey was at the opposite end of the state in Stamford No extra charge for his mileage. It was winter when we looked at the boat, and I drove up from the south thinking we were going to sea trial the boat that day as well as survey it. The then owner or one of the brokers had gotten confused, and all we could do that day was an in-water survey that was thorough but did not include checking the hull or a sea trial. Adrian checked everything he could, running all the systems to include the engine, a/c units and genset, but he had to return two weeks later to complete the sea trial. That took a while as he sailed with the owner up the coast to Norwalk to be hauled for the hull check after the sea trial. I could not make that, but I know it took over half a day, and there was no extra charge. Adrian stayed with the flat rate per foot, despite having to make two trips across the state of CT. Hour-hour and a half each way. We talked a good bit on the phone, and he sent me a thorough report. I did buy the boat, and after a summer of cruising to include sailing the boat down the Jersey shore to the Chesapeake (for her new homeport), I had no surprises. I recommend Adrian.
I would second Johnson Marine in Mystic. They go above and beyond.
Ken Johnson even helped/taught me how to winterize systems when I combined a fall haul out with a pre-purchase survey.
I'll never forget
His words to someone who never owned anything with an inboard or complicated systems:
"If I was advising my son, I would tell him to buy this boat and if your gonna buy it go buy a case of antifreeze and some fogging oil and I'll walk you through the process, no need to pay the yard for something so simple."
I've used 5-6 surveyors over time and all of them have limited their engine and rig commentary to "observations'. Most experts in something arn't experts in everything... You should hire both a engine surveyor and a rigger, this is money well spent.
Have used SImms Bros. for years for transportation. Do a good job for a honest price
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