Do you trust your surveyor? Whether you do or not, how comfortable would you be buying a 15-30 year old boat on a survey for which you were not present? Would that answer change if, prior to the survey, you did have a chance to inspect the boat yourself without the pro by your side?
Inspecting the survey
- Thread starter T37 Phil
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I trust mine
I would inspect the boat myself first with my limited knowledge... writing down any obsevations and/or problems. If this was the bost I wanted... I would get MY SURVEYOR... and be present for the survey to ask my stupid questions as he was moving along. You are paying for his time. If I was on good terms with my serveyor, and we had done this all before on a previous boat... and I just couldn't be around... I would trust his judgement. Remember... if it all goes south after the purchase... you are holding the bag. I would want to be around.
I would inspect the boat myself first with my limited knowledge... writing down any obsevations and/or problems. If this was the bost I wanted... I would get MY SURVEYOR... and be present for the survey to ask my stupid questions as he was moving along. You are paying for his time. If I was on good terms with my serveyor, and we had done this all before on a previous boat... and I just couldn't be around... I would trust his judgement. Remember... if it all goes south after the purchase... you are holding the bag. I would want to be around.
Not me
Unless you know this surveyor very well and you already trust him. Part of the point of a survey is to help you learn your potential new boat. It is also a time for you to learn the limitations of the boat in regards to it's condition. There are very few people I know that I would trust to look out for my best interests without being present, let alone a hired professional whom I do not know. I have always done my own inspections prior to the professional. It has saved me a lot of money in that every time I have bought a boat, I have only paid for one survey after considering lots of boats. Sounds like someone is trying to pull a fast one on you.
Unless you know this surveyor very well and you already trust him. Part of the point of a survey is to help you learn your potential new boat. It is also a time for you to learn the limitations of the boat in regards to it's condition. There are very few people I know that I would trust to look out for my best interests without being present, let alone a hired professional whom I do not know. I have always done my own inspections prior to the professional. It has saved me a lot of money in that every time I have bought a boat, I have only paid for one survey after considering lots of boats. Sounds like someone is trying to pull a fast one on you.
Time crunch
No, Tim, not a fast one. In my current search I've travelled from Ohio to New England, the mid-Atlantic states and Florida for inspections and/or surveys. I'm planning my next trip for a survey and perhaps prep for transport. In going through the inevitable logistical and scheduling headaches, I just wondered how many would simply make the arrangements from their home and wait in anticipation for the day the truck rolled up to their own marina.
No, Tim, not a fast one. In my current search I've travelled from Ohio to New England, the mid-Atlantic states and Florida for inspections and/or surveys. I'm planning my next trip for a survey and perhaps prep for transport. In going through the inevitable logistical and scheduling headaches, I just wondered how many would simply make the arrangements from their home and wait in anticipation for the day the truck rolled up to their own marina.
I had no choice
I always inspect the boat myself first to make sure there isn't any "instant deal killers'. The last boat I bought was expensive to me and was 30 years old. Thats pretty scary. I spoke to the broker over the phone about his ad on yachtworld.com. and asked him some questions. I explained that I was 1200 miles away and it was a long trip to look at a boat. I also made an offer over the phone based on how much I had and the seller accepted. This was pending my approval and a survey. I drove the 1200 miles from South Tx to Tampa Bay, Fl. I looked at the boat and it was exactly as the broker described it. He did not sugar coat anything. We liked the boat and took it for a test drive. Since I had to get back to work, there was no way that I could be there for the survey. The broker gave me the tel. number of a good surveyor. When I spoke to the surveyor he was familiar with Allied issues such as rotten fuel and water tanks and pretty much everything else. I hired him and he did a great job. He was incredibly detailed in his survey, got the seller to fix some items and I was very happy. Just lucky I guess. Tony B
I always inspect the boat myself first to make sure there isn't any "instant deal killers'. The last boat I bought was expensive to me and was 30 years old. Thats pretty scary. I spoke to the broker over the phone about his ad on yachtworld.com. and asked him some questions. I explained that I was 1200 miles away and it was a long trip to look at a boat. I also made an offer over the phone based on how much I had and the seller accepted. This was pending my approval and a survey. I drove the 1200 miles from South Tx to Tampa Bay, Fl. I looked at the boat and it was exactly as the broker described it. He did not sugar coat anything. We liked the boat and took it for a test drive. Since I had to get back to work, there was no way that I could be there for the survey. The broker gave me the tel. number of a good surveyor. When I spoke to the surveyor he was familiar with Allied issues such as rotten fuel and water tanks and pretty much everything else. I hired him and he did a great job. He was incredibly detailed in his survey, got the seller to fix some items and I was very happy. Just lucky I guess. Tony B
Multi-Surveyors
If I was going to purchase a more significant vessel again, I would get separate hull, engine/mechanical and rigging/sails surveys. My previous surveyor missed a whole bunch of things. I just do not see how one surveyor can be totally experienced in all three disciplines. May cost more but given the investment, to me right now seems well worth it. I would also start by ripping out every floorboard and going over the bilge with a magnifying glass. I am a lot smarter after 4 years with this boat than I was when I bought it in 2004.
If I was going to purchase a more significant vessel again, I would get separate hull, engine/mechanical and rigging/sails surveys. My previous surveyor missed a whole bunch of things. I just do not see how one surveyor can be totally experienced in all three disciplines. May cost more but given the investment, to me right now seems well worth it. I would also start by ripping out every floorboard and going over the bilge with a magnifying glass. I am a lot smarter after 4 years with this boat than I was when I bought it in 2004.
A number of people don't realize
that there are virtually no standards a person has to meet in order to hang out a shingle proclaiming to be a "Marine Surveyor." Sure, there are all kinds of groups, like NAMS and SAMS and others that have standards for their members to meet, but even meeting those standards does not mean a surveyor will be well qualified. I would never buy a boat that I had not inspected first. Don Casey, and others, have written a number of very useful books about inspecting the aging sailboat. Armed with these books and some mechanical knowledge coupled with common sense, most people can do a pretty good "pre-survey" themselves. Such a pre-survey is useful in finding the "deal killers" that other posters have noted below before you commit to the time and expense of a professional surveyor, which is always needed. Yet I have never found a boat I had some interest in that was thousands of miles away. This may occur when you are looking for a bigger boat of a specific type and none are available in your local driving radius. But such a boat would probably be pretty expensive and so would justify the expense of seeing it, and inspecting it, yourself first. If I found myself in this position, I would contact a number of surveyors in the area where the boat is and discuss my situation with them. I feel certain you could find a qualified surveyor any where near where boats are located who would agree to meet you at the boat to do a survey a day or two after you did your own survey. And, I would want to be there to look over his shoulder and ask questions. This is time and money that would be well spent.
that there are virtually no standards a person has to meet in order to hang out a shingle proclaiming to be a "Marine Surveyor." Sure, there are all kinds of groups, like NAMS and SAMS and others that have standards for their members to meet, but even meeting those standards does not mean a surveyor will be well qualified. I would never buy a boat that I had not inspected first. Don Casey, and others, have written a number of very useful books about inspecting the aging sailboat. Armed with these books and some mechanical knowledge coupled with common sense, most people can do a pretty good "pre-survey" themselves. Such a pre-survey is useful in finding the "deal killers" that other posters have noted below before you commit to the time and expense of a professional surveyor, which is always needed. Yet I have never found a boat I had some interest in that was thousands of miles away. This may occur when you are looking for a bigger boat of a specific type and none are available in your local driving radius. But such a boat would probably be pretty expensive and so would justify the expense of seeing it, and inspecting it, yourself first. If I found myself in this position, I would contact a number of surveyors in the area where the boat is and discuss my situation with them. I feel certain you could find a qualified surveyor any where near where boats are located who would agree to meet you at the boat to do a survey a day or two after you did your own survey. And, I would want to be there to look over his shoulder and ask questions. This is time and money that would be well spent.
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