{"id":827,"date":"2019-03-31T14:45:19","date_gmt":"2019-03-31T14:45:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.4abetterboat.com\/WP\/?p=827"},"modified":"2019-03-31T15:03:18","modified_gmt":"2019-03-31T15:03:18","slug":"what-is-a-marine-survey-and-why-do-i-need-one-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.4abetterboat.com\/WP\/?p=827","title":{"rendered":"What is a Marine Survey and why do I need one?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Background<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                I have\nfound over the years that many of my clients do not really understand what a\nmarine survey is or just what a marine surveyor does. Knowing what to expect\nfrom a good marine survey will help in selecting the right surveyor and aid in understanding\nthe surveyor\u2019s findings when the inspection is complete. Not all marine\nsurveyors are the same and not all are as through as one would hope, so\nunderstanding what to expect will help when it comes to selecting the right\nsurveyor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Just\nwhat is a \u201cMarine Surveyor?\u201d The term surveyor comes from old English meaning\nto inspect or ascertain the condition of something. The term was used to\ndescribe inspections done to ships and cargo for insurance companies when\ninsuring vessels for voyages. The insurance companies needed to know that the vessels\nthey were insuring were seaworthy and worth risking their money. Likewise, they\nwanted to know that the cargo was all accounted for and that what was claimed\nin the ships manifest, was indeed what was really on the ship. For this the\ninsurance companies would hire an independent inspector to verify cargo and\nvessel condition prior to binding insurance. Knowing the risks also allowed the\ninsurance companies to properly price the insurance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Modern\nmarine surveyors still perform this same function for commercial shipping but\nnow many will do a similar inspection for pleasure craft. Most surveyors will\nspecialize in either commercial or pleasure craft as these two disciplines are\nfairly specialized. For this article I am going to focus on surveying pleasure\ncraft and not get into commercial surveying as it is not my area of expertise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                A\ngeneral surveyor, often referred to as a \u201chull surveyor\u201d will inspect the\nentire vessel along with its systems and equipment. The average boat owner may\nneed the services of a surveyor for either a pre-purchase or insurance survey.\nFor either of these they will need to hire a general or hull surveyor. There\nare times, however, when an owner or buyer may want someone with a bit more\nspecialized expertise, as in the case of an engine or damage surveyor. Surveyors\ndoing these types of surveys will have particular knowledge related to their\nspecialty and will often just focus on those areas of specialty although some\nof these specialized surveyors will also do general surveys as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Accreditation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                A\ncommon misunderstanding is that surveyors are licensed or certified to do this type\nwork. There is no license or certification required to become a marine surveyor\nin the United States. Most however, will belong to a professional organization\nthat will help ensure they are well versed in their specialty and perform their\nwork in a professional manner. This voluntary system works well for the most\npart but by itself does not ensure that all surveyors are fully competent. Membership\nin a professional organizations will, however, help weed out the fly by night,\npart time surveyors that may not act in a professional manner or have the\nproper education and expertise to be qualified. Most banks and insurance\ncompanies will only accept survey reports from a surveyor that is a member of\none of the professional organizations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                The two\nprimary surveyor organizations are the Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors (SAMS,)\nand the National Association of Marine Surveyors (NAMS.) Both of these\norganizations require a certain level of competence, knowledge, and professionalism\nfrom their members. They also set standards for the content and information to\nbe provided in a survey report ensuring some constancy. Candidates for\nmembership first must work as an associate member for several years prior to\nbecoming a full member. They also must pass a general knowledge test relating\nto their classification before becoming a full member. All this helps ensure\ntheir member are serious about what they are doing and have a basic level of competence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Additionally,\nto maintain membership these organizations require their members complete a set\namount of continuing education within the marine industry. This will help\nensure that the person you are hiring is knowledgeable and works to stay\nabreast of changes within the industry. These organizations also provide a\nresource should anyone ever have a problem with a surveyor they have hired. Complaints\nare taken seriously by the leaders of these groups and can have consequences\nfor any members not performing in a professional or ethical manner. Members\nwith more than a few complaints will be removed making it harder for them to earn\na living as a marine surveyor. Most insurance companies and lending\ninstitutions will only accept reports from a surveyor who is a member in good\nstanding of one of these organizations. This is another reason it is important\nto verify a surveyor\u2019s memberships prior to hiring them.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Types of Surveys and\nSurveyors<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                There\nare several types of surveys the average boat owner is likely to encounter. The\nfirst and most common is a pre-purchase survey. As the name implies this is an\ninspection done prior to purchasing a boat. This is perhaps one of the most\ncomprehensive of all inspections done on a pleasure boat. It should cover not\nonly the hull, deck, and internal structure but also all the systems including electrical,\nplumbing, fuel, and engine systems. All systems and equipment should be powered\nup and tested for normal operation during a pre-purchase inspection. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                The\nvessel is also normally taken for a water trial to test basic engine operation\nalong with any equipment that can only be properly tested while underway. Items\nsuch as autopilots, trim tabs, and stabilizers all need to be checked while\nunderway. With sailboats the sails are hoisted and sailing gear tested for\nproper operation as well. This is also an opportunity for the buyer to get a\nfeel for the boat while underway. The boat is also normally taken out of the\nwater for an inspection of the hull below the waterline.  Running gear, thru hulls, and other underwater\nequipment are also inspected while the vessel is hauled. Although this adds to\nthe expense of the survey with additional yard fees, it is the only way to\nfully evaluate the hull and running gear. I t may be possible to do an in water\ninspection by diving but this is a poor substitute for being able to see the\nhull out of the water. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Once\nthe inspections are completed the surveyor will then complete a comprehensive\nreport. This report will include a full description of the vessel along with\nits equipment. It will also cite the general condition along with any\ndeficiencies found. Deficiencies are often broken down into 2 or more\ncategories listing safety problems first followed be general maintenance\nproblems. A fair market valuation will be assigned based on vessel condition\nand comparisons to what similar vessels have recently sold for. All this\ninformation will help a buyer to decide if a boat is worth purchasing. It also\nwill give the buyer a list of problems and deficiencies that will need to be\naddressed. Should the buyer wish to proceed with buying the boat the survey\nreport will be needed by mortgage and insurance companies to verify the vessel\nis as described. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                The\nnext most common type of survey is an insurance survey sometimes referred to as\na Condition and Valuation survey or C&V. An insurance or condition survey\nis most often conducted because an insurance carrier or finance company requires\nit of the owner to bind insurance or provide financing. These companies need to\nknow the condition and value of any vessel they will covering. They also need\nto know the vessel is being properly maintained and is retaining its value in\norder to keep renewing the policy. Although not as comprehensive as a full\npre-purchase survey, a good in inspection is required to fully evaluate the\nvessel condition for valuation as well as safety. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Most\nowners are not happy about the additional expense of having to hire a surveyor\njust to renew their insurance. I can sympathize with this from the owner\u2019s\nperspective but it could be a benefit as well assuming a decent survey is done.\nThis is a good opportunity to find potential problems that an owner may not be\naware of. I have often noted bad hoses or electrical problem that may well have\nresulted in major issues. A good surveyor can also give helpful suggestions for\nimproving the value of the boat. I have heard of some cut rate insurance\nsurveys that amount to nothing more than the surveyor walking past the boat on\nthe dock. This might be cheap but the owner is not really getting their moneys\nworth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Many\ninsurance companies will require a new survey be done every five years or so to\nmake sure the vessel condition and value have been maintained. Should the owner\nwant to change their insurance company or coverage, a new survey or updated survey\nwill also likely be needed. There may also be times refinancing is required\nwhich will also require a new inspection and valuation. For anyone restoring a\nboat or having made major upgrades done, updating the survey report will be\nworth the expense. An updated survey report will help protect your investment\nin repairs and verify the additional equipment and value should there be a\nloss. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                The\nsurveyor has to be careful they do a good inspection when doing a C&V\ninspection to be able to find the fair market value of the boat. They also need\nto make sure there are no defects that could make the boat a high risk to the\ninsurance company or a danger to the owner. Before hiring a surveyor for an\ninsurance inspection, it is best to find out just what is required from your insurance\ncarrier. Not all insurance companies require an out of water inspection for\ncoverage while others do. Most insurance companies do not require a full water trial\nto test engines and gear but is best to find out ahead of time. Not having to\nhaul out or run a water trial will help keep the cost of the survey down as\nmost surveyors charge a bit less because of this. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Specialized Surveys<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Other\nmore specialized surveys will include engine and mechanical surveys, Rigging\nsurveys for sailboats, Damage surveys often done after an accident or storm and\nelectrical and galvanic corrosion surveys. Each of these would be done by a\nqualified person with specialized expertise in these disciplines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Engine\nor mechanical surveys are often done in conjunction with pre-purchase surveys. Engines\nare often an expensive part of any vessel so having a good inspection by a\nqualified mechanic with a strong background in the type and make of engine\naboard can be important. A good engine survey will require a thorough\ninspection of the engine and mechanical equipment both at the dock and while\nunderway. Main motors need to be run while under load to get a good evaluation\nof operation under different speeds. This is also important to be able to check\nthe reduction gears and running gear. A good mechanical inspection will also\ninclude the generator and any other major mechanical equipment. Oil samples for\nanalysis are also usually taken. Recommendations for maintenance and repairs\nwill be made after a full evaluation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Sailors\nmay also want to consider a rigging survey. As with an engine survey, this can\nbe done in conjunction with a pre-purchase survey. Some insurance companies may\nrequire a rigging inspection before binding insurance although this is not\ncommon. It is also prudent to have a full rigging inspection performed prior to\na offshore passage or other long voyage. This could help spot trouble before it\nbecomes an issue offshore or far from parts and repairs. A full rigging survey\nis usually completed by a qualified rigger who will inspect the standing and\nrunning rigging. A complete rigging survey requires checking the rig from the\nmasthead to the deck. Rigging failures are most often a result of a single point\nfailure leading to a catastrophic failure of the entire rig. A good inspection\ncan spot small problems before they become big ones. Most owners never make it\nup a mast to do their own inspections and fewer still know how to spot hidden\nproblems. Rigging inspections are of most benefit on boats that tend to have\nhighly stressed rigs such as offshore cruising boats and racing boats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Unfortunately\nthere may come a time some boat owners may find themselves in need of a damage\nsurvey. A damage survey may be needed after an accident, storm or weather damage,\nor due major equipment failure such as an unexpected engine failure. Most\ninsurance companies will provide their own surveyor at their expense when\ninvestigating claims but there may be some cases where an owner would want\nsomeone working directly for them and looking out for their interests. Damage\ncan come in many forms and types and making sure the repairs are completed\nproperly is important for the safety and value of the boat. Collisions with\nother boats or docks, storm damage, hard groundings, and lightning are just few\ncommon types of damage that can occur. It is important to know that repairs are\ndone correctly and that all damage has been properly repaired. Not all\nsurveyors are qualified for this type of work. Any surveyor doing damage and\nrepair inspections should have a strong background in vessel design and\nconstruction. If the damage is due to an engine failure it is important to find\nsomeone who has experience with the causes of engine failures not due to lack\nof maintenance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                An\nowner may also want to hire a surveyor when doing major refits or repair work. Although\nmost boat yards strive to do good work, knowing that repairs are done correctly\ncan give a boat owner peace of mind. Often larger repairs or modifications can\naffect the structure and performance of the vessel. A qualified surveyor can review\nplans and the work as it proceeds to make sure the work is being done correctly\nand that corners are not being cut. They can also review billing to make sure\neverything is on the up and up. Knowing there is a surveyor checking the work\nand invoices can help keep a yard honest and avoid problems and disputes at the\nend of a job. Should there be problems the owner will have an expert on their\nside from the start. The surveyor can also update any previous survey report to\nupdate equipment and valuation as the work is completed. A surveyor\u2019s report of\nmajor repairs is also helpful when selling the vessel. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                There\nare other times a surveyor can be useful as well. If planning on having a\nvessel transported by land or on a ship, a surveyor can document the vessel\ncondition prior to the trip as well as help verify the vessel is properly\nloaded to prevent damage during transit. This can be invaluable should the\nvessel incur damage during transit, having photos and an independent witness\nwill be helpful should there be any dispute if damages are incurred during\ntransit. An owner may also want an inspection of their vessel prior to a water\ndelivery or an offshore passage. Some delivery skippers even require a recent\nsurvey before taking an assignment. It also never hurts to have an independent\neye look the vessel over prior setting off on a long passage. As with any other\ntype of survey it is important to find someone qualified for this specialty. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Selecting a Surveyor<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Of\ncourse, any survey begins with finding and hiring the right surveyor for the\ntask at hand. This may not be as easy as one would hope but there are some\nresources that can help. If you are buying a used boat from a broker the broker\nmay offer you some suggestions. Most brokers will provide a list of 3 or 4\nsurveyors they are familiar with. I have heard it said you should never hire\nany of the surveyors on a brokers list but this is not always true. Reputable\nbrokers will want an honest survey as this takes pressure off them and helps\navoid problems after the sale. A good broker would rather lose a deal than have\nan unhappy customer down the road. Additionally a good surveyor will not waste\ntime on unrealistic findings from a poor surveyor. Of course, not all brokers\nare reputable<\/a>, so in the end, it is up to the buyer\nto find someone they are comfortable with and feel they can trust. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                As mentioned\nthere is no license or certification for surveyors and anyone can call\nthemselves a marine surveyor even if they do not have any background in marine\nconstruction. When looking for a surveyor first check if that surveyor belongs\nto at least one of the surveyor organizations. Additionally, they should belong\nto at least a couple of the larger marine safety organizations such as ABYC and\nNFPA.  Next check their background within\nthe marine industry. Make sure they have a strong background in the type of\nboat or equipment you are needing surveyed. You do not want to hire someone who\nhas 20 years as a first mate on a cruise ship to survey a small sailboat. Find\na surveyor who has the types of experience that best fit the need. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Thankfully\nin this internet world it can be fairly easy to find a surveyor who fits your\nneeds. Most surveyors will have a web site listing their background and\nexperience. If a surveyor does not have a web site listing their background,\nexperience, qualifications, and organizational memberships you may want to pass\nthem by. Many surveyors will also provide a copy of a sample report along with\nother examples of their work on their websites. You may also want to check\ntheir Google ratings and any feedback they may have online. I have known many\nthat have asked in boating groups or forums for recommendations.. This can be\nhelpful particularly if those responding have firsthand experience with a\nsurveyor. In today\u2019s cyber world, word of mouth often comes from online groups\nand forums. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                After\nselecting a couple of likely candidates for the type of survey needed, it is\ntime to talk to the candidates\u2019 one on one. Make a couple of phone calls to get\na feel for the person you will be working with. Don\u2019t be afraid to ask questions\nabout their background in the marine industry and particularly with the type\nand brand of boat you are needing a survey for. Ask just what they do and lok\nat during their inspections. Make sure to check that they are accredited in\ntheir field and that their reports are accepted by banks and insurance\ncompanies. Find out how much time they spend doing the inspection, this will\ngive you a feel for how through they are. Find out what is included in the\nfinal report and how long it will take to get the report after the inspection\nis done. Also check that the surveyors schedule will work with yours. Most good\nsurveyors tend to be booked a week or two in advance, do not wait until the\nlast minute to start the search. Finally be sure to ask about fees and what is included\nin those fees. Find out if there are additional fees for travel, water trials\nor anything else. I always say, \u201ctrust your gut feeling\u201d this applies as well\nwhen hiring a surveyor. This is why it is important to talk to more than one\nsurveyor prior to hiring anyone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Once a\nsurveyor is selected it is time to start scheduling and getting prepared for\nthe survey. Pre-purchase surveys tend to be the most complex to set up as more\npeople are often involved. If a broker is being used either by the seller of\nbuyer it is usually best to let them arrange for all the scheduling. Setting up\na pre-purchase survey can be a bit like herding cats when it comes to making\nsure everyone\u2019s schedules work. Brokers are used to this process and it is part\nof what they do. They can coordinate with owners, surveyors including hull,\nengine and rigging surveyor as well as with the boat yards for haul outs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Make sure arraignments have\nbeen made for all the services needed, including scheduling as well as payments\nand work orders needing to be signed. Most boat yards and surveyors will expect\npayment the time of the survey or haul out. Many will also require work orders\nbe signed in advance of doing any work. If planning on attending the survey\nthis is not usually a problem but if you are not going to be there the day of\nsurvey you may need to complete these forms and payments ahead of time. Some\nyards and surveyors may also require a deposit to hold a time slot open for the\ninspection, some may also charge a fee for cancelations. Not all boat yards or\nsurveyors will take credit cards or checks either. Some will only except cash\nor may offer a discount for cash so it pays to check ahead. Some yards and\nsurveyors may also require a deposit. It is best to have all these details\nworked out ahead of time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                For the\nspecialized surveys such as damage, rigging, and engines surveys done alone\nscheduling is not as much of an issue and less preplanning needs to be done\nunless these all occur at the same time as the purchase survey. That said it\nmay be required to provide some information in advance. Engine surveyors are\nlikely to want engine model and serial numbers. With damage surveys photos and\na detailed description of the damage and how it occurred is helpful. No matter\nthe type of survey being done, the more information a surveyor ahead of time,\nthe better prepared they will be on the day of inspection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Survey Limitations.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                 Any survey is an inspection of a vessel or\nequipment at a single place in time and is limited in its scoop due to time\nrestraints and physical limitations. It is not and cannot be a warranty of the\nfuture condition or performance of a boat and its gear. Cost is also plays a\npart, as a truly full inspection would require days with disassembly of a good\npart of the boat or gear. No owner is going to allow a surveyor to start\ndrilling holes or removing parts of the boat to gain full access. Likewise someone\nhiring a surveyor is not going to want to cover the costs of days spent on the\nboat taking things apart and putting them back together. A compromise will have\nto be made to allow the best inspection possible at a fair cost without doing\nharm to the vessel being inspected. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                On\nlarger boats due to time limitations it is often not possible to fully operate\nall gear and equipment. A fuel gauge becomes a good example of this. It would\nsimply not be practical to fill the tank and then run all the fuel out to fully\ntest the full operation of the gauge. Most equipment is just tested for basic\noperation. With some expensive high end boats specialists are hired to focus on\nonly certain equipment such as electronics. For the average survey the cost\nwould simply be too high to have a group of specialists fully test everything. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                A\nsurveyor\u2019s test equipment is also limited in that it should not damage what is\nbeing tested. A surveyor\u2019s test instruments may indicate a potential problem\nbut without some form of destructive testing such as boring holes or removing\nfixed equipment a problem cannot be fully evaluated. Once again, most owners\nare not willing to let a surveyor pull out a drill and start boring test holes\nin their boat. In the end it is cost verses expectation. A truly through\ninspection of any boat it would require more time and expense than most buyers\nor owners are will to pay for. Like most things in life a balance of cost and\nthoroughness has to be maintained. Buyers and owners must keep this in mind\nwhen hiring a surveyor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Expectations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Knowing\nthe limitations there are some things you should expect from a good survey. Any\nfull or hull survey will include a complete structural inspection of the hull, deck,\nalong with the internal structural components. Once again due to limited access\nnot all areas of the hull and structure can be fully inspected. If often\ndepends on the boat but a good surveyor will do their best to access as much of\nthe structure as possible. With fiberglass boats the surveyor should check for\ndelamination in the hull and deck as well as accessible internal structures. Laminates\nshould be checked with a moisture meter to verify they are within normal\nranges. High moisture levels can indicate potential problems. Acoustic\nsoundings are also made on both fiberglass and wood boats. This is a fancy way\nof referring to the light tapping a surveyor does. This tapping can often\nreveal hidden problems or soft spots that will need further investigation. For\nmetal boats ultrasonic testing would be done to verify plate thickness and\nwastage. The hull should be checked with the vessel out of the water for better\naccess. No inspection would be complete without checking the bottom for\nblistering or other issues as well. Wood and metal boats require specialized\nknowledge and equipment. A surveyor well versed in these materials should be\nhired when looking into these vessels. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Along\nwith the hull and structure the surveyor will inspect the vessels systems including\nelectrical, plumbing, and engine along with its systems. A good surveyor will\nbe well versed in the standards in place for these systems as well. A good hull\nsurveyor will also check the engine or engines while running as well as off.\nMost hull surveyors will not go so far as to do compression checks or other\ntests involving taking things apart but they will check for fluid leaks\noperating temperatures and other performance factors. They will check that the\nengines run up to proper RPM and do not smoke or overheat while doing so. Most\nwill check the engines while running at different RPMs. They will also check\nfor water, fuel, or exhaust leaks during operation. They will also check the\ntransmission, noting any difficulty in shifting or unusual noises or vibrations\nduring operation. This is also a good time for the surveyor to check the\noperation of the steering systems as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                For\nmotors with high hours on them or should anything not appear right during the\nwater trial a mechanic should be used to further check the motors. This is\nsometimes done in conjunction with the hull survey or may be done after should\nanything be found not right with the motors during the hull survey. Most hull\nsurveyors do will not do compression checks or be able to download ECM data\nfrom the engines although a few will. It is best to check when hiring a\nsurveyor what mechanical checks they can and will do.  For motors with low hours and good service\nrecords hiring an engine surveyor may not be needed but can offer some piece of\nmind. With outboard motors and gasoline inboards it can be a good idea to have\na compression check done. For motors with high hours you may also want a bleed\ndown test. A bleed down is where the mechanic introduces compressed air into a\ncylinder and times how long it takes for the pressure to bleed down. It is also\na good to have oil samples taken for analysis. This can give an indication of\nany contaminates such as fuel, water, and coolant that is in the oil. It will\nalso show if there are any excessive wear metals that could point to future\nissues. Most hull surveyors can take oil samples but many charge extra for this\nservice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                The\nrunning gear including the propellers, shafts, struts and stuffing boxes should\nall be checked for problems or wear as well. For Inboard\/outboard drive the\ndrive units and transom plates should be inspected for wear. For outboards the\ntransom mounts and the transom itself are inspected and problems noted. Once\nagain, all good reasons to have the boat out of the water for a close\ninspection. The steering systems should also be checked and any excessive play,\nstiffness and general condition. Rudders, bearings and seals need to be\nchecked. Hydraulic systems are checked for leaks while mechanical systems are\nchecked for wear. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                With\nsailboats the propulsion system will also include the mast, sails and rigging.\nNo inspection would be complete without at minimum, a visual on-deck inspection\nof the standing and running rigging. Not many surveyors will do a full aloft\nrigging and mast inspection so for larger boats with older rigging, it may be\nwise to hire a rigger to go aloft for a closer inspection. If the rigging is\nnewer (Being less than 10 years old.) this may not be needed. If problems are\nfound at the deck level it would be wise to assume there are problems aloft as\nwell. Winches and other sailing gear should be checked for general operation\nand condition. Usually during the water trial, the basic sails are raised and\nlowered and some sailing may be done to evaluate the fit and trim of the sails.\nThis allows the surveyor to inspect the sails while making sure all the sail\nhandling equipment works as it should. Due to time limitations the bagged sails\nare not usually set but will be inspected in the bags or if possible opened up\nand laid out on the dock or ground for a closer inspection. If there is a large\nsail inventory or for expensive racing sails it may be best to take the sails\nto a sail maker for full evaluation Surveyors should also pay attention to mast\nsupports, partners and mast steps or bases checking for signs of problems. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                In\ntoday\u2019s modern world even small boats will often have fairly complicated\nelectrical systems requiring careful inspections. Simple electrical systems can\npose significant safety hazards and should be checked carefully. Vessels with\nmore complicated systems using both AC and DC power need even more attention.\nAny general hull surveyor should be well versed in understanding these systems\nalong with the safety standards applied to them. With modern electronics and\ncreature comforts such as air conditioning and refrigeration and complex\nnavigation systems a boats electrical systems can get complicated fast. It is\noften the after-market installations that can be the most problematic as these\nmay not always have been installed by qualified technicians. A good surveyor\nwill be able to spot and note problems and potential safety hazards before they\nbecome a serious issue. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Along\nwith electrical systems, plumbing systems, will require a good inspection as\nwell. Even small boats will often have some basic plumbing with, at least, a\nbilge pump and some waste plumbing. Larger boats can have surprisingly complex plumbing\nsystems comprising of fresh, grey, black, and raw water systems. Let\u2019s not\nforget fuels systems, some with multiple tanks and valves. All these separate\nsystems use pumps, hoses, fittings, thru hulls and tanks. These systems all\nhave components and connections that will require close inspection for\npotential problems. Particular attention should be paid to thru hulls and\nseacock along with the fittings and hoses attached to them. As these underwater\nfittings and hoses could potentially allow water into the boat they need to be\nchecked closely. Fresh water and drain systems should also be checked for\nproper operation. Waste systems need to be checked not only for operation but\nthat they comply with Federal and state laws for overboard discharge. Fuels\nsystems and tanks also need to meet basic safety standards. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                A good\nsurvey will also check the boats safety equipment making sure that at least\nequipment required by the USCG is aboard and in working condition. . This would\ninclude life vests, fire extinguishers, visual distress, and other equipment\nrequired by law for the particular type and class of vessel. Along with\nrequired equipment they will also check optional gear such as life rafts,\nEPRB\u2019s, and CO monitors. Although not always required, this additional\nequipment needs to be checked and serviced on a regular basis as well if it is\nto function in an emergency. This optional equipment often gets overlooked in\nthe boats routine maintenance. The surveyor will let the owner know what\nequipment is due for service or replacement. They may also make recommendations\nfor additional safety gear depending on how the boat is planned to be used.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                A\npre-purchase or insurance survey will also provide a valuation of the boat\nbased on current market value. In order to place a value on any boat the\nsurveyor must know the overall condition and equipment list. They will use this\ninformation to compare what other boats of the same model and year are selling\nfor or have sold for. If the boat is not a common one they will compare similar\nboats. Many factors are considered but, in the end, it comes down to an\neducated guess using as much information as possible. Like they say a boat is\nworth what any damn fool will pay for it. Unlike cars where a Blue book value\ncan easily be looked up, boat values can vary wildly based on many factors beyond\njust age and engine hours. Not all owners may agree with the value the surveyor\nsets but a good surveyor will do the research and comparisons to set a fair\nvalue. Values can change based on economic conditions as well. During periods\nof economic recession\u2019s boat values tend to drop, likewise they may rebound\nduring strong economic conditions. The value the surveyor sets is the value\nmost banks and insurance companies will use as this is considered an\nindependent and fair valuation. This is often referred to as the \u201cAgreed Value\u201d\nas all parties agree to use this value. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When do you need to\nhire a Surveyor?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Knowing\nwhen to hire a surveyor is confusing for some. For the most part, anytime\nsomeone is thinking about purchasing a used boat a survey should be considered.\nBoats smaller than 20 feet, a full survey may not be necessary, however an\nengine survey may be worth considering.  As\nthe engine is often the most expensive part of a smaller boat it might be best\nto check it first. Any vessel larger than 25 feet or so a full survey should be\nconsidered. Experienced boaters my feel they know how to spot problems and may\nfeel they do not need a survey. Experience helps but an outside opinion from\nsomeone who is not emotionally or financially attached to the boat may have a\nunbiased opinion of the boats true condition. Some buyers skip the survey to\nsave costs only to have to have a survey to obtain insurance. Before buying any\nboat, it is wise to find out if your insurance company requires a survey and if\nso what they may need in the survey. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Even if\nthe boat being purchased is a project boat, a survey should be considered to at\nleast know what you are getting into and help avoid serious issues that could\ncost more than expected. Some project boats have structural issues and may not\nbe worth fixing. A good survey will also help with developing a project list to\nget the work stated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Most\nbuyers of new boats never consider a survey but it could save time and\nfrustration to have a surveyor look over that new purchase. Although most new\nboats are well built, problems can and do occur. Builders for the most part\nwant to deliver a problem free product but defects do occasionally get past the\nquality inspectors. Finding these problems before taking final delivery can\nsave precious time on the water. Most new boats are assembled to an extent by\nthe dealer. Installing outboards, arches, and even flybridge are often done by\na dealer. The buyer needs to know all this work has been done correctly to\navoid future problems and warranty claims. \nAlthough most new boat do come with a warranty who wants to waste time\nbringing a boat back to the dealer for warranty work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Most\ninsurance companies will require a survey when first obtaining insurance and\nsome require a new survey every five years or so depending on the age and value\nof the boat. Insurance carriers may also require a new survey when any major\nchanges to the policy are made such as when the boat is moved to a new location\nor a value adjust is required due to upgrades. Normally, an insurance survey is\nnot quite as detailed as a pre-purchase survey but before hiring anyone to do\nan insurance survey it helps to know just what your insurance carrier expects\nfrom the survey. Some will require the boat be hauled for an out of water\ninspection while others may only require a simple in water survey. For some\ntypes of boats it may be required that trial runs and engine tests be\nperformed. Before conducting an insurance survey it is best to know what will\nbe expected from your carrier. Almost all insurance companies require the\nsurveyor be a member of SAMS or NAMS, so check the surveyor memberships before\nhiring anyone. Banks will also require a survey when financing or refinancing a\nboat. Like insurance companies, banks need to know the boats condition and\nvalue before releasing a loan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Damage,\neither from an accident or from storms may be another reason to hire a\nqualified surveyor. Often your insurance carrier will hire a surveyor or\nadjuster but there may be times you will want someone to protect your interests\nas well as those of the insurance company. A surveyor working directly with you\ncan help make sure all damage is covered and all the repairs are done in a good\nworkmanship way. A damage survey with a record of the repairs can also be\nhelpful when selling to boat at a later date. These records will show the boat\nwas properly repaired. Sometimes an insurance company will deny a claim. An independent\nsurvey may not always change their mind but it is the best place to start\nshould there be a dispute. When hiring a damage surveyor make sure they have a\nstrong background in repair work.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Rigging\nsurveys are often done when buying a larger used sailboat. Some insurance\ncompanies will require this be part of the pre-purchase or insurance survey.\nMany sailors will want a thorough inspection of their rigging prior to an\noffshore passage. Most rigging surveys are done by an experienced rigger rather\nthan a hull surveyor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Survey Day<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Knowing\nwhat to expect the day of the survey can help in planning. Every surveyor is a\nbit different will and do things a bit differently so it is best to see how\nthey like to work. Planning ahead and getting the boat ready prior to the\nsurvey will save time and allows the survey to go smoothly. Once again a\npre-purchase survey will be the most complex and require the most planning. If\nyou are buying a boat through a broker it is best to let them do most of the\ncoordinating and planning. They are used to dealing with all the players and\nwill know how to best schedule everything. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                It is\nbest if the boat can be prepared prior to survey date. Equipment and gear not\nbeing sold with the boat should be removed. Any equipment that is being sold\nwith the boat should be aboard for the survey. Telling the surveyor you have\nsails, a trailer, or other gear in storage across town is not helpful and could\nreduce the value of the boat. A surveyor can only report on what they see\nfirsthand and most will charge extra if they have to drive to another location\nto physically inspect additional gear.     If\ntides or bridges are an issue the boat should be relocated to where it can be\nmoved as needed. The seller should go through the boat a couple of days in\nadvance to power up and test equipment and engines ahead of time. It never\nceases to surprise me when I arrive for a survey and batteries are dead or\nengines will not run. For the seller this usually means a lost sale and for the\nbuyer often it means wasted money. The buyer should ask at least 2 days in\nadvance, if all of these things have been done. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Most\nhull surveyors will start first thing in the morning to allow time for\neverything that needs to be done. Most hull and engine surveyors will want to\nspend some time in the engine compartment prior to starting the engines and\ngetting them hot. Most surveyors prefer to have a cold start of the motors to\ncheck for starting issues or excessive smoke on cold start. If an engine\nsurveyor is used make sure they can work with the hull surveyors schedule and\nvice versa. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                If a\nwater trial is to be run the owner or someone else will need to be available to\nrun the boat. Most surveyors will not do this as they cannot check systems and\noperate the boat at the same time. Timing of this is often done in coordination\nwith the haul out yard and an engine surveyor if one is used. It is best to\nconduct trials and collect data after the boat has had an out of water\ninspection. This is to ensure the bottom is clean and the running gear is in\ngood order. Often an engine surveyor will want to be aboard for the trials as\nwell. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Once\nthe haul out and water trial are complete the remained of the survey can be\ncompleted back at the dock. The remaining equipment and gear can be tested and\nfor sailboats a rigging inspection can be done. \nOil samples may be taken at this point while the engines are still warm\nfor running. Once the full survey is complete the surveyor will usually take\nsome time to review over the findings with the buyer. The buyer may or may not\nwant the seller and his broker present for this review. As a surveyor I tend to\nfind things go better with fewer people present. Owners and their brokers may\nwant to argue about the findings or try to indicate they are small problems.\nThis can make it hard for the surveyor to offer their unbiased opinions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                With\ninsurance surveys the owner will need to find the insurance company\nrequirements for a survey. You may need to specifically ask if they need an out\nof water inspection, rigging inspection, or water trials run. If the owner is\nshopping insurance it would be best to do a full out of water inspection so\nthat there will be no problems. Once again try to make sure all the equipment\nis operating properly. Inspect all the vessels safety equipment as well and\nmake sure all the required equipment is aboard and certifications are up to\ndate. The fewer deficiencies the surveyor needs to put in the report the\nbetter. That said do not ask the surveyor to omit findings, this is unethical\nand a report with not findings could alert the insurance company to possible\nproblems as no boat is perfect and they know this. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                When\ngetting an engine survey try to get model and serial numbers for engines,\ngenerators, and transmissions ahead of time. If oil samples are to prove useful\nthe oil should have at least ten to 20 hours of normal use. If a seller changes\nthe oil days before the survey it could be a warning sign. Make sure the engine\nsurveyor will have and easy access to the engines from all sides possible. If\nplanning on staying close to the engine surveyor while he is doing running\ninspections it would be good to bring hearing protection for yourself. An\nengine survey is a good time to learn about the motors so it would be good to\nwatch during this process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                The\nrigging survey may be one of the easiest as the owner often does not even need\nto be present although like any survey being there to observe and ask questions\nis not a bad idea. Let the rigging know the age of the rigging if known and\ntell them about how the boat has been used and where. Also let them know how\nyou plan to use the boat in the future. All this will help when it comes to\nevaluating the lifespan of the rigging. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Should\nyou need a damage survey it is helpful to provide a description of the damage\nand how it occurred? Damage claims can sometime lead to litigation so the more\ndetail about date\u2019s places and times as well as persons present the better. If\nthe boat has to be moved try to get some photos of it prior to being moved away\nfrom the location where the damage occurred. Provide as much of this as\npossible to the surveyor as their report is a legal document and could prove\nuseful. The surveyor can also review the repair estimates to make sure they\ncover all of the damage and are priced fairly. Also make sure the surveyor has\nfull access to the boat. If the owner will not be present a letter of\nauthorization should be provided. Contact any boat yards or storage facilities\nto let them know your surveyor will be looking at the boat. Looting can be an\nissue with damaged boats so you would not want any confusion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Of\ncourse when it comes to planning a survey all of the above is subject to change\nbased on the schedules of everyone involved along with the boat yards schedules\nfor hauling. Try to allow at least one or two weeks prior to the survey to\nstart scheduling. Check closing dates on purchase agreements, these can often\nbe extended if need be. It pays to ask lots of questions before the survey. The\nmore professional everyone involved is the smoother survey day will go. Do not\nhire surveyors on price alone as in the end it could cost you. Take the time to\nfind someone you will feel comfortable working with and the process will not be\nas painful as it sometimes sounds. A good survey can pay for itself in savings\nover the long run. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Background                 I have found over the years that many of my clients do not really understand what a marine survey is or just what a marine surveyor does. Knowing […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[19,16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-827","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-articles","category-marine-survey"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4jPtf-dl","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.4abetterboat.com\/WP\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/827","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.4abetterboat.com\/WP\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.4abetterboat.com\/WP\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.4abetterboat.com\/WP\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.4abetterboat.com\/WP\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=827"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.4abetterboat.com\/WP\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/827\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":828,"href":"http:\/\/www.4abetterboat.com\/WP\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/827\/revisions\/828"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.4abetterboat.com\/WP\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=827"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.4abetterboat.com\/WP\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=827"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.4abetterboat.com\/WP\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=827"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}