| ng a yacht before making your final purchase | | | | recommendations. |
| decision is critical. You need to know what kind of | | | | You can also do your own search for a surveyor |
| condition the boat is in and whether all systems | | | | by going to the Websites for the National |
| are in good working order. Surveys are meant to | | | | Association of Marine Surveyors (NAMS) or the |
| protect you from unpleasant surprises. | | | | Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors (SAMS). |
| The majority of marine insurance and finance | | | | NAMS requires their members to have several |
| companies will insist on a survey not more than | | | | years of experience and that they attend |
| three months old before they will insure or finance | | | | workshops and seminars to update their skills. You |
| a vessel. Check in advance that your insurance | | | | can search for surveyors in your area or close to |
| and finance company will accept your surveyor | | | | the location of the vessel you wish to purchase. |
| choices. | | | | Find someone close to the boat if you can as |
| Once you and the seller have settled on a price | | | | surveyors will charge by the hour for travel. |
| and you are in possession of a Purchase and Sale | | | | Survey day is Judgment Day! Survey day |
| Agreement signed by you and the seller, the | | | | typically has you meeting with your surveyors, |
| yacht is then taken off the market until you | | | | the seller or his representative, someone to |
| make your final decision to purchase. Your deposit | | | | operate the yacht during the day, and your yacht |
| money is safely tucked away in your yacht | | | | broker if you are using one. Surveys on small to |
| broker’s escrow account. The purchase | | | | medium size yachts can usually be accomplished in |
| agreement allows a window of usually two to | | | | less than a day. Larger vessels can take up to a |
| four weeks for you to have the vessel inspected. | | | | week to inspect all systems. |
| Every boat should be surveyed before you lay | | | | Arrange with a boat yard to have the yacht |
| out your hard earned cash and take possession; | | | | hauled out on the day of the survey so that |
| this includes new boats that have just been | | | | everything below the waterline can be inspected. |
| delivered from the builder. I have not met a new | | | | You will need to tell the yard manager when you |
| boat yet that arrived in perfect condition with all | | | | want the boat hauled and the size and make of |
| systems working and all flaws corrected. Float | | | | the vessel. |
| switches are not working, engine mounts are not | | | | The survey day schedule will have everyone |
| secure, nicks in the Gelcoat have not been fixed, | | | | meeting at the boat first thing in the morning to |
| screws are missing and the list goes on. I have | | | | start the survey. Surveyors like to do engine |
| seen five page lists of items that need to be | | | | room work when the engines are cold. When that |
| fixed on a brand new boat that need approval by | | | | work is completed the boat is run to the haul out |
| the builder. Getting a survey done will save you a | | | | facility that you have selected. The boat is hauled |
| lot of money and oftentimes months of | | | | to facilitate the inspection of everything below the |
| aggravation in warranty claims. | | | | waterline. This includes the hull, struts, shafts and |
| An engine survey and general hull survey are | | | | bearings, props, through hull fittings and anything |
| recommended; this requires two surveyors. The | | | | else that lurks down there. |
| engine survey should be done by a qualified | | | | Note that you should always insist on the boat |
| mechanic for the type of engines on the yacht. | | | | being hauled. I remember several years ago |
| Have the engine surveyor inspect the generator | | | | surveying a fairly new 57-foot Motoryacht in |
| as well. My experience has been that most | | | | Miami, FL. We took the boat for a sea trial and |
| general or hull surveyors will be able to | | | | then back up the Miami River to a boatyard. |
| recommend engine surveyors if you do not have | | | | When the yacht was hauled we discovered a |
| a personal preference. | | | | section of the hull below the waterline about |
| It is helpful to keep in mind whenever selecting | | | | 3-feet by 6-feet had delaminated during the sea |
| people to assist you in your boat purchase to try | | | | trial. A call to the builder in Seattle verified that |
| and choose those with no conflict of interest in | | | | they would pay for the repair and re-inspection |
| working for you. For example, asking the local | | | | and the sale went to closing. If we had not done |
| dealer for the engine type on the boat that you | | | | the haul out, my client would have discovered the |
| are buying to do an engine survey may not be | | | | problem at his next boatyard visit. That would |
| the most helpful choice. Your new boat is potential | | | | likely have resulted in a law suit or some type of |
| new business for that engine dealer in future | | | | legal action involving several people. Clearly the |
| repairs and maintenance. Those engines could get | | | | lesson here is to always, always have an |
| a clean bill of health during the survey only for | | | | inspection done below the waterline. |
| you to discover they require a major overhaul | | | | The yacht is placed back in the water for a sea |
| once you take delivery. It may be a wiser choice | | | | trial and the completion of the survey. Be |
| to select a qualified mechanic to do the inspection | | | | prepared to pay all surveyors before they leave |
| who is not the local dealer for those engines. | | | | the yacht at the end of the day. You will also be |
| The general or hull surveyor inspects all of the | | | | required to pay for the haul out before the vessel |
| other systems on the vessel. This will include but | | | | is put back in the water. |
| is not limited to the condition of the hull and deck, | | | | Most surveyors will give you a report of their |
| running gear, appliances, furnishings, bilge pumps, | | | | findings during the course of the day with a |
| and sanitation systems. | | | | verbal summary before leaving the yacht. That |
| Sailboat buyers will also want to employ a rigging | | | | will be followed by a written report by email and a |
| surveyor. Rigging surveyors have specialized | | | | hard copy by snail mail generally within a couple of |
| knowledge in standing rigging, deck hardware, and | | | | days depending on the size of the boat and length |
| sails that general surveyors usually do not have. | | | | of the survey. |
| To find someone qualified to inspect sailboat | | | | The advantage of having both the listing and |
| rigging check the nearest sail loft or ask around at | | | | selling broker present at the survey is that you |
| your local yacht club. | | | | can often negotiate to have the seller fix items |
| If you do not know a surveyor personally, have | | | | that have come up during the survey, or ask for |
| your yacht broker refer you to someone. I | | | | an appropriate price reduction — on the |
| always recommend three or four surveyors to | | | | spot. |
| my clients from which to choose to ensure that | | | | When you receive the survey results you will |
| there is no perceived conflict of interest. It stands | | | | have the information necessary to make a |
| to reason that if I have an interest in you buying | | | | decision to accept the vessel as is, ask to have |
| the boat so that I can earn a commission, then I | | | | certain issues corrected before accepting the |
| should not be telling you who would be your best | | | | yacht or reject the boat and get your deposit |
| choice in verifying the condition of the boat under | | | | back. |
| consideration. You should be a little suspect if your | | | | Once the survey repairs have been completed |
| broker insists that you use the surveyor that he | | | | have your original surveyors re-inspect the boat |
| recommends. When the boat is located in a part | | | | to verify that the repairs were done to their |
| of the world that I am not familiar with I will call a | | | | specifications. |
| broker colleague who works in that location for | | | | |