Always Survey?

B

Brian77

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Sep 4, 2010
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32320
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I'm new to boating and I have been hitting the internet trying to find out as much information as possible before I buy my first boat.

From everything I've read I know that most people view the survey as mandatory, but I have never seen the selling prices these boats are going for. What I mean is, should I get a survey regardless of the price or type of boat?

I am looking at a couple 31' early to mid 80's SeaRay's in the $10k-$13k range. One of my good friends is a boat mechanic and will be checking the boats out with me and I wonder if I need to spend the extra money on a survey. I feel that it would be a no brainer if I were spending $25k or more, but is it still worth it for me? Factoring in the survey and hauling fees I'm estimating about $1,000 (high estimate) which is about 10% of the price of the boat...

Thanks,

Brian
 
Your insurance carrier might require a survey on a boat that old.

Do you know how to test for moisture in the hull/stringers? Do you know what to look for with regard to electrical(AC & DC)issues?
 
the less you know the more you need a survey. simpler boats usually cost less to survey. A survey has never cost me anything because the third party data is useful to get an allowance for the required repairs.
IMO you need expert help to avoid serious problems.
 
" Factoring in the survey and hauling fees I'm estimating about $1,000 (high estimate) which is about 10% of the price of the boat..."

Uh, would buy the boat without looking at the bottom first? ( either you or a surveyor or both )

Regardless of who actually does it, all of the actions of a surveyor need to be done. You pay the surveyor because of the knowledgeable, practiced eye, but regardless you still need to perform all of these inspections prior to sale.

So, the haul out charges are there regardless of who looks at the bottom. And you do not go about surveying every boat you look at, but only the boat you have already looked at and are about to buy.

In addition, the survey gives you something to use in the event something expensive needs to be remedied.

Unless you are willing to purchase a $10,000.00 "surprise box", then a survey is a good idea.

--

Note that a survey is more than a bargaining tool. After the purchase it gives you a to-do list...
 
The cost of a survey is always justified by the findings. Let me know if i can be of help to you.
 
Brian,

Listen to Al. He is very very good at what he does.
 
Thanks for everyone's advice. As I said in my post I was going to have my mechanic friend look at it regardless, but it sounds like it will be a good idea to have a survey done as well. As Bill states, I'm going to have it hauled anyway, so the cost of the survey really isn't that much more and an extra set of eyes can't hurt.

Thanks for the help!
 
If you're new to boating (and even if you're not) also consider the education you get from being with a good surveyor while he surveys your boat. You can ask a ton of questions and learn a lot about systems and maintenance.
 
Now that I've decided to do the survey I am looking forward to everything I will learn about the boat. I've gone to look at a bunch of boats over the past month and I've even learned a lot by just talking to the owners. I will be looking at a few boats with my mechanic friend this weekend, and if I find something I like and the mechanic approves I will make an offer conditional on a survey.
 
FYI: There are two "types" of survey.

Engine survey
Hull survey

Sometimes, with experienced surveyors, bot will be performed ( properly ). Sometimes, it is two different individuals. Know what you will be getting, prior to hiring a surveyor.

( You are hunting with a mechanic "in your pocket", so to speak, and this might not be an issue. ) If the surveyor offers both, having two separate opinions could be quite useful.

The bottom line is to have professionals do the "quality control". While they likely will not catch everything ( nature of the beast ) they should catch almost all issues.
 
Good plan....with a survery...it's not what you are spending to buy the boat that justifies it...it's what you would spend to fix the problems that the survey could have found...that justify it...for example...fixing rotted wood cores can exceed the value of the boat...and s nasty itchy toxic work to do yourself...you want to walk away from any boat with significant wood rot...
 
Not only that, if (when) the surveyor finds deficiencies, you can use his report to negotiate a lower price.
 
IMO, you'll need to be somewhat realistic with your survey. That vintage and model boat you are going to find some issues. Some will be deal killers. Others will give you a punch list of things to do. You're really looking for major structural issues which will cost more to repair than the boat is worth. Good luck.
 
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