Vic Smith wrote:
On Mon, 13 Aug 2007 01:05:01 +0000, Larry wrote:

cavelamb himself wrote in news:ZWNvi.17489
$SV4.5430@trnddc08:

It says "All items aloft (spars, rigging, fittings, hardware, etc)
should be visually inspected for condition by a qualified/experienced
yacht rigger or equivelent".

Is this normal for a professional survey?


You don't expect a old fat guy, swaggering around like Hitler in Sperry
Topsiders, floppy Panama Jack hat and expensive yacht club clothes, to
climb the mast and know what he's looking at just because he's charging
you hundreds of dollars for a few minutes of his time walking around the
boat, do you?

You certainly don't expect him to show up in DIRTY COVERALLS ready to
really dig around under the engine to see how much is left of the
stringers/hull/engine mounts/leaky things, either, right?

One of them got ****ed at me when I asked him if he wasn't going to get
those nice clothes and shoes all dirty doing a proper inspection in the
bilge of an old Hatteras down our docks. The guy who hired him heard me
ask him and asked me what I was talking about. My reply was, "How is
anyone going to see what the engine, plumbing and electrical problems are
without getting all dirty LOOKING for them? He doesn't look clairvoyant
to me."

Someone needs to throw those goddamned hats overboard, kick their sorry
asses and tell 'em to get to work doing what buyers are paying them to
do. It's not about looking like the bogus Commodore of the yacht club.

I think surveyors should look just like engine mechanics coming down the
dock. It'd also be nice if they had half the mechanic's brains and
experience, too.

Funny stuff, Larry. And I agree. Five marine surveyors are required
if you can't do it yourself:
Rigging - qualified rigger/sailor
Engine - qualified engine mechanic
Plumbing - qualified plumber
Electrical - qualified electrician
Structure - qualified hull tech
Then get the optional "official surveyor" if you need him for
insurance.
You could get the first 5 for a beer each if you know them, or
50 bucks each if you don't. Probably save you some money and
surprises in the long run.

--Vic

You certainly won't get a good rigger out here (So. Calif.) to go aloft
and really inspect everything for $50.

Alan Gomes