The gospel is that one gets a survey done. Has anyone found this
useful, apart from your own experience looking at a boat, especially
for cheap ($10K) boat? Is it worth it to get a survey done since on a
28' boat this costs about $600 in the NY area.

I know they're legally on the hook for certain things, but most
surveyors I've talked to don't do mechanical surveys apart from a sea
trial. (On my first boat, I had a mechanic do a compression check on
the engine). They have enough caveats built into the report to enable
them to avoid unpleasantness.

Having the boat pulled from the water and looking at the hull seems to
be their main focus, along with tapping the hull with a small hammer
looking for soft spots. I have seen blistering and patching on hulls,
etc.. The also turn on and off various systems...but so what?

opinions?

On Jul 17, 11:20*am, wf3h wrote:
The gospel is that one gets a survey done. Has anyone found this
useful, apart from your own experience looking at a boat, especially
for cheap ($10K) *boat? Is it worth it to get a survey done since on a
28' boat this costs about $600 in the NY area.

I know they're legally on the hook for certain things, but most
surveyors I've talked to don't do mechanical surveys apart from a sea
trial. (On my first boat, I had a mechanic do a compression check on
the engine). They have enough caveats built into the report to enable
them to avoid unpleasantness.

Having the boat pulled from the water and looking at the hull seems to
be their main focus, along with tapping the hull with a small hammer
looking for soft spots. *I have seen blistering and patching on hulls,
etc.. *The also turn on and off various systems...but so what?

opinions?

The answer depends on your level of expertise and if $10,000 is a lot
of money for you to take a reasonable risk. Some insurance companies,
even for liability only insurance will require some level of survey
although this may cost a lot less than a full survey. To insure my
homebuilt 20' Tolman cost only $100 and he did very little except to
verify I had the coast guard minimum requirements. A survey on my 28'
S2 years ago when I bought her for $19,000 was about $300 and although
it did not uncover anything I did not know was a confidence builder
for me.
I would wonder, Why is the boat cheap? is it cheap because it was
originally poor construction? Is it cheap because of damage? Is it
cheap because it is simply worn out?

wf3h wrote:
The gospel is that one gets a survey done. Has anyone found this
useful, apart from your own experience looking at a boat, especially
for cheap ($10K) boat? Is it worth it to get a survey done since on a
28' boat this costs about $600 in the NY area.

I know they're legally on the hook for certain things, but most
surveyors I've talked to don't do mechanical surveys apart from a sea
trial. (On my first boat, I had a mechanic do a compression check on
the engine). They have enough caveats built into the report to enable
them to avoid unpleasantness.

Having the boat pulled from the water and looking at the hull seems to
be their main focus, along with tapping the hull with a small hammer
looking for soft spots. I have seen blistering and patching on hulls,
etc.. The also turn on and off various systems...but so what?

opinions?


I don't think it worthwhile to get a survey done on a $10,000 boat. What
would be worthwhile is taking along a boating/mechanic friend for a boat
ride during which he or she checks out *all* the systems to find out
what is working and what is now, and also spend some time checking out
the engine, transmission and exhaust, and if you can get to it, the fuel
tank. Repairing any of the latter may cost big bucks.

If there is structural wood in the boat (in the transom, under the
decks, et cetera) you need to check for rot.

What can go wrong on a boat? Everything.

On Jul 17, 11:30*am, Frogwatch wrote:
On Jul 17, 11:20*am, wf3h wrote:





The gospel is that one gets a survey done. Has anyone found this
useful, apart from your own experience looking at a boat, especially
for cheap ($10K) *boat? Is it worth it to get a survey done since on a
28' boat this costs about $600 in the NY area.

I know they're legally on the hook for certain things, but most
surveyors I've talked to don't do mechanical surveys apart from a sea
trial. (On my first boat, I had a mechanic do a compression check on
the engine). They have enough caveats built into the report to enable
them to avoid unpleasantness.

Having the boat pulled from the water and looking at the hull seems to
be their main focus, along with tapping the hull with a small hammer
looking for soft spots. *I have seen blistering and patching on hulls,
etc.. *The also turn on and off various systems...but so what?

opinions?

The answer depends on your level of expertise and if $10,000 is a lot
of money for you to take a reasonable risk. *Some insurance companies,
even for liability only insurance will require some level of survey
although this may cost a lot less than a full survey. *To insure my
homebuilt 20' Tolman cost only $100 and he did very little except to
verify I had the coast guard minimum requirements. *A survey on my 28'
S2 years ago when I bought her for $19,000 was about $300 and although
it did not uncover anything I did not know was a confidence builder
for me.
I would wonder, Why is the boat cheap? *is it cheap because it was
originally poor construction? *Is it cheap because of damage? *Is it
cheap because it is simply worn out?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

it's basically an old boat...1996. new engine which is a great
feature. but it's 13 years old...and getting older, like the rest of
us!

On Jul 17, 11:34*am, H the K wrote:
wf3h wrote:
The gospel is that one gets a survey done. Has anyone found this
useful, apart from your own experience looking at a boat, especially
for cheap ($10K) *boat? Is it worth it to get a survey done since on a
28' boat this costs about $600 in the NY area.

I know they're legally on the hook for certain things, but most
surveyors I've talked to don't do mechanical surveys apart from a sea
trial. (On my first boat, I had a mechanic do a compression check on
the engine). They have enough caveats built into the report to enable
them to avoid unpleasantness.

Having the boat pulled from the water and looking at the hull seems to
be their main focus, along with tapping the hull with a small hammer
looking for soft spots. *I have seen blistering and patching on hulls,
etc.. *The also turn on and off various systems...but so what?

opinions?

I don't think it worthwhile to get a survey done on a $10,000 boat. What
would be worthwhile is taking along a boating/mechanic friend for a boat
ride during which he or she checks out *all* the systems to find out
what is working and what is now, and also spend some time checking out
the engine, transmission and exhaust, and if you can get to it, the fuel
tank. Repairing any of the latter may cost big bucks.

If there is structural wood in the boat (in the transom, under the
decks, et cetera) you need to check for rot.

What can go wrong on a boat? Everything.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

good points. it has a new fuel tank since it was replaced under
warranty, but having a mechanic check it out would be worth it.

On Fri, 17 Jul 2009 08:20:07 -0700 (PDT), wf3h
wrote:

The gospel is that one gets a survey done. Has anyone found this
useful, apart from your own experience looking at a boat, especially
for cheap ($10K) boat? Is it worth it to get a survey done since on a
28' boat this costs about $600 in the NY area.

Well, let me put it this way. I'm pretty familiar with problems and
such as far as the hull goes and I'm handy around engines - know what
to look for in a general sense.

A few years back, I became really interested in a early model Topaz
28' sportfisherman - twin 350s. I looked that boat over for three
days before I committed to buy it - put the 10% down and called a
surveyor, set up an appointment and off we went.

He spent a whole five minutes before the $13,000 deal was off.

That should tell you something.

Do what you will, but it can be money well spent. And they aren't as
vague as you seem to believe - their rep is on the line and they have
to tell it like it is or they are going to get insurance companies on
their asses if something happens.

On Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:34:58 -0400, H the K
wrote:

wf3h wrote:
The gospel is that one gets a survey done. Has anyone found this
useful, apart from your own experience looking at a boat, especially
for cheap ($10K) boat? Is it worth it to get a survey done since on a
28' boat this costs about $600 in the NY area.

I know they're legally on the hook for certain things, but most
surveyors I've talked to don't do mechanical surveys apart from a sea
trial. (On my first boat, I had a mechanic do a compression check on
the engine). They have enough caveats built into the report to enable
them to avoid unpleasantness.

Having the boat pulled from the water and looking at the hull seems to
be their main focus, along with tapping the hull with a small hammer
looking for soft spots. I have seen blistering and patching on hulls,
etc.. The also turn on and off various systems...but so what?

opinions?

I don't think it worthwhile to get a survey done on a $10,000 boat. What
would be worthwhile is taking along a boating/mechanic friend for a boat
ride during which he or she checks out *all* the systems to find out
what is working and what is now, and also spend some time checking out
the engine, transmission and exhaust, and if you can get to it, the fuel
tank. Repairing any of the latter may cost big bucks.

If there is structural wood in the boat (in the transom, under the
decks, et cetera) you need to check for rot.

What can go wrong on a boat? Everything.

And that's really the point isn't it. $10K is $10K and is it's a
mispent and totally blown $10K, that ain't a hell of a lot of fun.

6% of the purchase price isn't a high price to pay. Plus, he might
need it for insurance if it's older than 10 years old - I had to have
the Halman surveyed to insure it and next year, the Ranger will have
to be surveyed to insure it on renewal.

Captain Yogi of Woodstock wrote:
On Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:34:58 -0400, H the K
wrote:

wf3h wrote:
The gospel is that one gets a survey done. Has anyone found this
useful, apart from your own experience looking at a boat, especially
for cheap ($10K) boat? Is it worth it to get a survey done since on a
28' boat this costs about $600 in the NY area.

I know they're legally on the hook for certain things, but most
surveyors I've talked to don't do mechanical surveys apart from a sea
trial. (On my first boat, I had a mechanic do a compression check on
the engine). They have enough caveats built into the report to enable
them to avoid unpleasantness.

Having the boat pulled from the water and looking at the hull seems to
be their main focus, along with tapping the hull with a small hammer
looking for soft spots. I have seen blistering and patching on hulls,
etc.. The also turn on and off various systems...but so what?

opinions?
I don't think it worthwhile to get a survey done on a $10,000 boat. What
would be worthwhile is taking along a boating/mechanic friend for a boat
ride during which he or she checks out *all* the systems to find out
what is working and what is now, and also spend some time checking out
the engine, transmission and exhaust, and if you can get to it, the fuel
tank. Repairing any of the latter may cost big bucks.

If there is structural wood in the boat (in the transom, under the
decks, et cetera) you need to check for rot.

What can go wrong on a boat? Everything.

And that's really the point isn't it. $10K is $10K and is it's a
mispent and totally blown $10K, that ain't a hell of a lot of fun.

6% of the purchase price isn't a high price to pay. Plus, he might
need it for insurance if it's older than 10 years old - I had to have
the Halman surveyed to insure it and next year, the Ranger will have
to be surveyed to insure it on renewal.


Do you need a survey to get liability coverage?

When I sold my 25' Parker a few years ago for a price above $50,000, I
asked the buyer if he wanted to arrange for a surveyor. He didn't.

Whatever happened to that Halman...that was one sweet boat.

On Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:36:20 -0400, H K
wrote:

Captain Yogi of Woodstock wrote:
On Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:34:58 -0400, H the K
wrote:

wf3h wrote:
The gospel is that one gets a survey done. Has anyone found this
useful, apart from your own experience looking at a boat, especially
for cheap ($10K) boat? Is it worth it to get a survey done since on a
28' boat this costs about $600 in the NY area.

I know they're legally on the hook for certain things, but most
surveyors I've talked to don't do mechanical surveys apart from a sea
trial. (On my first boat, I had a mechanic do a compression check on
the engine). They have enough caveats built into the report to enable
them to avoid unpleasantness.

Having the boat pulled from the water and looking at the hull seems to
be their main focus, along with tapping the hull with a small hammer
looking for soft spots. I have seen blistering and patching on hulls,
etc.. The also turn on and off various systems...but so what?

opinions?
I don't think it worthwhile to get a survey done on a $10,000 boat. What
would be worthwhile is taking along a boating/mechanic friend for a boat
ride during which he or she checks out *all* the systems to find out
what is working and what is now, and also spend some time checking out
the engine, transmission and exhaust, and if you can get to it, the fuel
tank. Repairing any of the latter may cost big bucks.

If there is structural wood in the boat (in the transom, under the
decks, et cetera) you need to check for rot.

What can go wrong on a boat? Everything.

And that's really the point isn't it. $10K is $10K and is it's a
mispent and totally blown $10K, that ain't a hell of a lot of fun.

6% of the purchase price isn't a high price to pay. Plus, he might
need it for insurance if it's older than 10 years old - I had to have
the Halman surveyed to insure it and next year, the Ranger will have
to be surveyed to insure it on renewal.

Do you need a survey to get liability coverage?

I believe you do - I'm not sure. I do know you have to have it
surveyed for other insurance.

Whatever happened to that Halman...that was one sweet boat.

Sold it to a guy up Maine - he bought it sight unseen, no questions
asked as is.

Hey, I offered to have it surveyed for him - said it wasn't a problem.

On Fri, 17 Jul 2009 08:20:07 -0700 (PDT), wf3h
wrote:

The gospel is that one gets a survey done. Has anyone found this
useful, apart from your own experience looking at a boat, especially
for cheap ($10K) boat? Is it worth it to get a survey done since on a
28' boat this costs about $600 in the NY area.

I know they're legally on the hook for certain things, but most
surveyors I've talked to don't do mechanical surveys apart from a sea
trial. (On my first boat, I had a mechanic do a compression check on
the engine). They have enough caveats built into the report to enable
them to avoid unpleasantness.

Having the boat pulled from the water and looking at the hull seems to
be their main focus, along with tapping the hull with a small hammer
looking for soft spots. I have seen blistering and patching on hulls,
etc.. The also turn on and off various systems...but so what?

opinions?

You may have difficulty getting insurance without.