survey now?

[songbird2]

I have found a boat I like. I know I need to get it surveyed next. Do I ask the owners to take the boat to the nearest dry dock and then arrange for the surveyor to go and do the survey? Im not sure what happens next? Should I offer a deposit or something too?

[dor]

Are you buying privately or through a broker? If the latter, then a deposit will almost certainly have to be paid first - refundable if the survey shows up significant problems (at least it should do - there are some brokers who operate under rather sharper practices). ETA: dry dock costs will be down to you also.

 

If private, it is up to you to arrange dry dock etc and survey. The owners may agree to take it to the dry dock, but the costs from there on are yours. A deposit will depend on the seller.

Edited December 10, 2012 by dor

[songbird2]

Are you buying privately or through a broker? If the latter, then a deposit will almost certainly have to be paid first - refundable if the survey shows up significant problems (at least it should do - there are some brokers who operate under rather sharper practices). ETA: dry dock costs will be down to you also.

 

If private, it is up to you to arrange dry dock etc and survey. The owners may agree to take it to the dry dock, but the costs from there on are yours. A deposit will depend on the seller.

 

thank you. Its private and I did ask them where the nearest dry dock was. They are based in London now so would have to come up to take the boat to the dry dock. I will ask them about a deposit and the terms under which is would be refundable.....Its a bit nervewracking

[alan_fincher]

Unfortunately if it is near to the middle of London, you may not find there are a lot of places it can easily be socked/slipped/craned for survey.

 

I think St Pancras Cruising Cliub have a dry dock, but I don't know if it non-members can hire it for surveys. It is the only one in the middle of London that quickly springs to mind.

 

Uxbridge boat centre have both a dry dock and cranes, so might be a possibility, depending on where the boat is.

[Lady Muck]

Enfield Dry dock on the Lee is reasonable priced- they'll do a days drydocking for a good price, but if you're anywhere that needs a crane, then the price goes up a lot.

[roggie]

We had our boat surveyed by Alan out of Enfield (he drove to the boat as it was near Reading). He is a good lad and charged £10 per foot. We paid him £480 plus £325 for the crane in and out. Not cheap but cheaper if you can dry dock it. Of course you could always ask Denham Deep Lock if their floating dock is free and then find a surveyor (say Alan from Enfield). Paddington to Uxbridge is around 8 hours so not quick.

[boathunter]

I think the OP means the vendor is in London, not the boat...

[alan_fincher]

I think the OP means the vendor is in London, not the boat...

I think you may be right!

[MtB]

I have found a boat I like. I know I need to get it surveyed next. Do I ask the owners to take the boat to the nearest dry dock and then arrange for the surveyor to go and do the survey? Im not sure what happens next? Should I offer a deposit or something too?

 

It's very informal. How much rapport and trust do you feel you have with the vendor?

 

If you both trust each other then I suggest you talk to them and discuss the sense having a survey makes, and ask them how they think this is best arranged. They must have considered this already and have some ideas about where it could be done. Discuss with them how to get the boat to a dock and out of the water. maybe make the trip with them! (When you buy a boat, you are also buying the previous owner!) Book the dock yourself I suggest, as you will be paying for it, and choose a surveyor. It would be good to offer a deposit returnable on a poor survey, even if they insist not necessary.

 

Then when the day comes, accompany the surveyor during his/her inspection. You'll pick up a ton more knowledge that will never be written into the survey report. Then if the survey is good, progress with the purchase. If not, discuss what to do with the vendor. best case scenario is a great survey and you are happy to proceed. Second possibility is a few minor and less minor faults, leading to a price re-negotiation or them agreeing to get these fixed prior to purchase. Worst case is terminal probs e.g a badly corroded hull, in which case you would like your deposit back regardless. 'solutions' like overplating never really cut it in my personal opinion.

 

Hope that helps....

MtB

[comfortably numb]

Be very careful with a private deal. The boat I was going to buy was being sold privately and complicated by the fact the seller was in the south of France for the winter so there had to be a certain amount of mutual trust. We agreed that I move it to the nearest dry dock (about 6 miles)and I sent an email to agree I would be responsible for any damage to the boat taking it there.

 

I placed a £500 deposit with the agreement that it would be returned if the survey showed up anything major, but because of where the seller was there was no formal agreement drawn up. Subsequently when the survey did show up major problems the seller wouldn't give me the deposit back. Thankfully after a chat he did eventually agree to do so but had he stuck to his guns I doubt I would have been able to recover it.

 

I think you should also arrange for a surveyor of your choice and not one nominated or arranged by them. With this boat the seller had had a survey done which looked okay and didn't show up any major problems, yet my surveyor found many. As some on here have siad, there are surveys done to sell a boat and surveys done to buy a boat and there can be a big difference and of course you want the latter.

 

If you don't know of one there are lists available and others have recommended good ones on here, including mine, details of which I have put on the 'Failed Survey' thread on page 2 of the 'General Boating' section. He was excellent, very thorough, and fair in that as soon as he found the major hull pitting he aborted the rest of the survey (as there was no point), and reduced his fee accordingly.

 

Good luck

 

 

Neil

[songbird2]

It's very informal. How much rapport and trust do you feel you have with the vendor?

 

If you both trust each other then I suggest you talk to them and discuss the sense having a survey makes, and ask them how they think this is best arranged. They must have considered this already and have some ideas about where it could be done. Discuss with them how to get the boat to a dock and out of the water. maybe make the trip with them! (When you buy a boat, you are also buying the previous owner!) Book the dock yourself I suggest, as you will be paying for it, and choose a surveyor. It would be good to offer a deposit returnable on a poor survey, even if they insist not necessary.

 

Then when the day comes, accompany the surveyor during his/her inspection. You'll pick up a ton more knowledge that will never be written into the survey report. Then if the survey is good, progress with the purchase. If not, discuss what to do with the vendor. best case scenario is a great survey and you are happy to proceed. Second possibility is a few minor and less minor faults, leading to a price re-negotiation or them agreeing to get these fixed prior to purchase. Worst case is terminal probs e.g a badly corroded hull, in which case you would like your deposit back regardless. 'solutions' like overplating never really cut it in my personal opinion.

 

Hope that helps....

MtB

Thanks for this. I'm afraid experience has taught me not to trust people you don't know however nice they appear and business is business I have learned. Your advice has really helped. The boat was overplated in 2005. I think it had not been well maintained until the current owners bought it and fixed a lot of problems. It has a new engine also 2005 and stuff like that.

 

Be very careful with a private deal. The boat I was going to buy was being sold privately and complicated by the fact the seller was in the south of France for the winter so there had to be a certain amount of mutual trust. We agreed that I move it to the nearest dry dock (about 6 miles)and I sent an email to agree I would be responsible for any damage to the boat taking it there.

 

I placed a £500 deposit with the agreement that it would be returned if the survey showed up anything major, but because of where the seller was there was no formal agreement drawn up. Subsequently when the survey did show up major problems the seller wouldn't give me the deposit back. Thankfully after a chat he did eventually agree to do so but had he stuck to his guns I doubt I would have been able to recover it.

 

I think you should also arrange for a surveyor of your choice and not one nominated or arranged by them. With this boat the seller had had a survey done which looked okay and didn't show up any major problems, yet my surveyor found many. As some on here have siad, there are surveys done to sell a boat and surveys done to buy a boat and there can be a big difference and of course you want the latter.

 

If you don't know of one there are lists available and others have recommended good ones on here, including mine, details of which I have put on the 'Failed Survey' thread on page 2 of the 'General Boating' section. He was excellent, very thorough, and fair in that as soon as he found the major hull pitting he aborted the rest of the survey (as there was no point), and reduced his fee accordingly.

 

Good luck

 

 

Neil

Thanks Neil I will take a look at that list and contact the vendors to set something up about the survey.