Survey needed?

[johnnie1uk]

Hi

i read that when buying a boat you should always get your own survey, In my search for a NB, i have seen boats advertised with recent survey, overplated and blacked, If i can have sight of the sellers survey is it advisable get my own survey done. Thanks.

[Keeping Up]

Yes. How do you know how far you can trust somebody else's survey?

[Alan de Enfield]

There have been examples of a boat for sale at a "midlands marina" where the boat has had a survey and shown to need overplating, the work has been done and signed off by the marina's 'pet' surveyor, and the boat has subsequently sunk on the way to London.

 

I don't trust any surveyor ( after one cost me over £20,000 ) and that is why I have not had a survey on any of the last 5+ boats I have bought.

(Other opinions are available)

 

Where is the boat you have seen located ?

[5thHorseman]

I would have a survey.

 

There are a number of reputable surveyors (ask on the forum for recommendations). If you are going to shell out your hard earned brass the cost of a survey is generally small beer. It gives you a chance to see the boat out of the water and get it blacked, new anodes fitted and a new boat safety certificate.

 

I would not consider a survey I had not instigated myself of any value whatsoever.

 

Nothing in life is certain all you can do is minimise risk

[alan_fincher]

Also, if you rely on any body else's survey, you would not have any recourse to compensation from the surveyors liability insurance, because the survey was not commissioned by you.

 

If the boat subsequently sinks (or similar) for something a surveyor should reasonably have found, any insurance you have subsequently paid for is highly unlikely to cover your loss.

 

That said, the last two boats I have bought, (both now approaching 80 years old), I have not had surveyed!.......

[5thHorseman]

I don't trust any surveyor ( after one cost me over £20,000 ) and that is why I have not had a survey on any of the last 5+ boats I have bought.

(Other opinions are available)

 

 

 

 

That said, the last two boats I have bought, (both now approaching 80 years old), I have not had surveyed!.......

 

The OP's post was couched in terms that suggest he is likely new to boating.

 

If it is his first purchase he is unlikely to be equiped with the knowledge to see through all the Sales BS and not enough experience to spot the potential (costly) problem.

 

You two guys have years of experience which counts for a lot when buying a boat

[Naughty Cal]

I would always suggest getting a survey.

 

Our survey cost in the region of £500. It found faults with the boat (which at that point was just five years old) that would have cost us many thousands to put right.

 

We were lucky that as we were buying a stock boat all of the issues highlighted in the survey were put right. However if not it would have been a bargaining tool to either get the price down to cover the cost of the repairs or get the owner to work carried out.

 

A good surveyor will always get you the cost of the survey back with faults they find.

 

And don't be too dismayed when the report comes back with a long list of recommendations and faults. It is their job to find them.

[Dekazer]

There have been examples of a boat for sale at a "midlands marina" where the boat has had a survey and shown to need overplating, the work has been done and signed off by the marina's 'pet' surveyor, and the boat has subsequently sunk on the way to London.

 

 

This was (bar the sinking) what happened with our first boat. The next survey we had done, some years later, said that the welding had been done to a very good standard by that marina, so it's not all bad...

 

I would recommend the OP gets a survey to see how they do it and what they check. If you don't know much about boats it will be a very useful learning opportunity for you, if nothing else!

 

Good luck with the boat hunt

[Bee]

I think that if you are looking at a boat of any age at all you need a hull survey at the very least. As for the rest, if you are new to boats then you need the advice of an experienced friend. The latter though comes with a warning, an awful lot of people who think they know stuff really do not, even people who have been around for a while can display some shocking misconceptions. Buying a boat, especially but not exclusively an older boat can be opening a door to heartache. If my knowledge of narrow boats and rules and regs was more current I would love to accompany people on viewings to cool enthusiasm and get to the nuts and bolts of owning a boat. I wonder if there is an opportunity for boat clubs and other organisations to offer a kind of hand holding service? I know this is a 'What could possibly go wrong' scenario but you never know, might just save some heartache.

[alan_fincher]

The OP's post was couched in terms that suggest he is likely new to boating.

 

If it is his first purchase he is unlikely to be equiped with the knowledge to see through all the Sales BS and not enough experience to spot the potential (costly) problem.

 

You two guys have years of experience which counts for a lot when buying a boat

 

For clarity, I think OP should get their own survey, and I gave one of the reasons why they should.

 

My light-hearted throwaway comment was only meant to say I don't always follow my own advice!

[johnnie1uk]

Thanks for the feedback, i will definitely get my own survey, whichever boat i settle on, its well to be prepared to be able to make an offer with conditions depending on my surveyors report, rather than asking the original question later and possibly loosing my deposit.

It was only seeing boats advertised with new survey, etc. that got me to seek some opinions.

[chunkyj]

Surely that means an interested party has gone to the expense of getting a survey done, and then walked away from the boat???

[johnnie1uk]

For anyone like me hasnt had a survey done before here is a sample of a pre purchase survey.

Edited April 2, 2015 by johnnie1uk