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Start off with an open mind and don't discount anything until you have seen it. Set yourself a minimum and maximum length and most likely the keel type if it is a sailing boat. Sometimes being too rigid on wanting a particular class leaves vessels that could ultimately be far better than ever expected. Spend as much time as possible in boat yards and Marinas going aboard and looking at as many different boats as you are able to. Eventually you will find a boat that you really like and, the chances are it would be very different to the boat you thought you would like at the outset if it is your first boat.

Visit the boat at least twice over over two different occasions. The first visit becomes focused on the amount of room the vessel has, the type of accommodation, the design, etc. The second visit you'll find you become more focused on the condition and structure which, ultimately is the more important focus. You will see things that you haven't noticed before which will be important. If you e-mail me I will send you a survey template for the type of vessel you are looking at, this will give you a guided structure of what to look at and, ultimately will help you make sure you don't miss sections of the vessel.

The usual problem when coming home from a visit to a boat that you are intending to buy is remembering that you did not look at a particular section of the vessel.
If she still feels right on the second visit then that is the time to make an offer. Most offers are made subject to survey. If a broker is involved they will require a 10% deposit before allowing survey to commence.

The reason for this is that some inexperienced or clumsy surveyors can cause damage to vessel when surveying it then, this deposit money is used to make good the damage that might have been caused if you don't buy. The offer will usually made upon the basis of the obvious things that the buyer may be aware of such as poor condition paintwork or gelcoat for instance or obvious damage.

If the boat is in the water, it will need to be lifted ashore for inspection. Unfortunately for the buyer, all of the costs from this time forwards are down to them, this is the lift out, storage ashore for survey and return to the water which, in some yards can be quite expensive. Now, if it is approaching the end of the season and the owner normally removes the boat from the water for winter lay-up then, perhaps a degree of careful negotiation can be useful here as, the owner would be taking the boat out anyway. This is an area where good communication with the broker/buyer/seller can save everyone a deal of money.

If the boat is already ashore this makes things a lot easier all round as, there are no lifting costs involved however, a new buyer may be responsible for storage immediately upon completion of sale. Occasionally, the previous owner may well have paid for a complete off season ashore.

With grp boats be slightly wary of the boat that has been scrupulously prepared for sale including having been epoxy coated since the vessel had been lifted as, epoxy coatings can hide a multitude of sins and, unfortunately, the surveyor has no right to remove any of these coatings to investigate the underlying reasons for the coatings. New epoxy coatings can easily cover hairline cracks in hulls, blistering that has been flattened down and no end of other problems. It is only when the boat goes in the water for a season and the stresses of the season show up hidden faults and then is lifted out at the end of the season that any deliberate covering up can be identified. Another reason that if the buyer is not suspicious, the surveyor certainly would be. In this case, it is a very useful idea to ask other owners and yard staff tactfully about their knowledge of this particular vessel. Sometimes you will get surprising answers.

Some owners may offer test sails if the boat is still afloat.

Now is the time to arrange a survey. Most vessels will usually be insured by a new owner and, in nearly all cases, insurance companies will require up to date surveys so, in one sense there is absolutely no point in buying a vessel without a survey only to be forced into having the survey for insurance once the vessel is yours. If a survey will be required after you have bought her then, sense dictates that you have the survey before you buy her.

If it is possible, it is usually a very good idea for the new owner to be present when the survey is being carried out as, it is surprising how useful this knowledge of what to look for and how to look for it will be in the future. Most surveyors should have no problem with the buyer being present. In many cases, understandably, the seller would like to be present as well. The seller wants to make sure that the surveyor does not cause any damage and also is there to try to answer any questions that may arise during the course of the inspection.

The buyer will get a good sense of the condition of the boat from the surveyor on the day but, naturally, it is unwise to take any action until the survey is in hand as, there will be a considerable amount of information included that all goes to help draw an overall picture of the vessel.

There will always be faults with any vessel surveyed, there is no such thing as the perfect survey however, it is a matter of getting things in perspective and it will be the surveyors job to not only isolate these areas of major concern but also to inform a new buyer as to all of the minor things that may have been seen, after all, there is no point in the surveyor having information that he feels his client does not need to know. The important thing is to put this information in a way that it is easy to understand that attach the correct degree of concern to.

If the survey reveals important areas of concern that the buyer was not aware of when they made the offer then this is usually the time for renegotiation. It is generally not acceptable to renegotiate the items that the buyer was aware of when they made the initial offer. The surveyor will often give a guide to the cost or value of the major problems if and when found and, in the case that they are too complex then, the buyer might well want to get a quote from a boatyard or shipwright to put these items right.

One thing a buyer should bear in mind is that, particularly in the case of wooden vessels, costs can and often will escalate when undertaking major repairs as, it is only when invasive stripping is commenced that other areas that could not be seen doing the survey become obvious. This is one reason why, when the surveyor notes a fault there will often be a possibility of the fault extending further than first anticipated. However, this only really applies to structural improvements. When it comes to gas installations and fire extinguishers etc. Those costs should really be quite reliable estimates.

This is the time that a good broker can work for all parties. However, in my own experience, brokers can sometimes keep buyers and Sellers at such a distance from one another that these negotiations become extremely difficult.

Once the offer has been renegotiated and accepted the balance has to be paid and, from that time forwards the boat is yours subject to the broker doing his job properly.

If none of the above answers any question you may have then why don't you E mail or phone me with your question and, if I have an answer I will definitely share it with you.

Click here to download a sample survey for fishing vessel. These are carried out for Seafish under the authority of the MCA. All fishing vessels that are new or of changed status have to be registered. The MCA regularly update the "template" used so this sample will be slightly different to the current template. Vessels under 7m only require a "hull " survey, those over 7m have to have a hull & "outfit"survey. Outfit refers to the items added to the hull such as steering, bilge pumps, hatches, seacocks etc. Depending upon the length then a number of watertight bulkheads are required along with a collision bulkhead forwards & a considerable amount of other required features. The build scantlings form a part of all surveys. This is the weight of laminate at certain places along with the frequency & placement of frames & other structure. These items are fully covered in the download from the Seafish website.

If you want to see how much information is in a Pre-purchase timber vessel survey then have a look at this one. An insurance survey has similar style but does not take the view that the owner has never seen the boat. A pre-purchase tries to tell the buyer everything that is possible about the vessel. Both types inclde detailed information & guidance on how to repair or make good any area of comment from adding new fire extingushers to rebuilding any part that is seen as needing repair or improvement.

As I am also a repairing shipwright, the methods given are based upon practical experience of what works. This will take a moment to download click to download a survey on a Hillyard 34ft sloop These are quite long surveys & will take little time to load . Click here to download

If you want to see how much information is in a Pre-purchase GRP vessel survey then have a look at this one. An insurance survey has similar style but does not take the view that the owner has never seen the boat. A pre-purchase tries to tell the buyer everything that is possible about the vessel. Both types inclde detailed information & guidance on how to repair or make good any area of comment from adding new fire extingushers to rebuilding any part that is seen as needing repair or improvement. As I am also a repairing shipwright, the methods given are based upon practical experience of what works

This will take a moment to download click to download a sample survey on a Moody 376 Click here to download. Some browsers will behave differently on PDF downloads,

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PDF download click to download Article on use of moisture meters & comparisons between Sovereign & Tramex Skjipper and basic information on readings & interpretation. Some information on osmsois problems, extent & importance. Drying problems & epoxy coatings. Don't be misled by moisture meter readings alone. They have to be used with caution & just because a hull might have high or very high readings it is unwise to make any decision to walk away or spend a fortune getting low readings.

Remember that most vessels will get high readings at some time in their life, so why pay a premium for low readings just for a few years as the readings will possibly be much higher when you sell & that extra premium is no longer of any value.

Take the overall situation,not just the single factor. In the same way not all blisters are "osmosis" blisters. Beware of the boat that has just been epoxied for sale but never for the owner in their years of ownership. It is surprising how easy it is to temporarily disguise even severe blistering if the boat stays ashore. Potentially a minefield so get the best knowledge you can find to avoid these "pitfalls"

Page of information with some answers to questions on the process of survey. how long before the report is available, how is the report used, how are faults noted etc. Click here

Article on GRP cored decks & problems associated with them. click for PDF download. Cored decks can be a nightmare & an expensive one too on some classes if they go wrong. Balsa core can get waterlogged & decay causing major problems. Foam cored decks can have failing bonding causing separation of the 3 separate units & ultimate weakness. Plywood stiffening can soften & decay, particularly under a mast support. Look for a dwell directly under a mast stepped on deck. The plywood encapsulated core decays because of leaks through the bolts & fittings here & starts to crush causing distortion & eventual cracking of the laminate under the mast step. Deck flexing & creaking? then read the article.

Here you'll find various photos of common things I see when doing surveys. Some are obvious & some problems need explanation like hardspot cracking for instance. See if you have noticed this type of damage on your own or a club member's boat. Photos of usual & often found areas on grp & timber surveys. Click here

Timber construction can sound quite complex partly because of the unique names that parts of the structure can be called. Even the same parts can be called different names such as frames, ribs, timbers, for instance which are different names for one & the same piece of a boat.. Explains different methods & type of construction , clinker or carvel build for instance. PDF article on some aspects of timber structure & method of repair & construction for wooden vessels. Click here

This article deals with frames & structural floors etc. Timber construction can sound quite complex partly because of the unique names that parts of the structure can be called. Even the same parts can be called different names such as frames, ribs, timbers, for instance which are different names for one & the same piece of a boat.. PDF article on some aspects of timber structure & method of repair & construction for wooden vessels. Click here

When anodes are fitted to timber vessels they can often cause extensive & highly costly damage, particularly around stern gear & anode position internally. This damage occurs because of chemical; build up around the anode & protecetd metal. The chemical destroys timber long term.

Electrolytic damage (the electrolyte is the fluid allowing elctrical current to transfer through it) is also present when two differing metals are in close proximity such as a copper fastening close to a steel bolt. The timber will soften around both as the "electrolyte" changes chemically as the action occurs.

This article is a brief outline of how timber is damaged through the fitting of anodes & how fastening can cause timber damage. To download the PDF click here

Timber has so many varied qualities for use in all types of vessel. From the best timber to use for a tiller to what looks best when varnished. No two timber species are the same & no two similar species of timber are the same. See what timber you can use for what purpose & its qualities. Click for PDF download.& find out why ash is so good for tillers & what alternatives offer similar strength but longer durability.