boat condition report

[charisma]

My insurer tells me that I need a boat condition report before I can renew my insurance. As my boat is less than 24 ft, ( snapdragon 600), I do not need a full survey. Apparently a condition report is a statement from a reputable boat builder or surveyor, saying that the vessel is seaworthy and fit for purpose, and should only cost a fraction of a full survey. I spoke to one surveyor and he said it would cost around £200!. Thats about the same as my full survey! (in 1998).
Anyone had to have a condition report? Any ideas where I can find someone in the Gravesend area?
Many thanks

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Talbot]

David Sutton did one on my boat 2 years ago - dont know how much he costs now but worth a call:

01843 583985 or 07748 096161

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[jbate]

In spite of what your insurers say, for a professional to comment on your boat and determine whether it is safe, they will need to make a detailed inspection. There will be some aspects of the full survey that may not be required, but unless a comprehensive inspection is done how can they assess the safety? If you work on 1.2 x length x beam then this would be a reasonable guide of 'standard' cost.
JB


<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[oldharry]

Faced with a demand for Survey on my 40 year old 20 foot(GRP) boat for insurance, my boatyard suggest that I offered them an 'Inspection' by their qualified Boatbuilder - which would involve him going over the boat with me, and reporting on the condition. Cost from about £30 "depending on what we find" and "whether you have done the work properly" as opposed to £250+ - almost what I paid for the Hull! As the Boatbuilder has been advising and helping with the refit anyway, he already has a pretty good idea of the condtion of the boat. It now remains to be seen whether the Insurers will accept that rather than the full Survey demanded.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Steve_B]

I guess I'm not much use to you in the far north of Scotland other than to say I paid a local boatbuilder £60 when I found myself in the same situation as you.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[sophie4]

As an alternative you could change your insurers. Kendall Becker Ltd provide full cover without a survey. The underwriters are however outside the UK and you are not protected by UK legislation. Telephone: 01243 672149.
If the UK insurance industry is going to start demanding these 'condition reports' then there needs to be a' boat MOT' which costs in the region of £30-£50, not £200, insurance is expensive enough as it is. This is a case where the yachting press could get involved, also the RYA.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[oldharry]

Re:\"Boat MOTs\"

Sophie, theres nothing new about this in the marine insurance sector. Most insurers want to have some independent opinion about the state of a boat they are insuring - and Surveyors are the obvious choice. In the past once a GRP boat reached around 15 years old, Insurers were wanting to know that the boat had been properly maintained and was still a reasonable insurance risk. It seems nowadays as claims get larger, they are looking more carefully at the risk factors involved in insuring younger boats. It boils down as far as Insrers are concerned to quantifying and minimising the risks.

Personally I would have thought that a fully trained and experienced boat builder is as safe a bet as a qualified surveyor for checking that a boat has been properly and safely maintained or repaired, but as always, you get what you pay for. Clearly a £50 'Inspection' will not be as thorough as a £250 'Survey' - but would surely be unlikely to miss anything affecting the basic integrity of the hull and rig.



<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[kilkerr1]

I have the same issue. I've spoken to a recommended insurer and he told me that a boat condition report could be done by my boat yard owner and all it was was a couple of lines saying that yes, this boat is fine to sail. It's not a comprehensive survey and shouldn't be £200. Maybe worth talking to your boat yard guys..?

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://kilkerr.members.easyspace.com/santateresa_pics.htm>Santa Teresa and other t'ings</A>

 

[chriscallender]

I wonder nowadays how many boatyards would be prepared to sign their name to a couple of lines saying that the boat was OK to sail. Sadly I fear that most would be unwilling to provide such a document without taking out indemnity insurance themselves in case they miss something and end up getting sued because they didn't spot some detail like a hairline fracture in a rigging screw.

As far as I know all surveyors carry indemnity insurance and the reports are always full of disclaimers about what they weren't able to inspect - probably standard stuff put into the report with cut and paste - but it needs to be there nevertheless.

I fear that this whole area is what kills the nice idea of the £50 boat MOT equivalent - as ever these days concerns about liability start to get in the way of common sense.

Chris

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[oldharry]

Well of course the Vehicle MOT does not cover every aspect of your cars safety. There are plenty of horror stories around of cars that have crashed the day after MOT due to mechanical failure. The only way to really ensure a car is safe is to get the equivalent of a full survey done by the AA or whoever. Even then they only gurantee the bits they have looked at.

I feel quite sure that a Yard Inspection will carry the same standard disclaimers. I am told there is a clear legal distinction affecting liabilities between the term 'Survey' and 'Inspection' in that an Inspection simply gives a knowledgeable opinion about the general condition of the boat. The Surveyor on the other hand is supposed to find and identify clearly any component that is or may be faulty.



<hr width=100% size=1>