Does a survey cover...

[lustyd]

The thought has just occured to me, does a survey cover whether the boat will float? Since they happen on land and the boat may not have been in the water recently enough to guess then there is no way for the surveyor to know if there is a leak. It seems such a fundamental part of a boat that you'd think that was the main point of the survey but having never had one I don't know the answer.

 

[Rossynant]

My survey read: not to be put in water...
( still I bought the boat! )

 

[l'escargot]

Only if part of the survey takes place after the boat has been launched...

 

[Koeketiene]

The thought has just occured to me, does a survey cover whether the boat will float?

Before we bought current boat, we had our mind set on another one.
Offer made and accepted - survey carried out.

Balsa core hull. Osmosis treatment carried out 3 years ago.
However, hull below the waterline was not as thick as when she was built.
Visible to the naked eye.

Survey read as follows: the hull probably remains adequately strong.

We read this as: she may float, but don't hold me to it.

Rejected the boat after survey and moved on.

The only thing most survey reports really cover is the surveyor's posterior.
A few exceptions not withstanding.

 

[prv]

Neither of the surveys on our boats have said explicitly "yes, it will float". But assuming we're talking GRP boats, the only way they wouldn't float is presumably serious structural defect or missing skin fittings etc. Both surveys addressed hull structure and briefly the state of the skin fittings, so I hope and expect that anything serious enough to prevent floating would be picked up!

Pete

 

[Rossynant]

I hope and expect that anything serious enough to prevent floating would be picked up!

Should be. In my case it was seacocks and stern tube. Boat actually came to the site by water. She would not sink, really. But.

 

[Neil_Y]

Basic purchase surveys are just an opinion of what is seen that will keep the insurance company happy that the boat exists, Getting stuff tested to see if anything works including seacocks, electrics is another job. The sad thing is there is still no recognised standard in marine surveying and some of the institutes are there really to represent the interests of their members and not the customers (you) OR4571 is right on the money.

Best approach is to ask specific questions in your brief to the surveyor as he/she will hopefully have many years experience and a lot of knowledge. You are the customer so you tell them what you want looked at and to what detail.

Mecal in Plymouth was very good when I needed a surveyor for codeing. Not sure if he's still there but Tony Head was the surveyor.

 

[aidanjames]

Generally yes, surveyors should comment on everything that will affect watertight integrity and give you suitable advice. They should provide you with facts relating to a detailed examination of your chosen yacht and for all but the smallest, they should spend the better part of a day carrying out this examination. There will be some limitations to what they can examine and the difference between reasonable limitations and posterior covering is what makes for quality in survey reports. But what is essential is that the report makes clear to you what those limitations are. So for example if a yacht is ashore and the keel studs are compressed, it is possible that there could be some seepage when the yacht is launched. But a good report would note there are no cracks to the external joint, no moisture absorption caused by stressed laminate crazing around high load areas, the nuts, washers and studs are in fair condition inside, the internal moulding is well bonded and so on.... in this sort of case you can be as certain as anyone reasonably can be that the keel is ok. You might in any case opt for a sea trial in which case there will be even fewer limitations because the surveyor will then check the bilge (and the engine under load, the sails hoisted etc).

 

[jwilson]

This is something many new buyers worry about. It goes with the ".. I wouldn't buy a car without test driving it, so I want a sailing test".

A good survey ashore will pick up most of the things that will cause a boat not to float reasonably well. Launch a well dried out clinker-built boat and leave it unattended for a week and in some cases it may sink. That is not a defect, just the nature of ancient technology. With modern boats there is much less risk.

The sailing test thing is another worry for many. The trouble with that is that the perceived experience is so variable. It could be a flat calm or half a gale, smooth water or rough, and the experienced owner could pick course, sail setting, trim etc to conceal known defects, or to pander to obvious susceptibilities of the buyers. Those who demonstrate new boats for a living know full well how to do this...

We once (as brokers) arranged a sea trial for the buyer of a yacht that had not long since completed her fourth transatlantic circuit. It took place in a glassy calm.... With most production boats the only real test afloat that is of value is a ten minute under load run of the engine, along with briefly hoisting sails, both of which can usually be achieved tied to a pontoon.