Is a full survey necessary?

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SLC

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One of the boats on my list of possibilities has had the following work done recently.

New anodes, anti-fowled and re-painted hull and superstructure was completed in April 2013. ANTIFOULED AND COMPLETELY REPAINTED JUNE 2014.

It is stated she had a very good survey in 2009, I think the owner has this to hand.

Construction is 6mm steel.
Single 6cyl Ford engine.
She looks very well kept.

Now the million dollar question:

Would you still get another survey?

Thanks for any advice offered.
 
I would imagine your insurance company would require a survey in order to insure the boat. 5 years has passed since the last survey and anything could have happened in that time frame. Fresh paint covers damage you might want to know about. I think 99 % of this crowd would agree you should have a survey.

Good luck

Graham
 
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Of course, I really should have known that. My ignorance is showing through on subjects I never really had to deal with being in a syndicate run by my uncle.

I am learning more every single day I spend on here.

Thanks.
 
It is not wise to buy a boat without having a survey.
I did have a survey when we upgraded earlier this year . The boat is in good condition. But the survey found some unexpected faults so the survey proved to be good value for money.
 
SLC said:
One of the boats on my list of possibilities has had the following work done recently.

New anodes, anti-fowled and re-painted hull and superstructure was completed in April 2013. ANTIFOULED AND COMPLETELY REPAINTED JUNE 2014.

It is stated she had a very good survey in 2009, I think the owner has this to hand.

Construction is 6mm steel.
Single 6cyl Ford engine.
She looks very well kept.

Now the million dollar question:

Would you still get another survey?

Thanks for any advice offered.
Click to expand...

YES!
 
SLC said:
New anodes, anti-fowled and re-painted hull and superstructure was completed in April 2013. ANTIFOULED AND COMPLETELY REPAINTED JUNE 2014.
Click to expand...
Yes I'd agree, get a survey. It's not a $1m question, it's £1,000, and it could save you much more than that.

The bit quoted above doesn't sound right to me. It seems to say fully repainted above the waterline in April 2013 then again in June 2014. Either incorrect info, or the 2013 re-paint didn't work. Get everything - the invoices from 2013 and 14 plus the 2009 survey to get a better picture of the boat's history
 
Thanks jfm, put that way it seems a little more digging is required.

I never thought buying a boat could be so challenging.

Originally I wanted a small Grp weekender/fishing boat to enjoy with my two lads, now I'm considering a steel boat a hell of a lot bigger and 4x the cost.

At this rate it will wreck my mind and marriage :)
 
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have acquired a few boats in my time with no survey a good boat man should know or know someone who does know boats , like a house purchase they need to find something wrong which in my mind ends up irrelevant , if the price suits buy it , here today gone tomorrow .....enjoy your new boat and life....job done here......
 
A survey by somebody who knows what they looking at is important on any steel boat including early Stevens and Pedros etc.
Vital if it is home build or low volume construction by some small outfit. Steel boats usually corrode from the inside in difficult to spot places.
Surveyor can also spot if hull has been plated or other previous repair work has been carried out
A nice new shiney coat of paint is very useful way of hiding some horrors.
 
Oldgit is absolutely right.

A few years ago we were cruising the Caribbean in company with some friends, who had recently sold their GRP yacht and bought a larger steel one. At the end of the season we sailed down to Trinidad and had our boats hauled out and pressure washed. The pressure washer blew a hole straight through their hull. If that weak point had given way at sea they would have sunk. They would not have been able to stem the leak from inside, as the weak point was under a fixed water tank.

As a result I am personally very wary of older steel boats, and would UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES consider buying one - or even accepting one as a gift - unless it had recently been comprehensively surveyed by someone genuinely experienced with that type of vessel.
 
If it had been a GRP boat and I was able to inspect it myself out of the water I might be prepared to take the risk after sight of previous surveys, but not with a steel boat and especially if its
been recently repainted! You also need to make sure you get a steel boat specialist surveyor as well.
 
Vitesse said:
Am I right in thinking a surveyor can measure the steel hull thickness?
Click to expand...

If he has the correct equipment then this is relatively simple but takes time and experience to know where the readings should be taken. If there is a previous survey then the readings can be done at the same spots and an indication as to the rate of steel loss can be made.
 
Many older steel boats were built with a particular life span in mind and the thickness of the steel plate used was based on this.
IMHO opinion you can neglect and abuse fibreglass until the cows come home, the blimming stuff will shrug it off and say is that the best you do.
Wood and steel need love and care to achieve the same longevity.
 
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