Recommend a Surveyor in London?

[car0lus]

i've just had an offer accepted on a 1991 fairline 36, which will be lifted out at south dock (london) next month. can anyone recommend a surveyor who's thorough, reasonably priced and covers london? expertise in diesel engines and GRP hulls is essential. any suggestions gratefully received!

 

[harvey38]

Ian Dunkerley recently did the survey on our Aquastar 38 with a genset, numerous complicated systems (don't ask!) and sea trials , based in Rochester, very thorough, great communication and for the detailed report he submitted a reasonable price. I would have absolutely no hesitation in using him again.

 

[Momac]

Try Ian Lumley
Ian Lumley - The International Institute of Marine Surveying (IIMS)

 

[car0lus]

Ian Dunkerley recently did the survey on our Aquastar 38 with a genset, numerous complicated systems (don't ask!) and sea trials , based in Rochester, very thorough, great communication and for the detailed report he submitted a reasonable price. I would have absolutely no hesitation in using him again.

many thanks harvey, that's a great help!

 

[car0lus]

Try Ian Lumley
Ian Lumley - The International Institute of Marine Surveying (IIMS)

thanks marytn! the IIMS listing says ian is based in derbyshire, are you sure he covers london?

 

[fred247]

Ian is international, would highly recommend

 

[Momac]

thanks marytn! the IIMS listing says ian is based in derbyshire, are you sure he covers london?

Ordinarily Ian goes all over for surveys including abroad as said .
Give him a call - there is nothing to lose.

 

[volvopaul]

i've just had an offer accepted on a 1991 fairline 36, which will be lifted out at south dock (london) next month. can anyone recommend a surveyor who's thorough, reasonably priced and covers london? expertise in diesel engines and GRP hulls is essential. any suggestions gratefully received!

You are asking for two different trades there .
A surveyor will look over the hull , structure and the boats working items like Radar plotter , heating , electrical systems, plumbing , windows etc .
you won’t get an in depth report on engines from a surveyor other than a look at the oil and water level and a general look .
I would assume your buying a Fairline with Volvopenta engines and at that year you will require someone who knows the product well , I would employ the nearest dealer to carry out a through inspection , take oil samples and sea trial the boat to check it performs as it should without overheating , vibration , excess smoke , a through inspection of all the services to the engines like fuel pipes , water hoses , stern gear , engine mounts , gearbox etc .

Only last week I carried out a sea trial on a Fairline Corsica of the same year , the broker had stated that the boat had been looked over and some repairs made prior to the sea trial , engines checked and all was good .
Upon opening the engine hatches I required my wellingtons as there was that much oil and water in the bilges around both engines but on checking the gearbox oil it seemed to be in the bilge,, This boat had been given the all clear from the broker!!
It’s a case of buyer beware and don’t trust anyone’s word when buying a boat .

out of interest what model and engines ?

I would recommend Nick Vass as surveyor, I work with him carrying ou5 exactly this but South London is way off my patch .

 

[oldgit]

It’s a case of buyer beware and don’t trust anyone’s word when buying a boat .

+1
Some owners seem to have serious lapses of memory regards what has been done or not been done to a boat, this may not be deliberate, if the boat has been lying idle for any time prior to sale , in some cases could be years. The recollection of the owner that the heat exchanger anodes have been recently ? changed , might mean not only the anodes are long gone but also the little bronze holders have virtually gone as well.
Never had a T36 but from knowing half a dozen owners I would be very interested , if buying , in the condition of the fuel tanks , the cooling systems and if the stern glands need any remedial work. By now access holes should have cut in boat structure to allow for some sort of access.
A cracking boat, loads around and plenty of choice to find a boat the previous owner has cared for.
Unless on an inland waterway avoid the smallest engine options. The 255 HP or the 306Hp seem to be the most popular for offshore and coastal.
As VP has said a decent sea trial (past the barrier and speed limit ) should reveal a lot about the engines, especially if the boat has spent most of its previous life above Teddington at 8 kph.
Our club moorings boast around 8 Turbo 36s on the pontoons at the moment.
If the boat has been used on the upper Thames, a post on the Thames forum might reveal some previous history.
Good Luck.

 

[car0lus]

You are asking for two different trades there .
A surveyor will look over the hull , structure and the boats working items like Radar plotter , heating , electrical systems, plumbing , windows etc .
you won’t get an in depth report on engines from a surveyor other than a look at the oil and water level and a general look .
I would assume your buying a Fairline with Volvopenta engines and at that year you will require someone who knows the product well , I would employ the nearest dealer to carry out a through inspection , take oil samples and sea trial the boat to check it performs as it should without overheating , vibration , excess smoke , a through inspection of all the services to the engines like fuel pipes , water hoses , stern gear , engine mounts , gearbox etc .

Only last week I carried out a sea trial on a Fairline Corsica of the same year , the broker had stated that the boat had been looked over and some repairs made prior to the sea trial , engines checked and all was good .
Upon opening the engine hatches I required my wellingtons as there was that much oil and water in the bilges around both engines but on checking the gearbox oil it seemed to be in the bilge,, This boat had been given the all clear from the broker!!
It’s a case of buyer beware and don’t trust anyone’s word when buying a boat .

out of interest what model and engines ?

I would recommend Nick Vass as surveyor, I work with him carrying ou5 exactly this but South London is way off my patch .

thanks paul, that's good advice. it would definitely be preferable to have a separate surveyor and engineer to inspect the boat, since as you say these are separate disciplines. however it looks like this would cost a disproportionately high amount, bearing in mind the modest value of the boat. therefore i feel i might be better off trying to find a surveyor who can also run a sea trial with the engines? hopefully the experience will be less traumatic than the one you describe!

it's a fairline 36 turbo and the engines are Volvo TAMD 41B 200HP

 

[Momac]

Ian Lumley will do a test run for you if requested to do so. Obviously the crane to lift out/in is at your expense.
Accepting the limitation being Ian isn't an Engineer.

 

[Seastoke]

thanks paul, that's good advice. it would definitely be preferable to have a separate surveyor and engineer to inspect the boat, since as you say these are separate disciplines. however it looks like this would cost a disproportionately high amount, bearing in mind the modest value of the boat. therefore i feel i might be better off trying to find a surveyor who can also run a sea trial with the engines? hopefully the experience will be less traumatic than the one you describe!

it's a fairline 36 turbo and the engines are Volvo TAMD 41B 200HP

Well if it was me , I would rather have the engines surveyed , the rest is just a caravan.

 

[fred247]

with all due respect no one can survey an engine, without stripping it down, it will only be an opinion. oil samples are only any good if you know when the engine oil and filters were changed and how many hours run since. a good look around and a sea trial would give you some idea, of the engines, an engineer could give you maybe a better option, but I wouldn't hold your breath.

 

[Seastoke]

with all due respect no one can survey an engine, without stripping it down, it will only be an opinion. oil samples are only any good if you know when the engine oil and filters were changed and how many hours run since. a good look around and a sea trial would give you some idea, of the engines, an engineer could give you maybe a better option, but I wouldn't hold your breath.

Well Paul did mine and found problems , burton waters had to put right and that was on a 10 yr old boat.

 

[volvopaul]

with all due respect no one can survey an engine, without stripping it down, it will only be an opinion. oil samples are only any good if you know when the engine oil and filters were changed and how many hours run since. a good look around and a sea trial would give you some idea, of the engines, an engineer could give you maybe a better option, but I wouldn't hold your breath.

Really , I’ll take your advise next time I’m writing pages of a report from an inspection and sea trial , from that the buyer will then seek quotations from marine engineer to have the faults put right to make the faults good .
This will save him possibly thousands in further expenses when he buys the boat .

Why would you think this is a waste of time and just an opinion ?

 

[volvopaul]

thanks paul, that's good advice. it would definitely be preferable to have a separate surveyor and engineer to inspect the boat, since as you say these are separate disciplines. however it looks like this would cost a disproportionately high amount, bearing in mind the modest value of the boat. therefore i feel i might be better off trying to find a surveyor who can also run a sea trial with the engines? hopefully the experience will be less traumatic than the one you describe!

it's a fairline 36 turbo and the engines are Volvo TAMD 41B 200HP

If your going to use this boat extensively at sea forget it , with that HP it’s a river boat .
The turbo 36 is a great boat but with the 306 hp 61 engines .

 

[Seastoke]

The modest price of the bo

thanks paul, that's good advice. it would definitely be preferable to have a separate surveyor and engineer to inspect the boat, since as you say these are separate disciplines. however it looks like this would cost a disproportionately high amount, bearing in mind the modest value of the boat. therefore i feel i might be better off trying to find a surveyor who can also run a sea trial with the engines? hopefully the experience will be less traumatic than the one you describe!

it's a fairline 36 turbo and the engines are Volvo TAMD 41B 200HP

at won’t lead to modest repair bills .

 

[oldgit]

it's a fairline 36 turbo and the engines are Volvo TAMD 41B 200HP

Very rare power choice from new , unless a repower.Easy to check as engine mountings will have moved.
Those engines are good old reliable lumps and will be lost in that engine compartment, meaning should be loads of room round them for access, not something that can be said very frequently about most boats.
However they are going to be hard pushed to achieve anything over displacement speeds and guessing that 15 knots will be top speed and likely to be less than that with any fuel/water/junk on board.
This will not be a problem if perhaps this is going to be livaboard.

 

[volvopaul]

Very rare power choice from new , unless a repower.Easy to check as engine mountings will have moved.
Those engines are good old reliable lumps and will be lost in that engine compartment, meaning should be loads of room round them for access, not something that can be said very frequently about most boats.
However they are going to be hard pushed to achieve anything over displacement speeds and guessing that 15 knots will be top speed and likely to be less than that with any fuel/water/junk on board.
This will not be a problem if perhaps this is going to be livaboard.

They built a few with the 200 in , my mate bought one that was originally a 200 ho version but it was re engined with a pair of yanmar 350s which gave it 30 knots .

 

[car0lus]

Very rare power choice from new , unless a repower.Easy to check as engine mountings will have moved.
Those engines are good old reliable lumps and will be lost in that engine compartment, meaning should be loads of room round them for access, not something that can be said very frequently about most boats.
However they are going to be hard pushed to achieve anything over displacement speeds and guessing that 15 knots will be top speed and likely to be less than that with any fuel/water/junk on board.
This will not be a problem if perhaps this is going to be livaboard.

thanks for highlighting this. i've also seen comments elsewhere that the 200s are underpowered for the fairline 36. i'm buying the boat primarily as a liveaboard, with the goal of making occasional trips on the upper thames or around the coast to the roach, crouch and blackwater. for this type of limited usage i'm hoping the 200s will be sufficient, if a little sluggish?