Surveyor in Clyde Area

Jim Abenethy of Murray Cormack.

Took all day going over a 34' boat I was going to buy, then spent hour with me explaining why I should run away!
 
West Coast said:
Hi all

Any recommendations for a good surveyor in the Clyde, Largs/Ardrossan/Troon area?

Cheers
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Ian Nicolson. He wrote the book about surveying, literally. I have found him extremely helpful and practical when specifying a repair, and yacht brokers turn amusingly pale when his name is mentioned.
 
michael_w said:
Jim Abenethy of Murray Cormack.

Took all day going over a 34' boat I was going to buy, then spent hour with me explaining why I should run away!
Click to expand...

I would not recommend Murray Cormack and Associates. I specifically asked for an engine survey on the yacht for various matters I observed when I looked at the yacht. I don't think they did it, just rattled off some comments - an engine mount was completely loose and the shaft coupling was heavily corroded. On the first trip, at the marina entrance, the shaft sheared off the coupling. The work to reinstate the shaft discovered that all the engine mounts were completely shot. The loose mounting nut would have been obvious to the surveyor if he had inspected the mounts. The shot rubber I can appreciate would not have been obvious as they are slim line mounts with the rubber bushing buried inside the mount.

When the hull was surveyed on a 'lunch time lift and lower' it was pouring down all day long, heavy rain without any exaggeration. The moisture readings were irrelevant and pointless and the survey should have been postponed. Again, I specifically asked for an osmosis opinion because of the history of the yacht made available to me and the surveyor from the owner.

I had also requested an evaluation and that was not forthcoming. It took a while to get that from them and when it did, it reflected exactly what I had negotiated with the seller, luck, maybe. The written survey itself was very poor and it took me a few readings to extract all the items that he had found. I phoned the surveyor a few times to talk about the survey but it was a very one sided telephone conversation with nothing really extra offered to explain the surveyors opinions. I distinctly remember the feeling that he could not be bothered with me, the replies being quite ambiguous. Eventually I talked to Ian Nicholson and he kindly gave me advice on some matters that Murray Cormack and Associates could or would not answer. I was quite naive regarding surveys and trusted the professional opinion very much. The conclusion I came to, much, much later, is that the surveyor couldn't get on and off the yacht quick enough because of the rain and that I received a sub standard service from them; that's my experience. Make your own mind up about them but make sure you take ownership and get what you paid for.
 
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Thanks all, boat has reached an age where my insurer (and all other insurers I have spoken to to find best quotes) is wanting a survey report - hence the question.
 
JumbleDuck said:
Ian Nicolson. He wrote the book about surveying, literally. I have found him extremely helpful and practical when specifying a repair, and yacht brokers turn amusingly pale when his name is mentioned.
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+1 if you're a buyer. Hes very thorough. But if you're a seller, then maybe you don't want that?
 
Do not under any circumstances use Teem Surveys.

Edited cos I was getting angry listing all the things he missed.
 
Jim McIlraith at Surveyone. Based in Renfrew.
Did a very thorough survey for me some years back and could give me some history of the boat that the seller didn't know.
No connection other than that, and reports from others who had used him.



West Coast said:
Hi all

Any recommendations for a good surveyor in the Clyde, Largs/Ardrossan/Troon area?

Cheers
Click to expand...
 
MM5AHO said:
+1 if you're a buyer. Hes very thorough. But if you're a seller, then maybe you don't want that?
Click to expand...

Indeed. Hence the pale and trembling brokers. I think he'd be very good for the OP's insurance needs, as I have found him to be very pragmatic about things. I'll need an insurance survey in a year's time, and I'll certainly be asking him to do it.
 
Then you'll probably know more things that is wrong than any surveyor and you don't want one writing a huge list of trivial faults that an insurance company would want fixed.
 
Another vote for Ian Nicolson; he's been in the business since god was a boy, although for disclosure purposes he is a friend and good company on a sail.
 
duncanmack said:
Jim McIlraith at Surveyone. Based in Renfrew.
Did a very thorough survey for me some years back and could give me some history of the boat that the seller didn't know.
No connection other than that, and reports from others who had used him.
Click to expand...
+ 10 - straight as they come, no nonsense reports, detailed and thorough. Time to explain his findings to you.
 
+1 for Jim Mcilraith. Surveyed boats for me in 2002 and 2007. Was happy to answer "bone" follow up questions.
No connection except that he went to school with my brother....!

QUOTE=duncanmack;4390059]Jim McIlraith at Surveyone. Based in Renfrew.
Plus Did a very thorough survey for me some years back and could give me some history of the boat that the seller didn't know.
No connection other than that, and reports from others who had used him.[/QUOTE]
 
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