CHOOSING THE RIGHT YACHT SURVEYOR AND SURVEY

Before you go yacht surveyor shopping, it’s important to first know that in our neck of the woods – North America – the marine and yacht surveying profession is unregulated. This means that any Tom, Dick or Sally can call themselves a “marine surveyor”, “boat surveyor” or “yacht surveyor”. So, to help you out when looking for a surveyor, we’ve provided this brief guide with some common tips and sound advice when doing your search.

Also, as you may or may not be aware, there are different types of yacht and small craft boat surveys that function to address different purposes and investigate different areas of the vessel. From more informal Preliminary Inspections to full Condition & Valuation Surveys, you can get general overviews to super comprehensive and in-depth investigations that are insurance compliant. Whether you’re buying, selling, repairing, or upgrading, it all depends on what your goals are.

COMMON YACHT SURVEYS

THE CONDITION & VALUATION SURVEY

The C&V Survey is normally carried out once a new buyer has decided on the vessel they want to own. This survey is recommended if you are buying a secondhand yacht or small boat, having your new vessel handed over after delivery or having your yacht returned after the end of a contract with a yacht chartering company.

Due to the comprehensive nature of this survey, it will be important that your yacht surveyor adheres to a internationally recognized standard, such as SAMS® or NAMS®.

INSURANCE SURVEY

When your yacht or small craft gets to a certain age, or there is a change in ownership, your insurance provider may require that you produce a recent survey. Every provider is different, so it is important to check with your insurance carrier if there are any specific areas or equipment on the vessel that must be specified in the survey report. Be sure to pass this information on to your yacht surveyor in order to ensure that money is not wasted inspecting areas where no attention is required, or that any key area is missed.

PRELIMINARY INSPECTION

This is a surface-level inspection of a vessel in the form of a walkthrough that concludes in a verbal and/or bullet-point report. It is not a true yacht survey that can be used for insurance or valuation, but is very useful to boat shoppers who are interested in a vessel but are not at the point of requiring or obtaining a full-blown survey.

Due to the more informal nature of this inspection, the cost is much lower than a condition survey, while still providing the value of that a skilled and knowledgable overview of a yacht surveyor can provide.

ULTRASONIC SURVEY

Ultrasonic surveys (also: ultrasound surveys) are generally carried out to measure the hull plating thickness on steel and aluminium hulls. These can be quite comprehensive, with yacht surveyors taking hundreds of readings around the vessel’s hull to identify any areas where the hull plating is thin.

The ultrasound survey is not confined to hulls of steel or aluminum yachts; decks, bulkheads, keels, rudders, and other structures can also be measured as well as GRP hulls and structures. Sometimes these are included in full condition surveys (though usually to a lesser extent) and are designed to survey the vessel’s structure.

RIG INSPECTION

The rig inspection is strongly recommended before you carry out any period of extended cruising or when your standing rigging is a few years old, at minimum. Some insurance providers will require that you replace your rigging wires every ten years, while others make it a necessity to have a rig inspection (rig survey) done in order to continue coverage.

A rigging inspection includes, but is not limited to

  • Masts & Spars
  • Standing Rigging
  • Rigging Terminals & Rigging Screws
  • Shroud & Chain Plates

There are basically two methods of surveying the rig, with the mast stepped (standing) or un-stepped (lowered). The most effective method of surveying is to un-step the mast and inspect the spars when supported horizontally on stands. However, with drone technology and mast-climbing gear, this may not some yacht surveyors are able to inspect the caps and tangs while the rig is still stepped.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT YACHT SURVEYOR

VIEW THE SURVEYOR’S WEBSITE

You’d be surprised how many surveyors do not have a website to showcase their knowledge and skills, or to provide some form of resume for prospective clients to look at. While it’s not necessarily indicitive of a surveyor’s qualificiations if he or she does not have one, it will simply mean it becomes incumbent upon you to ask all the necessary questions that pertain to your situation.

A yacht surveyor who does have a solid web presence, though, should be able to answer many of your questions about competencies and experience in their website. Moreover, they will be more inclined to advertise their testimonials and feedback from past clients, so that you can determine the overall experience you can expect with them.

CHECK SURVEYOR CREDENTIALS

No matter what type of yacht survey you require, it’s important that you ensure a yacht surveyor’s credentials are accurate and up to date. If they list themselves as qualified or accredited by an organization, you can usually go to that organization’s website and look for their name in a member’s directory. For example, Josh at Yacht Survey Mexico can be found on the Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors® member area here.

REQUEST A SAMPLE REPORT

If you’re considering having a full condition and valuation survey done, you may try asking your yacht surveyor for a sample report. Their ability and willingness to provide you with one should be taken as a good sign, and it can give you a better idea of the kind of quality and depth of inspection that you can expect if you hire them.

ASK QUESTIONS

The primary job of a yacht surveyor is communication. A good yacht surveyor should be easy to communicate with, detailed, patient, and be willing to answer your questions thoughtfully.

When you know the type of survey you need and any specific boxes you need checked in terms of equipment, system, or area, be sure to ask your yacht surveyor about their process and ability to get this done for you. Ask about the equipment they use to do their inspections, their experience with the vessel make/model you want inspected, and ask about anything else that is unclear or confusing. You should be able to ask questions and receive answers in a language that you understand.