Thinking of doing a DIY yacht survey? Explore essential tips for inspecting the hull, deck, and below deck areas yourself, and find out if hiring a professional surveyor is necessary for your boat.
Having sorted the wheat from the chaff there will be a handful of boats on your list of possible purchases. The next step is deciding which boat on this list is best for you.
DIY yacht survey
This decision needs to be based on a survey but before commissioning a surveyor, take a look at the boat yourself. Time spent in reconnaissance is seldom wasted.
Hull and deck survey
Any worthwhile inspection lasts several hours so even if a couple of boats are situated close together do not plan on visiting more than one boat a day. Take overalls, gloves, a flashlight, a tape measure, ruler, camera, spare batteries for both camera and flashlight, a bradawl or sharp penknife, mirror, notepad, pencil and copies of the inventory and photographs that the owner provided. The mirror is to peer into awkward corners and the bradawl is to poke suspicious-looking timber. No boat owner will like you doing this so use it discreetly.
If the owner or broker insists on staying with you once he has opened up the boat then they may offer some explanation or comment every time you make a note or take a photograph. Be non-committal and try not to become involved in any discussion on the points raised but do make a note of his remarks. They may come in useful later when negotiating over the price.
A wise seller has the boat looking as pretty as possible. If it is out of the water, the hull should have been power-washed. Below the waterline there should be new antifouling or, at the very least, any patches of bare hull painted over. The topsides should have been cleaned and polished. Below decks should have had a deep spring clean and lockers emptied of clutter and cleaned to give the impression of a Ship Interior – Technical Recommendationsspacious interior with lots of living room.
The bilge, if not newly painted (a warning sign in its own right), should be sparkling bright without an oil smear or tide line in sight. In short, everything should have been done so that your first impression is, “Wow, this is a great-looking boat!” and, so the seller hopes, this thought will blind you to any defects it may have. Your job is to look beyond the shine.
A typical condition survey
A typical condition survey covers the following points. Use it as a guide for your inspection:
- Anchors and anchor rode.
- Batteries.
- Bilge pumps, manual and powered.
- Cathodic protection.
- Chain plates.
- Deck, coachroof and superstructure.
- Deck fittings, including cleats, blocks, sail tracks, fairleads, jammers, halyard organisers etc.
- Electrical installation, including power generation.
- Engine The engine and its controls normally receive no more than a visual check. The engine checklist in Chapter 10 probably covers more ground than the sort of check the average surveyor carries, but it is not as good as that by a professional marine engineer. If you are concerned about the condition of the engine, have it surveyed by a professional engineer.x and engine controls.
- Engine instrumentation.
- Firefighting instrumentation.
- Fresh-water installations.
- Fuel tanks, filters and fuel lines.
- Galley.
- Guardrails and stanchions.
- Heads.
- Hull Steel and aluminium hulls are sometimes checked using ultrasound but this often incurs an extra charge. It is standard practice to remove small areas of antifouling on GRP hulls to check the condition of the hull underneath and take moisture readings. Wooden hulls may be probed to check for rot. If the owner agrees, and if you are prepared to pay for the work, some fastenings may be removed to check their condition. It may be necessary, on hulls of all types, to open up some otherwise inaccessible areas where water may gather to check for water damage.x, keel and rudder’s.
- Internal hull structures, bulkheads, framing, fastenings, furniture etc.
- Lifesaving equipment.
- LPG In the UK, LPG installations can only be signed off by a registered CORGI gas engineer.x storage and pipework.
- Mast, boom, other spars and rigging.
- Navigation area.
- Navigation instruments.
- Navigation lights.
- Propshaft and stern gear.
- Sails, dodgers, pramhoods and cockpit awnings.
- Skin fittings and seacocks.
- Steering gear.
- Winches including anchor winches.
- Windows and hatches.
The hull
Look along the hull from as many angles as possible. Does the gel coat look chalky even though it has been polished for your visit? If a dull or chalky-looking gel coat cannot be restored to gleaming brilliance with a light rubbing compound, then the hull needs painting.
If there has been hull damage, a good, professional repair should be invisible but if there is a blemish or deformity in the hull’s otherwise smooth curve it may be a sign of a less than competent repair.
GRP does not like sharp angles so if you see one, for example where the hull meets the transom, look to see if patches of gel coat have broken away to reveal voids underneath, Check for stress cracking in the gel coat in and around the chain plates and deck fittings such as the bow roller.
Imagine the boat coming alongside a pontoon or jetty and think of where the hull would bump if the manoeuvre went badly. Once you’ have worked this out, check port and starboard for any signs of the topsides having been given a good thwack. If there is a wooden rubbing strip, check it for damage or to see if a new length has been scarfed in. Examine the bow to see if it has had a run-in with a pontoon.
If the boat is out of the water, check the keel for bumps or dents which suggest a close encounter with something hard. Are there signs of rust weeping from where the keel joins the hull? If so, then at the very least, the keel needs to come off and be cleaned up before being replaced. New keel bolts may also be required.
Check the hull for osmosis. Small bubbles and blisters are the most obvious sign and most common below the waterline. Osmosis is not fatal and can be cured but the remedy is costly.
Has the hull been painted? If so, with what type of paint and when? Was it painted above and below the waterline? Two or three coats of epoxy paint below the waterline reduces the risk of osmosis.
The deck
On GRP boats, decks are often cored. This construction offers lightness with rigidity but, as in any sandwich, the filling does not take kindly to being squeezed. Where a fitting is bolted through the deck, the balsa wood, foam or paper honeycomb core should have been cut away, replaced by solid GRP and then protected by a large backing pad. This is a time-consuming and expensive task. The tempration for builders co cut corners and not cut out the core is often irresistible. Leaving the core in place and then through-bolting deck fittings almost certainly guarantees water penetration into the core.
Cored laminate construction is a complex topic. Curves mean that when foam or balsa wood is used it must be in the form of small squares stuck onto scrim so that it follows the curve. As it does so, each square hinges open a little and if these gaps are not filled with resin when the GRP skin is laid up, they can later fill with water.
Every hole in a cored deck is a route for water to reach the core. If it does, then the core slowly becomes soggier and spongier and the deck loses both its strength and rigidity. Eventually the core parts company with the GRP skin and structural integrity disappears. This is most likely to happen around deck hardware. Tap the deck near all deck hardware with the handle of the bradawl. If a sharp tap becomes a dull thud there is every chance you have found some delamination. Bumps or wrinkles, sometimes called crocodiling or aligatoring because of the appearance, in these same areas are signs that delamination is almost certain.
On wooden-hulled boats, leaks are a fact of life since the wood shrinks or swells according to the weather. Sometimes a teak deck, real or faux, is laid over a GRP deck to improve its appearance. If the deck is not properly supported it will flex but it is possible that the teak and GRP flex at different rates. The difference need not be much, just enough to affect the join between the hull and the teak. Water leaking through the teak can travel some distance before entering the hull, making the source of the leak difficult to find.
Some steel and ferro-cement hulls have plywood decks and superstructures. Water can enter the plywood along its end joints causing it to delaminate and rot. This may be concealed under a coat of paint. Gentle prodding with the bradawl at the more obvious joints and anywhere water could accumulate may help find the rot. If the owner is unhappy at you prodding his deck, try tapping with the handle of the bradawl and listen for a dull thud.
Hull deck join
There are a variety of hull to deck joins and each has a clan of variants. The joint stiffens the hull and contributes to its structural strength. A poor join can be a source of weakness and everlasting leaks.
The “cocoa tin” system is easily the most common. The weakness of this joint is that it fits where it touches and the resulting gaps are filled with bodge. This is a mixture of cheap resin, hardener and floor sweepings. It ought to be scraped out and replaced with a decent structural adhesive.
Other joints include the toe rail clamp which uses an aluminium toe rail that comes ready pierced with scuppers for blocks and mooring lines.
Stemhead fittings
A stemhead fitting often doubles as a bow roller for the anchor rode and the attachment point for the forestay. In both roles it is subjected to high loadings and the fitting needs to be robustly constructed and attached to the hull and deck in such a way that the loadings are spread over as wide an area as possible.
Look carefully for deformities in the stemhead fitting, stress cracks in the deck, an excess of sealant around the fitting and even rust marks round the bolts.
All too often, yards rely on penny washers to spread load and some yachts are famous for leaky stemhead fittings. Checking how the stemhead fitting is attached normally involves lying on your back in the forepeak and working at arm’s length by touch and mirrors.
Sometimes manufacturers “encapsulate” nuts of through-bolted deck fittings by covering them in a layer of chopped strand mat. If you want to upgrade or replace the stemhead fitting then the mat has to be chiselled off (working by touch) before a spanner can be used. Sometimes there is no room for a spanner and it is necessary to drill the head off the bolts and knock them through. It is not surprising that stemhead fittings come low on the maintenance totem and people live with its leaks.
Grabrails
Grabrails are to enable you to hang on for dear life while the boat is thrown onto its beam ends and waves threaten to wash you overboard. You can even clip your lifeline to them and stay attached to the boat should you ever lose your grip.
However, many grabrails are flimsy strips of wood that are so poorly attached to the coachroof that they would either break or pull out under a severe loading.
Deck fittings
Check that all deck fittings are securely attached and do not show signs of leaking. Check that the pulleys on all blocks run smoothly. Are there sufficient cleats in the right place and of the right size? Given the size of some chats it seems that some manufacturers assume that yachtsmen use string or fishing line to moor their boats. Are there fairleads to protect the hull where lines leave the boat? Are there cleats midships port and starboard for springs? How is the anchor chain secured?
If there are faults with the deck firings they were probably made when the boat was built but pointing out the need to upgrade is a useful negotiating tactic when discussing the price.
Chain plates
Chain plates have a hard life spent keeping the mast upright. The loading on chain plates varies with the wind strength and sea state. Unless properly supported, a chain plate waggles to and fro and up and down and can come loose.
This not only weakens the entire arrangement but allows water to enter the hull. A sure sign that this is happening is some deformity in the chain plate or one of its components, or applications of sealant where it is attached to the deck or the hull.
The very considerable loads that chain plates carry should be spread over as great an area of the hull and deck as possible. To do this they should be tied into a bulkhead or to some structural member of the hull. It is surprising how often this basic rule, which most sailors know, is ignored.
Occasionally (mostly on racing yachts) bulkheads are cored to save weight, even those with chain plates attached. This is fine provided that subsequent water penetration has not destroyed the bulkhead’s structural integrity.
On some boats the shrouds are fixed to the coachroof, which would be: acceptable if they were then tied into a bulkhead or beam that would take the load into the hull. Usually they are not. Sometimes they are even bolted on immediately above or below a window opening which not only makes it impossible to tie them into any structural member but more or less guarantees that the window will leak.
Backstays often end in a bridle attached to the transom by small stainless steel triangular-shaped plates on, or very close to, the hull deck join. The loading is carried entirely by the backing pads to the bolts holding these plates. These are usually no more than penny washers and salesmen have been known to reassure prospective customers that this is acceptable because the loading on the bolts is in “sheer”.
Poorly fitted or badly designed chain plates are design faults and expensive to put right. If your dream boat has them then you must either live with them, or redesign and replace the chain plates. If you find evidence of water penetration through the chain plates then you can ask the vendor to contribute towards the cost of remedial work.
Windows
Windows in hulls and coachroofs flex and twist and, as they do, the hole cut out to accommodate the window changes shape. This breaks the seal between the window frame and the coachroof or hull. Once the seal is broken, water can enter. Preventing this happening has always taxed the ingenuity of boatbuilders.
Most solutions rely on rubber seals with or without an aluminium frame. Another popular answer is a Perspex® window, cut to shape and attached directly to the coachroof. If this is the case, check that it is held in place by bolts, not screws, and that the holes drilled for the bolts have not caused stress cracking in the Perspex®. Stress cracking is normally the result of drilling holes with a blunt bit. The danger it brings is that a sharp bang can shatter the window. This could be interesting if you are in heavy weather at the time.
Old, crazed or cracked plastic windows, corroding frames and aged rubber seals need replacing and are useful points to raise when negotiating, the price.
Stanchions
Designed to hold up guard wires, stanchions become levers when they are used to fend boats off, pull yourself aboard or as cleats for mooring lines. The forces that this mistreatment applies far exceed those that any stanchion is designed to take. Yet this abuse happens and will continue to happen as surely as night follows day. The only answer is better and stronger stanchions.
Stanchions usually come in two parts: a base with a socket that is fixed to the deck and an aluminium or stainless steel tube 24-30 in (60-76 cm) long which fits into the socket and is drilled to take the guard wires.
Failure of the tube is rare and when it happens it is usually just above where it leaves the socket. Most of the loading is taken by the base, levering it away from the deck, allowing water in and sometimes weakening the fixing to the point of failure. Stanchions are normally located on the very edge of the deck which means there is almost no space at all for decent backing pads. Repairs involve working in impossibly cramped spaces.
Problems with stanchions are revealed by kinks in the tube, deformed bases and applications of sealant around the base. Check the guardrail wire. Bare wire has been known to saw its way through stanchions and plastic coated wire can rot unseen.
Boats which have narrow side decks going forward from the cockpit can mean climbing outside the guardrails until you reach the foredeck, where you climb back over them to stand on the foredeck. In a seaway this can be dangerous and raises questions about the value of having guardrails.
Navigation lights
If there is only a masthead tricolour and the mast is stepped then all you can do is switch it on and check that it lights up unless you are prepared to climb the mast. Leisure craft navigation lights are notorious for being almost invisible to other shipping.
It does not help that some boat owners use a bulb lower than the recommended wattage or that over the years the lens has grown a white patina of closely packed fine cracks. Unless it is possible to buy new lenses, the only solution is a new light.
The cockpit
Stand in the cockpit and imagine tacking the boat in a blow. Is there enough room for the crew to work and move around without falling over each other? Are the sheets and winches easily accessible? Can the winches be used without their handles thumping someone in the back? Are there strong points for safety harnesses?
Are there enough of these strong points so that lifelines do not become a tangled mess? Can the helmsman reach the lifebuoys without leaving the tiller or wheel unattended?
Cockpit instruments
Fitting cockpit instruments so that they can be easily seen by the helmsman is always a challenge on a small boat. It is hardly fair to class their position as a defect but it is worth making a note if only because you might wish to change them if you buy the boat.
Cockpit lockers
Can the cockpit lockers be secured at sea? If the boat is knocked down you do not wish the lockers to open and throw their contents overboard as water rushes in. Do they have decent-sized gutters to drain away the water that always slops around cockpits? Hatches to cockpit lockers double as seats. Is there some arrangement to prevent the crew sitting in the puddles that collect when the boat heels?
Cockpit drains
If there is a self-draining cockpit, are the drains of a decent size? Do their hoses cross and lead to seacocks? If there is not a self-draining cockpit, what arrangement has been make to clear the cockpit of water? How easy is it to clear the water from the cockpit?
Cockpit hatches
The main hatch should be above a bridgedeck and have a decent-sized sill to prevent water running into the main cabin. If this hatch is closed by washboards, examine how the rebate they fit into is attached to the boat.
Sometimes this is a moulding in the GRP – which is fine. Other times it is nothing more than a length of channelled wood held in place by two or three screws into GRP. Think about the effect that a wave would have if it hits this arrangement and when you realise how vulnerable it is to a sudden bang, consider how it can be upgraded.
Hatches are often let into the cockpit sole to give access to the engine or propshaft. Are these hatches watertight? How are they secured? Would gravity let them fall open in a knockdown? Upgrading hatches and washboards is not difficult but costs money and is another point to remember when negotiating the price.
Mast and rigging
If the mast has been unstepped and stored ashore you can take a close look. Otherwise you will need a pair of binoculars. You are looking for any deformities or signs of cracking, especially around fittings like winches, cleats, spinnaker pole attachments and, most importantly, spreaders.
Check the boom, especially where the mainsheet is attached and at the gooseneck. A single involuntary gybe can wreak havoc on the strongest of goosenecks, Make sure whatever mainsail reefing arrangement is used – in-mast, in-boom, slab, traditional or single line jiffy reefing – works.
If there is a spinnaker pole, check it is the right size and that the end fittings have not seized up.
Check the standing rigging for any broken wires and ask its age. Rigging approaching the end of its useful working life needs replacing, doubly so if it is stainless steel rod. Rod rigging can develop hairline cracks that are invisible unless checked electronically; it looks perfect until it fails.
Check the bottle screws (turnbuckles) are not bent or distorted in any way. Some owners wrap bottle screws in electrician’s tape which traps water and encourages corrosion. Confirm that the bottle screws are held together by clevis pins and not nuts and bolts. A 5 mm nut has about the same strength as a 3 mm clevis pin. Check that the running rigging is not frayed and is the right size and length for the job.
Few yachts nowadays hank on foresails. Racing yachts tend to have foils and cruising yachts use a headsail roller reefing system. Check that the foil on both these systems is not bent through misuse and that it works. On reefing systems confirm that the line feeds neatly onto the drum without any snagging and that it is easily accessible in the cockpit. On small boats, it should be somewhere near the centre line. If it is on a cockpit coaming then on one tack it could be underwater.
Sails
If sails feel thin and are frayed round the head, tack or clew or if there are lines of broken or missing stitching then they are due for replacement. If a headsail has a sacrificial strip to protect it from UV, give the strip a good tug. If it begins to rip, stop. It needs replacing, which can cost up to 20-25 % of a new sail.
Are the battens in the mainsail mix and match? If so it suggests that they have a habit of breaking or popping out of their pocket at sea. It is simple to stitch the pockets shut but if battens are breaking then new, stronger versions are needed.
Deck hatches
Every hatch is a possible leak so check that it seals. Excessive amounts of self-adhesive neoprene foam around hatches hints at problems. Can a strongback be fitted to make sure a hatch stays shut in heavy weather? If it is a hinged hatch the hinge should be on its forward edge so that there is less chance of a wave getting underneath and opening it. How easy is it to replace the seals?
If a hatch slides shut does it do so smoothly? What is the sliding arrangement? Is there a cover to prevent water coming below?
Ground tackle
Owners may spend tens of thousands of pounds on a boat but are reluctant to spend a couple of hundred on a decent anchor and anchor rode. Check the anchor is the right size for the boat, and that the anchor rode matches the anchor. Is it in good condition and sufficient to anchor in 15-20 metres of water?
If the chain locker has a hawse pipe, check that the anchor rode runs out easily. Some owners begin their anchor rode with a length of heavy chain, then, to save weight, shackle on lighter chain. It has been known for the shackle to be bigger than both chains and catch on the hawse pipe before the anchor reaches the bottom. This is embarrassing. The only way to check that this does not happen is to pull all the anchor rode out, and then feed it all back. The solution can be as simple as replacing the shackle with a proper chain link. If not, you need a new anchor rode.
Does the anchor locker drain outboard? Are the drains clear or has the chain been rusting in a puddle of water?
Steering system
Go from hard a-port to hard a-starboard several times. Does it go over smoothly or are there hesitations or bumps and bangs of unknown origin indicating stretched steering cables, worn bearings, mechanical damage or sloppy hydraulics? If the boat is out of the water, push the rudder from side to side while someone else holds the tiller or the wheel steady. If the rudder moves then the pintles (if transom hung) or bearings are worn and ought to be replaced. If it is a wooden laminated tiller, is it in good condition?
Once you have finished checking above decks it is time to take a look below.
Below deck survey
When you first step into the cabin, stop. Absorb the atmosphere. Below decks should be as bright as a new pin but what is the scent of the air freshener camouflaging? It could be the odour from the heads but it might be the stink of mildew, damp and rot.
Now, imagine this spacious, stable, horizontal interior after a couple of days of heavy weather. Those off watch flop on the settees, which have lee cloths up so there is nowhere for anyone to sit. In the forecabin, damp oilies spill out of the wet locker, gear falls out of lockers, drawers fly open, the cook has spent an hour heating a couple of cans of soup and then dropped the pot on the cabin sole. The navigator cannot stay in his seat long enough to plot a fix.
A lack of handholds turns the cabin into a torture chamber and the cabin table exacts a heavy toll of bruises on every passerby. The steps from the main hatch into the cabin have a nasty habit of throwing people into or out of the cabin as the whim takes them. The crew have grown tired and irritable and wish to sit under a tree.
The point when everlasting discomfort and inconvenience ceases to be a challenge and becomes dangerously unacceptable is down to personal judgement. What some regard as part of the fun of cruising others see as a pain in the neck. Exactly when this happens varies from boat to boat. Give some thought as to where the line is on this boat rather than simply accepting what you see on a warm day on a boat on dry land.
Cabin sole
Begin your inspection with the cabin sole. [s it non slip? A wooden veneer looks pretty but it can have the coefficient of friction of an ice rink. Carpeting is another homely touch but where is the carpet stowed at sea? Or do you live with a smelly, damp carpet rotting the cabin sole?
Does the cabin sole flex as you walk around? Flexing hints at inadequate materials and insufficient support. The flatter hulls of modern yachts makes a little water in the bilge go a long way, At modest angles of heel, water laps round the plywood of the cabin sole. Soaked in water long enough, all plywood delaminates. Lift the cabin sole and look carefully for any signs of this happening. It may explain the flex.
If it does not, then check what holds the cabin sole up. Often it is untreated softwood battens screwed into the front edge of a bunk, or on larger craft, a grid of battens spanning the boat. Softwoods do not like water, particularly around the screw holes and end grains where water wicks along the wood.
If the battens are in good condition then the rule is the thinner the wood of the cabin sole then the more closely spaced are the battens holding it up.
The floors
The floors run athwartships and hold the keel together. Are they still firmly attached to the hull? If there is a tide mark in the bilge, then there has been water round the floors which has encouraged them to delaminate. It is not a big job to re-attach them but it probably requires running a dehumidifier for a couple of days to make sure that the wood that forms the floors is dry and ready to be glassed in.
Keel bolts
If there are keel bolts, check their condition and how they spread the load of carrying the keel around the hull. Penny washers are not an acceptable answer, If the keel is encapsulated, what material is used for ballast? If it is iron then ts it protected from water in the bilge? Rusty ballast occupies more space than clean iron and can weaken the encapsulation.
If there is a lifting keel and the boat is afloat, lower and raise the keel a couple of times. Is it easy to use? Does it work smoothly? Are the wires, rods or whatever does the work in good condition? If Ship Electrical Systemelectric motors or hydraulics are involved, is there a manual back-up in case of failure? If the lifting mechanism fails, is there anything to stop the keel falling out?
If the box is made of steel or wood, what precautions have been taken to stop it rotting from the inside out? If any part of the box is a component of some other structure such as a fuel tank what would be the consequences of a leak? It has been known for a keel box to be one side of a fuel tank, it leaked, and the first the owner knew of it was a bilge full of diesel.
Doors, lockers and drawers
Do all cabin doors open and close easily? They almost certainly did when the boat first left the yard but dropping off a wave can cause a hull to flex and twist; although the doors remain square, the doorways do not. In minor cases they need a good tug to open and a kick to close. In severe cases they will not close or if closed do not open. The ends of your ruler are square. If the doors are stiff then use the ends of your ruler to check the door frame is square. If not, then there is a serious problem and there is also the possibility the twisting has loosened or detached structural bulkheads from the hull. Reluctant doors are a reminder to look at every bulkhead.
Lockers with doors need good catches if they are not to open every time the boat bounces. Give all locker doors a light pull and if a locker opens there might be a problem. Close it. Now thump the door or it frame. If it opens there is a problem. The owner may be aghast at this behaviour but if you are thrown against a locker in a seaway you do not wish to be covered in its contents.
Lockers under side decks are the last resting place for water leaking through deck fittings. Check inside lockers for any staining. Black stains under varnish are a reliable indicator of water damage, as are rust marks round bolts.
Drawers sometimes swell and refuse to open. This does not often happen to drawers made of plywood as ply is a fairly stable material but solid wood drawers swelling or shrinking, depending on the amount of moisture in the air, have been known to jam. It is a sad example of an upmarket feature which can backfire and one you must live with.
Cushions
If you intend to sleep aboard then bunk cushions need to be a minimum of four inches thick, six is better and conformal foam better still. Foam cushions are expensive and many boats settle for three- or even two-inch thick cushions.
If the cushions have cloth rather than vinyl covers, check them for water staining. Water leaking into lockers continues down the hull until it reaches a bunk, where it flows below the cushion into the under bunk locker and so to the bilge. Cloth-covered bunk cushions look homely but they allow this water to soak into the foam and leave tide marks along the bottom edge and underneath the cushion. The smell of constantly damp foam is unmistakable and sleeping on a damp foam mattress is not good for your health.
Salt absorbs water from the air, Once soaked with sea water, cushions never dry out properly. How easy is it to remove the cushion covers so that the salt can be rinsed out of the foam? The zips may be made of plastic but the slide that pulls a zip together is normally made of alloy which corrodes and locks into position. If the cushions are in poor shape the answers are new, much bigger zips, new covers or new cushions, another negotiating point when discussing the price.
Deck lining
Deck linings conceal untidy wiring runs and the nuts and backing pads of deck fittings, giving the deckhead a civilised, uncluttered appearance. They guard against condensation but also hide leaks. Water has been known to follow wiring runs under the deck liner and collect in light fittings. It also puddles inside the lining and stains it. A saggy, stained headliner showing signs of being inexpertly removed and replaced speaks of these problems.
Domestic lights
Domestic lights are often positioned with more regard to short wiring runs than practicality. There is nothing worse than trying to read a book or chart with the light shining in your eyes; or that every cabin light blinds those in the cockpit.
Is there a red light to protect night vision? What arrangements have been made for lighting the engine compartment? Or do you hold a torch between your teeth as you scrabble to change an oil filter?
Heads
Do the heads give their occupants privacy? Does the pump to empty them work or does water spray out of the pump as you flush? This is not a serious fault but new seals are surprisingly expensive. Is there a holding tank? More and more cruising areas prohibit raw sewage from being pumped overboard. If there is not a holding tank you may need to fit one. Do the toilet’s seacocks and valves work? Are they easily accessible for maintenance?
Fresh-water supply
If fresh water is hand-pumped to a sink does the pump work? Does it leak? If it is a foot pump, can you brace yourself and still have both hands free if you are using it in a seaway? If it relies on an electric pump, is there a back-up system if it fails? Automatic pumps means high water consumption. Is the tank large enough to hold enough water for a typical passage? Is there more than one tank? Where are they?
Water is heavy. A 40 gallon (181 litres) under-bunk tank in the forepeak, a common location on today’s yachts with their shallow bilges, is the equivalent of parking two or three crew members on the foredeck. Worse, when a yacht heels, the water in a part-full tank moves downhill and puts its weight in the wrong place.
Read also: Yacht Surveys: The Key Elements
Is the tank accessible for cleaning? Is the piping of food quality standard? Are the joints in the system secure and not showing any signs of leaking? Are there in-line water filters? How old are they? Are they easy to source and replace?
Are the tanks made of rigid material, like GRP, or bladder tanks fitted into lockers and odd corners? Water slops around in all tanks, even bladder tanks, and if no precautions have been taken to protect against chafe then, at some point, bladder tanks leak. It may take some years for this to happen but it will.
Gas supply
Most boats cook on gas. Gas bottles should be securely stowed in a sealed locker with an outboard drain which exits the hull below the bottles but far enough above the waterline so that water cannot siphon back when heeled. The pipework should be of a recognised standard and installed by a qualified engineer. Blowback arresters, leak detectors and gas alarms ave a sign that the risk of using gas is taken seriously.
Living below
A caravan-type layout is fine if life below decks is confined to marinas and anchorages but on overnight and extended passages it is important that the cabin is suited to life afloat and is comfortable and stress free. Can you sit on the settee berths when the boat is heeled? Are there decent leecloths so you can sleep without falling out of bed? Are the galley and navigation areas laid out so you can safely work in them when heeled up to 20° in a vigorous seaway? Are the ready-to-use lockers easily reached? Is there somewhere to stow wet oilies?
Engine checklist
A well maintained engine should look clean and tidy. There should be no signs of oil leaking into the bilges or around gaskets, pipes and hoses. Engine checks are:
1 Take out the dipstick and examine the oil on it:
- Normally it will be black or a very dark brown. If it has been changed recently then it should look clear and clean. If this is the case ask when it was changed and how long the engine has run since then. Take a look at the oil filter. It is usual to change the filter when you change the oil. Clean oil with an old filter is suspect.
- The oil should run down the dipstick easily.
- Thick, treacle-like oil suggests a lack of engine maintenance.
- If it looks milky, this is a sign of a water leak within the engine.
2 A chalky residue on the engine is a sign that it is running hot.
3 If it is a petrol engine, pull out a spark plug. If it is in poor condition, this could point towards a lack of maintenance.
4 What is the condition of the engine mounts? Engine mounts rely on the bond between rubber and metal to absorb vibration. They are suspect and need replacing if the mounts are rusty.
5 Check all the drive belts. Are they slack, worn, cracked or in any way degraded? If so, this paints to poor maintenance.
6 Check the fuel lines for leaks.
7 Check the oil in the gearbox. This should be absolutely clear.
8 If the fuel filter separating water from fuel has a glass bowl look for signs of water, debris and fine black, thread-like strands. These indicate biological growth in the tanked fuel which if left untreated blocks fuel lines and injectors, It is caused by not treating and filtering fuel before adding it to the tank. The cure is drain and clean the tank, fuel lines and injectors. When that is done then you replace the filters. Another negotiating point when discussing the price.
9 There should be a filter on the raw seawater side. What condition is it in?
10 Is the engine coolant clean, up to level and containing the correct amount of antifreeze?
11 Check that the engine mounts are in good condition and rust free.
12 Check the propshaft. Is the flexible coupling in good condition? Is there any indication that it has been placed under undue strain and is beginning to fail? If there is no flexible coupling, find out what stops the gearbox being torn apart if a line fouls the prop. With flexible couplings it is almost impossible to tell if the propshaft is properly aligned, but one sign is undue engine vibration when running in gear.
13 Check the stern gland for signs of leaking.
14 Check the stern bearing by pushing the propeller from side to side. There should be no movement. If there is, it needs replacing. If there is a P-bracket, the shaft should not move when pushed from side to side. Check for damage where the P-bracket enters the hull. It has been known for boats to be lifted out of the water with a lifting sling round the P-bracket.
15 Check the engine controls.
16 Check that all the engine instrumentation works.
Engine compartment
Even for purists who regard engines as the work of the devil and propellers a clever form of egg whisk, engines are still the principal means of battery charging. Even purists may rely on electronics.
It is important that when you need power the engine starts first time, every time. Older engines are likely to have problems unless they have been meticulously maintained from day one.
A well-maintained engine should look clean and tidy. There should be no signs of oil leaking into the bilges or around gaskets, pipes and hoses. If possible, start the engine. If ashore, stick a hosepipe up the raw water intake hull fitting and turn the tap on. Does the engine start easily? Run it for a while. Does it blow out smoke, particularly when you increase the power? This is not a good sign. Does water come out of the exhaust? This is a good sign.
Put the engine in and out of gear. Check for vibration and unusual movement in the propshaft. If there is, then it is likely that the propshaft is out of alignment and is placing unnecessary strain on the flexible coupling and gearbox. It also means that the propeller is running inefficiently and using more fuel than it should. When you have finished these checks then look at the fuel filter again and see if anything nasty has been pulled through from the tank.
If it is a saildrive engine check the hull seals and ask their age. They may be due for renewal. Look for any signs of damage that suggest that the engine may have received a knock. This could have damaged the seals. Engine-hour meters lie. It may not have been fitted for the life of the engine or it may have been reset. If it is claimed that the engine has been recently overhauled, then this should be supported by detailed receipts. Otherwise, be suspicious and if concerned about the condition of the engine have it surveyed by a marine engineer.
Electrics
A reliable source of electrical power is essential, For most boats this is a 12-volt battery system charged from the engine alternator, perhaps supplemented by solar panels or a wind generator.
Large amounts of electrical and electronic equipment are standard on boats of all sizes and create complicated wiring harnesses. All wiring should have the largest cross section possible to reduce voltage drop. Is the wiring neatly tied to bulkheads? Are individual wires labelled? Are different uses identified by wires of different colours? Is there an up-to-date wiring diagram? Examine electrical connections for signs of corrosion. If the panel is fused, check the correct value of fuses are being used. If the panel relies on circuit breakers then check they work.
The battery bank should be split into domestic and engine-start batteries with sufficient batteries for each task. Check the ampere hours on each battery. Domestic batteries should be low-discharge batteries. How is the switching between batteries done? Can the domestic battery be switched to boost the engine-start battery in an emergency? Batteries should be securely strapped down and located as close to the alternator as possible to reduce charging losses through voltage drop. Is there a battery-state meter or a voltmeter which does the same job?
If the boat is wired for mains shore power, is its wiring clearly identified and cannot be confused with the 12-volt circuit?
Seacocks and hull fittings
Every seacock and hull fitting is a potential leak. The water pressure from a one inch hole a couple of feet underwater will sink most boats. All skin fittings should be pulled down onto a sandwich of a large backing pad with a generous filling of sealant.
The skin fittings for all drains and water intakes should have their own seacock and the hoses to this should be held on by two stainless steel jubilee clips.
A suitably-sized wooden plug should be taped down close to every skin fitting so that it can be found by touch and rammed into the hole should the fitting break.
Deck fittings
Use the results of your deck check to find where every deck fitting comes through. Leaking deck fittings are a pain. Look closely for the least sign of water penetration, This can involve much contortion and shining your torch into places that have not seen light since the hull and deck were brought together.
Dark stains under the varnish of wooden bulkheads, or rust or discolouration around bolts, is a sign of water coming in. If this is not doing damage then at the very least it means that everything around them is soaked.
Leaking fittings need to be removed, cleaned up and refitted properly. At the worst, the fitting or its attachment may need to be redesigned. This can be another negotiating point when discussing the price.
Mast support
Check where a Masts and Rigging Systems for Sailing Shipskeel-stepped mast comes through the deck and how the fitting on the keel distributes its load. The rubber gaiter on a deck-stepped mast, which stops water coming below, tends to harden with time and will probably need replacing.
A deck-stepped mast can be in a tabernacle or a T– or U-channel. Check that these are on the centreline and that below deck the loads imposed by the mast are taken down the keel. This can be done by locating the tabernacle over a bulkhead or by a pole which acts as a continuation of the mast and runs down to the keel. This pole may be a wood or a steel rod or tube. Check how it is fixed to the tabernacle and the keel.
Finally
When your inspection schedule above and below decks is complete you will have several pages of notes, a good selection of photographs and a list of defects and deficiencies for each boat you examined.
Now you have to decide which boats are worth a professional survey.
Do I need a professional survey?
Having inspected each of your shore-listed boats, and picked the best of the bunch, it is now time to consider if you need a professional survey to confirm your findings.
Why you need a survey?
Surveys are not cheap and not always necessary. You may be happy what your inspection has told you enough but where are times when you have no choice. Finance companies normally insist on a survey if you are using the boat as collateral on a loan or marine mortgage, and with older boats, your intended insurer may insist on a full structural survey before agreeing to provide cover.
Perhaps the owner has offered you a copy of a recent survey. This might make interesting reading. It may even support the findings from your inspection but if you are serious about buying and want reassurance that your money is being well spent, have your own survey carried our.
If you are buying a new, one-off boat or wish to check out a new production boat prior to accepting delivery, it might be useful to employ a marine surveyor to monitor the standard of workmanship. Boatyards and distributors are more likely to listen to a fellow professional telling chem they have it wrong than to you. They may disagree, but when dealing with a fellow professional they know that they must support their disagreement with sound technical arguments.
Finding a surveyor
The owner or broker conducting the sale may offer to find you a surveyor. This is tempting, especially if the boat is lying some distance from your home and you do not know any local surveyors, but there is an obvious clash of interests which is best avoided. However, it is only fair that surveyors charge mileage to cover their travelling expenses. So find one close to the boat, not to your home.
Check out your surveyor’s area of expertise before employing them.
Surveyors normally specialise in particular types of boats. Being human, this does not prevent them earning a crust by agreeing to inspect boats outside their normal experience. There is nothing wrong with this practice but it is better to use a surveyor familiar with the type of vessel you plan to buy. It is also useful if they are yachtsmen with the practical insight that comes from sailing similar types of boat. For wooden hulls make sure that you find a surveyor familiar with wooden boat construction.
Yacht surveyors rarely carry out detailed engine surveys. If you are concerned about the condition of the boat’s engine then it may be worthwhile having an engine survey carried out by a qualified marine engineer.
The websites of the various surveyors associations list their members and their contact details. Some insurance companies and various other websites can also provide lists of surveyors. Some sites offer search facilities to find surveyors, not only by region or country, but by options like steel or GRP.
Surveyors associations
There is no legal requirement for a marine surveyor to join any professional association or hold a qualification in marine surveying. Traditionally, surveyors came from the ranks of naval architects, marine engineers, ship and boatbuilders and experienced seamen. The closest to a formal qualification in surveying for most surveyors is membership of a professional association such as the Yacht Brokers, Designers and Surveyors Association (YBDSA) in the UK.
In the USA there are:
- The International Institute of Marine Surveyors (IIMS).
- Society of Consulting Marine Engineers and Surveyors (SCMES).
- The National Association of Marine Surveyors Inc (NAMS).
- And the Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors Inc (SAMS).
Membership of associations comes in various grades reflecting the expertise of the member.
Some professional associations endorse courses in marine surveying run by various training organisations. The first of these qualifications was the Diploma in Marine Surveying introduced by Lloyd’s Maritime Academy in 1998. In the UK the YBDSA has approved a course in yacht and small craft surveying run by the International Boatbuilding Training College in Lowestoft.
The cost of a survey. The YBDSA does not have lists of recommended or even typical charges. When it comes to negotiating a price for the survey the advice is to ring round several suitable surveyors and take the one offering the best deal.
Exclusion clauses
When you receive a surveyor’s report it may be so non-committal that you wonder why you bothered having a survey carried out. Statements are frequently qualified by phrases like as far as could be ascertained/seen/ established, or it appeared/may be/is possible that. To the uninitiated reader the boat may or may not be seaworthy and the only certainty apart from its name is that, as far as the surveyor can ascertain, it has not yet sunk.
Surveyors have a highly developed aversion to firm opinions because this exposes them to charges of negligence. Under contract law, surveyors have a duty of care towards whoever employs them to make the survey. This is you, even if the survey has been arranged through a broker or some other third party. How far this duty of care extends depends on the terms of the contract you have with the surveyor.
Some surveyors restrict their survey to matters which can be assessed without destructive testing or physically dismantling parts of the boat. This is fair. Others limit their duty of care by inserting a clause in their standard contract excluding any liability for negligence. Some avoid answering any questions over their report by excluding all liability for all the advice which they may give and all the opinions they offer.
Surveys are often arranged by telephone or email and should you only become aware of exclusion clauses after you have agreed to the survey being carried out, then the surveyor would find it difficult to enforce any exclusions. This is cold comfort since you would probably need the support of the courts to win the day. So, if you are arranging a survey over the telephone ask about exclusions before agreeing and negotiate their exclusion.
Happily, regardless of any exclusions, courts assume that the surveyor will carry out the survey with the skill and expertise expected of any competent surveyor carrying out that type of survey.
Professional indemnity
If, as a result of a surveyor’s mistake, you face a huge repair bill it seems only fair that the surveyor should bear the costs of putting matters right. Against this eventuality every prudent surveyor has personal indemnity insurance covering any errors or omissions they may make in the course of a survey.
Membership of many professional associations make this insurance cover mandatory, Surveyors often do not mention this insurance because these policies frequently contain a clause saying that the existence of the policy should not be disclosed by the surveyor.
Briefing a surveyor
None of this detracts from the value of a good survey but it underlines the value of considering what you expect from a survey and the importance of instructing the surveyor accordingly.
Allowing a broker, or some other third party, to arrange the survey confuses the issue over who is instructing the surveyor. You are paying for the survey but it is possible for the surveyor to argue that he has been instructed by the broker who he believed was acting as your agent.
Arranging a survey through a third party, or accepting a surveyors standard contract without question and then leaving them to decide what the survey involves, is not a sensible way of spending your money. It is not that the surveyor will do a poor job – few do – it is that he may not do the job you expect and want.
You must first decide whether you wish to have a condition survey or a condition and valuation survey. Banks, finance houses and insurance companies often ask that the surveyor puts a price on the boat and base their loan on what the surveyor thinks it is worth and not what you actually paid. This is called a valuation survey. Some surveyors charge extra for putting a price on a boat.
Otherwise, what you want is a condition survey and how far this goes depends in part on whether or not you are prepared to accept the costs of any destructive survey work. “Destructive” is used loosely. It is not ripping the boat apart. It could be as simple as removing and inspecting some fastenings on a wooden boat or opening up to check an otherwise inaccessible area but the work involved and making it good afterwards carry a price that you must pay. Will the owner agree to this work being done and do you place a cash limit on it?
Your own inspection will have thrown up areas of concern where it is wise to have the reassurance of an expert opinion, especially when negotiating the price. Without mentioning specific faults, draw the surveyor’s attention to these areas and instruct him to check and include the results in his report. You will probably agree the scope of the survey orally bur confirm this in writing as soon as possible afterwards so that any misunderstanding can be resolved before the inspection is carried out.
Preparing the boat
If the boat is afloat then it ought to be lifted out and power washed ready for the inspection. You pay for this unless you have persuaded the vendor to foot the bill or made an agreement to deduct the cost from the purchase price if you decide to buy it. Lifting out GRP yachts some days before the inspection, and allowing them to dry out, is good practice. Using a moisture meter on boats that have just been lifted out can lead to false readings from residual moisture in the paint layers or gel coat. Even salt residue on the hull can affect readings, underlining the importance of a thorough fresh-water power wash.
Make it clear to the yard that the boat must be out of the water and ready for the surveyors arrival. If it is not then you may be billed by the surveyor for a wasted visit or for his time spent hanging around while the boat is lifted out.
Subject to survey
Before arranging the survey, a broker may expect you to go through the ritual of making an offer subject to survey and make a deposit of around 10 per cent of the asking price. If at all possible avoid this route. Take it and you have made a commitment to purchase this boat and backed it up with hard cash. You can only pull out of the deal if the survey reveals “very serious” defects or the boat is found to be “materially unsatisfactory”.
For lesser defects you are expected to negotiate a reduction in the asking price. Should the surveyor’s report reveal failings that you consider so serious as to be unacceptable and if the broker disagrees with this then you will:
- be locked into negotiations over the price;
- head for the courts;
- walk away leaving your deposit behind.
None of these is a satisfactory solution. If you do not make an offer subject to survey then all you lose is the surveyor’s fee.
The surveyor’s report
Once the surveyor has completed his work then he will probably give you an oral report covering the main points of his findings. Hear what he has to say but wait for the full written report before making any decision about purchasing.
Surveyors tend to use a standard form. The first point to check is whether or not the report covers all the points you raised. If there is no reference to any of the points you specifically instructed him to look at then ask for an explanation. The photographs you took in the course of your inspection may be helpful in ensuring that you are both talking about the same point and, if necessary, he can return to the boat and check the points you query at his own expense. Failing that, he is not paid and you use the money to commission another surveyor.
Using the surveyor’s report
Once you are happy with the report then read between its fuzzy lines and decide if you wish to proceed. Be realistic; you are not buying a new boat.
Defects are inevitable. The question is, can you live with them? From your own inspection and the surveyor’s report you can prepare and cost out a list of the work needed to bring the boat up to standard. Classify each item on this list as:
- Fair wear and tear. These are the sort of flaws you would expect to find on a boat of this age and type. They mostly involve items like tired cushions, sails, engines and rigging reaching the end of their safe working life. These defects should not come as a surprise and are the type of flaws where there is a good argument that the cost of making good is shared between you and the seller. Fair’s fair. You may not be buying a new boat but the seller should not expect his deferred maintenance to be paid for by the new owner.
- Serious but repairable faults. These are major defects like replacing leaking chain plates, damaged headsail foils, or upgrading stemhead fittings or tackling an attack of osmosis. These are costly items beyond normal annual maintenance and it is reasonable to expect the full cost of the remedial work to be reflected in the asking price.
- Serious but unrepairable defects. Given time and money, almost any defect can be repaired. For you, unrepairable means not that the price is too high but you would never be happy with a repair, however well it is carried out. This is when you make your excuses and leave.
Otherwise, either open negotiations over the price, and buy this boat, warts and all, or move to the next on your list and repeat this exercise until you have found a boat that meets your standards.
