What is a Survey? How do I have one done?
A survey is a complete check of your boat, and should be done before you take delivery. Most purchasers are simply not qualified to appraise the condition of their dream, especially under circumstances where wistful thinking often takes precedence over solid thought. (I suffered from such a case when I bought a used car, and boy was I sorry for it a few months down the road!) A surveyer brings an impartial view to the purchase. Normally, a survey is done in two parts: First, in the water, and second hauled out. You will normally want to do the first part during the sea trials. Then, if the survey finds bad news before the haul-out, you don’t have to go through that expense. If the news looks good, the boat can be hauled and the survey completed. If repairs are needed that were not disclosed before the purchase was agreed to, normally a new price is negotiated between the buyer and seller to compensate for the damage found. This is one place where the art of negotiation is definitely im
