Should I Pay to Survey a $5k Boat?

[Scout 30]

The atomic 4 is a great motor & an even greater bargaining chip. Use it to get the price down. This will be a blast for a first boat!

[Scout 30]

I think it would be worth it to haul the boat & get an "out of water" survey. Good idea to check for blisters & hull damage. Might as well do a bottom job, check the cutlass & change the zincs while it's out. Try to haul out at a yard that allows DIY.

[tankersteve]

Note that the price of $5000 is also "or best offer"... I'd throw out a number like $3600, contingent on your own (self) survey plus any experts called in and subject to negotiation based on what you find. Can you finish the install on that marine head? Are you fully comfortable with that gasoline engine (no reason not to be, but it does require specific knowledge and habits)? I'd also take a hard look at the electrical system. Those fans are probably newer, so how well were they installed?

As others have said, it's a buyer's market. Have you researched how long he's been offering it?

Good luck!

Tankersteve

[jwing]

My thought on the OP's question:

1) I agree that the OP should get, and study, the online guide and/or one or more of the DIY boat survey books, regardless of whether a surveyor is hired;

Here's my different twist:
2) After completing #1, buy a boat ONLY if it is in safe and reliable sail-away condition. The best way to determine that is to have the seller take you out sailing. You will learn a lot about the seller and the boat, and you can start with your DIY survey on the water. If the boat is goo to go without an immediate infusion of capital and labor, then you can start enjoying the boat and doing the upgrades at your leisure.

3) If you still like the boat after #2, do a DIY survey. If all is good, give the seller cash and take the boat. Use the money you would've spent on a survey for the inevitable immediate-need repairs that will pop-up, even if had hired a surveyor.

4) If, after #2, you still feel the need for a professional surveyor on a $5000 boat, re-assess your situation. Maybe you should keep shopping; maybe you should increase your budget; maybe you should consider a smaller, simpler boat to build your confidence; etc.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by critter

Nope. Don't pay for a survey. It's clear you don't have deep pockets for this boat, so you will be doing a ton of work yourself. The link above about doing your own survey is a good start. If you have general understanding of some basic construction you will be able to tell if the hull is at least decent or about to fall apart.

If you are a good DIY'er then the question really is: "Am I willing and able to put in whatever work is necessary to finish this boat?" If not, then be prepared to lose your $5k or don't buy the boat.

I was in the same spot. I bought a mid 30-footer for 3k. Spent 40 days in the workyard fixing things I already knew how to fix, and then for the stuff I didn't have a good grasp on, "google is your friend". There are tons of video, blog, and forum posts on almost every piece of equipment and boat out there that you will find on your boat. It may not be for your exact boat, but common sense and some brains will get you to where you need to be. There were no structural or hull issues on my boat and all the repairs were mainly "systems".

Walking into the relationship with my boat, I was willing to lose the 3k plus the other 3k I spent on work yard fees and equipment/tools/supplies costs. You need to be able to do the same. I now have a fully functional boat because I spent years online researching boats and looking at boats for sale. This, coupled with previous skills I have gained in electronics, construction, physics, and others in various parts of my short life prepared me to make at least an educated guess on when to pull the trigger. You need to do the same. If you haven't at least read up on the basics of electrical, plumbing, construction, engines, etc. you are not ready to own a boat regardless of the cost, state, or survey of a vessel.

If you are confident in things above, and can make a good educated guess on the likely outcome of putting the boat in the water and sailing it safely...go for it. I don't regret my choice as I sail around the Sea of Cortez in Mexico. =)

I agree with everything said here. I would add that because the owner is asking $5000, doesn't mean you need to pay that much. To the OP: Likely if you did a compression check on an Anemic 4, you'll find it less in some cylinders than others. Or that the sheaves on the turning blocks are worn. Or the lines are old. Rust in creavas's of the rigging swages.
Do the DIY survey as suggested and then offer less and wheel and deal a little.

[first wind]

Originally Posted by Little Widgeon

Hello - I'm very new to sailing and am buying my first boat. It is a 1972 O'Day 27 that looks good to me, but I'm no expert. I've called a few local surveyors who want $1500+ for a survey. Is that normal? It seems extravagant for a boat that I'm only paying $5000 for - in fact, it prices me out of purchasing the boat. Help!!

dude, i didn't get my $300 lean dock cal 27 inspected because i didn't want to pay $300 for the survey and felt i had the background to handle it myself...and i caught all kinds of heck on sailnet for it.

however, if you admittedly don't know much about sailboats (construction type stuff, making and fixing things, working on cars or motorcycles, that kind of thing) and haven't done enough research to fill in the gap of your knowledge, i do think a surveyor is a good idea for you.

i think $1500 is excessive (as in wow that's a lot) for a 27' boat, though. maybe it's just more expensive where you are, though. but, around here, a 27' boat costs around $300 to survey.

[Little Widgeon]

I hired a guy

[Calif.Ted]

Probably a good idea, around here the purchase price is just your admission ticket for the financial thrill ride. Slip fee here would be $300/month, so just a parking space is $3600/year, quickly can exceed value of a boat. You don't want to spend another $5000 fixing a boat that will be worth $3500 when you are done. I've never lost money on a survey, last one for a $75,000 boat got a $600 reduction for something the surveyor found, before that $800 on a $30,000 boat.

[first wind]

Originally Posted by nickfox45

FYI this has not been my (albeit limited) experience so far. I bought a 5k boat, didn't get it professional surveyed and had no problem getting insurance. I went through State Farm and was told they only required a professional survey if the boat was worth more then 10k.

To the OP, it would definitely be a good idea to call your insurance company first and ask that question, though.

not so. they, and almost every other company, require a survey if your boat is over a certain age.

[JD-MDR]

I forgot to mention when I said I got an out of water survey for 350 that I had to haul out and do a bottom job that cost me 1600. I had every intention of doing that anyway since it had been badly neglected for many years

[TomLewis]

Originally Posted by Lepke

Try another surveyor. I paid about $1500 for a local, known, expert to survey this boat , a 83' wood, 1942 build. Sounds like about a <$500 job here.
Another option, find an experienced boater.

I used the second option here years ago, find someone who's been around. He or she should be able to give you a feel for a 5 grand boat. It it's dry and has a couple of sails and of reputable brand, do it.