General Info: Trinidad-Experienced Multi-Hull Surveyor

[Islander1]

Dear all,
I am having difficulty both locating and getting straight answers from marine surveyors in Trinidad for prospective purchase of a Catamaran.
Over the years I've learned to avoid surveyors that have any connection with the Owner or Broker. Surveying a Mono' is one thing (I can do most of that myself) but finding someone with serious experience of checking out a Multi-Hull is quite another story.
Any guidance/input much appreciated.

Thank you

jondandy@hotmail.com

[onestepcsy37]

Any chance you could find one or more catamaran owners at the local boatyard? Maybe for free beer and lunch you would at least get the opinions of some hopefully experienced owners.

By the way, you are absolutely correct about the broker/surveyor relationship. And I would bet that in a small market like T&T they all know each other.

[Islander1]

Originally Posted by onestepcsy37

Any chance you could find one or more catamaran owners at the local boatyard? Maybe for free beer and lunch you would at least get the opinions of some hopefully experienced owners.

By the way, you are absolutely correct about the broker/surveyor relationship. And I would bet that in a small market like T&T they all know each other.

Thanks, a grand idea. Have yet to determine exact location from broker to find handy accom's before charging off from the UK. Maybe stay on Tobago for some picture postcards? (don't know the area) for some R&R with the Mrs and ferry to Trinidad where I believe boat is located.

[onestepcsy37]

You are a brave man. I dont think I could travel 2000 miles to a third world country and buy a boat. But some have done that quite successfully. Good luck to you, hope things turn out well. T&T is supposed to be a good place to sit through the hurricane season and then head north through the West Indies.

[onestepcsy37]

By the way, Trini is a high crime country. You may want to do some inquiring about where to go and where not to go while you are visiting.

[rabbi]

Back in 2011 we sold our Lagoon 410 in the Indies.
The buyer's surveyor flew into St. Lucia from Grenada, not far from T&T. His name was Neil Batcheler from Flyingfish Ventures | Caribbean Marine Surveying

He spent the most of two consecutive days on the boat with a very long checklist: percussion testing & moisture readings every 5" of the hull and deck, looking for strucutural issues at the bridgedeck / hull connections and bulkheads, testing every little piece of hardware, checking engines, sea trial, etc.
There was nothing major to be found but he picked up all little issues I was aware of and a couple more that were new to me after living aboard for a year.
Survey report was 30 pages with some photos and I think the buyer received a ton of additional photos.

I don't know how much multi experience he has but cats have a larger market share in the Indies so he should have seen a few of them.
Overall I think he deserves a recommendation and I would use him if I were to buy / sell a cat somewhere in the west indies.

The only thing I disliked was the way he approached the "fair market value": He simply asked me if we had an agreed price and added a 15% so the buyer would feel comfortable.


As you already heard: the market there is small, and all serious surveyors and brokers know each other.
That should not be a real issue, as long as you don't use one that has been "recommended" by the broker.

good luck!

[rabbi]

Originally Posted by onestepcsy37

You are a brave man. I dont think I could travel 2000 miles to a third world country and buy a boat. But some have done that quite successfully. Good luck to you, hope things turn out well. T&T is supposed to be a good place to sit through the hurricane season and then head north through the West Indies.

Typically the owner is from a developed country, most likely European or US based and you will have brokers and lawyers involved. It's just the boat that is in T&T so no big deal and not much bravery involved.

unless you fly there with a backpack full of cash (which I did when I bought the Lagoon, but that was just Spain and not T&T).

[rabbi]

one more thing: google "mh4us" to get to another mutlihull forum. they have a special section for requesting someone to have a look at a boat you areinterested in.