Survey worth it for boats under 10k?

[SansBoatnRope]

Im looking a few boats at the moment, mostly 27-30' under 10k. Im mechanically inclined (rebuilt engines) and have done light construction (am a landlord...). A surveyor around me would be about 10% of the price. Is there a price point folks go by where they dont go with a survey?

Having dealt with junkers (cars) in the past, around me a car that runs and drives safely, besides any major obvious issue, was worth a grand or so.

Apologies if this has been asked before.

[barnakiel]

Survey price / boat price.


Also your experience?


If you have very little experience, do get somebody to assist you in choosing a boat that has not obvious or expensive repairs in the pipeline.


b.

[Dogscout]

Insurance companies generally want a recent survey to get a policy. The choice may be made for you.

[barnakiel]

This for your boat insurance. Where we are only third party is required.


b.

[Shrew]

It depends on how much money you're willing to lose.

Are you ok buying a boat for 10K and finding out it needs to be condemned?

Is it worth losing $1,000 to not lose 10K?

Are you ok learning that a $10k boat will need $30k in work after you buy it?

Are you attempting to insure the boat? (Many marina's and boat yards require liability only insurance. A number of liability insurance policies still require a survey).

[cdy]

Depends on how much experience you have with sailboats - you are ahead of the game knowing engines - so that helps - without sailing experience you may not know what to look for - also depends on the price $10K boat - maybe a $5K boat - find a sailing friend - the problem is with my experience with surveyors - they miss a lot - some are pretty professional others I have used - I am more knowledgeable - there are no guaranties either way - I am always more interested in how knowledgeable the owner is - if they are clueless about things, or if they can explain how things work on the boat - sometimes you get sellers who know very little and just guessing. I cant see paying $500 to survey a$5K boat - hold that money for repairs. My insurance is with Geico - it seems boats under $10K don't need a survey - at least that is what I have found with last 2 boats

[robert sailor]

As long as you or a friend have a reasonable understanding of boats and accessories you can download a surveyor's check list and do it yourself. Pretty hard to justify a full survey on a less expensive boat but hey if you don't have a clue then maybe it's the right thing for you.

[nortonscove]

Aim for trailerable and you'll not have the marina issue of demanding insurance. Go low enough or hold out for the best possible deal and you'll also not need insurers at all. Find someone that knows a bit about boats but doesn't need to provide papers to look it over. I bought my first boat without seeing it in person and had it shipped to me.

The part that helped me make the decision was talking to the seller over the phone a couple times. Quality gent that was true to his word and the boat was better than advertised.

[Greg Mason]

Barnakiel and Dogscout have it right, unless this boat is on a trailer and not in a marina.

[Cheechako]

Depends on your ability to inspect and "see things" I would not survey a $10k or less boat.
Beware of one thing: Many sellers say "engine rebuilt", few have any receipts to back that up. One I talked with said "Well, the owner I bought the boat from said it had been previously rebuilt".
I've never needed a survey for the insurance on a cheap, local use boat, but some want it I guess. But I'm talking liability insurance only.

You used to be able to get an "insurance survey " in the water without haulout etc.

[joelhemington]

Originally Posted by SansBoatnRope

Im looking a few boats at the moment, mostly 27-30' under 10k. Im mechanically inclined (rebuilt engines) and have done light construction (am a landlord...). A surveyor around me would be about 10% of the price. Is there a price point folks go by where they dont go with a survey?

Having dealt with junkers (cars) in the past, around me a car that runs and drives safely, besides any major obvious issue, was worth a grand or so.

Apologies if this has been asked before.

Marine Survey 101, pre-survey inspection A good survey runs at least $700 so may not be worth it on a cheap boat. Use the link above for your own survey

[TrentePieds]

The qustion is not so much whether a survey is desireable, it is much more a question of whether a survey is NECESSARY. And it is - for insurance purposes.

HOWEVER:

Since you are looking at boats below 30 feet, start with the premise that the hull itself is for all intents and purposes worthless but indestructible. All the other bits and pieces that make up the totality of the boat are CONSUMABLES. Standing and running rigging, sails. Even spars. Winches, ground tackle, electrics - all of it characterized by having a limited lifespan, and if you don't know now how to improve, upgrade, repair, replace all these things, you will, like we all did, have to learn how to do it.

So UNLESS you need to insure the boat ITSELF against loss or damage, don't bother with HULL INSURANCE. Thus no survey is required and the money for one can be put to constructive purposes. Get only LIABILITY insurance. And if, because you are a landlord, you already have a good relationship with a broker, getting that broker to find you liability insurance only should be no trick at all.

Somewhere on this forum you will find a contribution by a professional surveyor (screen name: Boatpoker) called Surveying 101. Read it. Follow it. Then you will have done as much and more than a paid surveyor does for an "insurance survey", and you will have learned a lot along the way. Then - by and by, in the fulness of time - when you begin to do the sort of sailing where YOU might do damage to your own boat, you can spend the money for a survey and for hull insurance.

Remember that damage done by you to OTHER PEOPLE'S boats is covered by your liability insurance. Damage done by you (or King Neptune and his agents) to your OWN boat is covered by you hull insurance, and damage done by OTHERS to YOUR boat is covered by THEIR liability insurance - if you can catch them! There might/should be provisions in the "wordings" (the contract terms) of your policy that specifies that if you DON'T catch 'em, then your own insurance compensates you, under special provisions that are akin to those ashore called "Underinsured and Uninsured Motorist Protection" (UIMP - pronounced "wimp" insurance)

When you are looking for boats under $10K, the rules are: 1) If it still floats, you can fix it yourself. 2) Don't waste your money on things that a) don't improve the boat, b) aren't required by law.

All the best :-)!

TrentePieds

[MJH]

Originally Posted by SansBoatnRope

Im looking a few boats at the moment, mostly 27-30' under 10k. Im mechanically inclined (rebuilt engines) and have done light construction (am a landlord...). A surveyor around me would be about 10% of the price. Is there a price point folks go by where they dont go with a survey?

Having dealt with junkers (cars) in the past, around me a car that runs and drives safely, besides any major obvious issue, was worth a grand or so.

Apologies if this has been asked before.

The big question is your boat experience. Secondly, you will most likely need a survey for insurance. It doesn't take much to run up the cost on a purchased boat...yes, get a survey.

~ ~ _/) ~ ~ MJH

[Dave22q]

If a survey would cost a major percentage of the boat price AND you lack much expertise an ideal solution would be to pay an experienced friend to help you inspect. Failing that I would play it safe and hire a surveyor. like a haul out it is a balancing of cost vs. risk of undetected issues. The are some good DIY books for the less experienced.

[ferrailleur]

My Annapolis based surveyor missed so many things that I discovered and repaired later! Never a surveyor again as far as I'm concerned!!