MARINE SURVEY SERVICES

Marine Prepurchase Survey Services

PRE-PURCHASE SURVEYS

This detailed and comprehensive survey examines everything from cosmetic appearance, structural integrity, out of water inspection, trial runs, and navigation to electrical, fuel systems, propulsion, and all other onboard systems to ensure a confident buying experience. The goal of this survey is to provide the buyer with a condition and valuation to make a decision on the purchase. The insurance and finance companies will also require a copy of this type of survey.

Boat Appraisals

INSURANCE SURVEYS

The insurance condition and value survey focuses on those items (largely structural integrity and safety for intended use) which are most likely to lead to or mitigate insurance claims in order to determine if the vessel is an acceptable risk. Most insurance companies will require a survey at vessel purchase when changing ownership, every 3-5 years on basis of the boat’s age. Boats older than 20 years are able to get insurance but it is a more thorough process and a survey with valuation will be required.

DAMAGE SURVEYS

Evaluation of damage along with recommendation and cost evaluation of possible repair solutions. Damage surveys allow the underwriters to determine the nature, cause and extent of the damage and allow for repair estimates from qualified repair facilities.

Electrical and Corrosion Surveys

Corrosion is one of the most prevalent items found on boats during surveys. Many boaters assume they must live with corrosion and frequently replace items due to galvanic and electrolytic corrosion. This is not the case. The surveyor will determine the extent of the corrosion damage and cause with an in-depth corrosion survey.

A corrosion survey will examine the bonding and DC ground system and the cathodic protection levels using a reference cell and a general electrical system inspection for potential causes of galvanic and stray (Electrolytic) corrosion. In addition, an inspection of properly applied coatings on underwater metals and proper anode selection and placement is also part of the survey.