Guide
Pre-purchase boat survey: what it covers and what it does not
Updated
The pre-purchase survey is the one most buyers commission and the one most often misunderstood. It is a condition report on a specific date, not a warranty and not a negotiating instrument.
What it is for
The YDSA describes the purpose plainly: "A surveyor will help the client understand the condition of the vessel enabling him to decide whether it is the right purchase for him." That decision differs by buyer, because it depends on whether you are looking for a project or something you can sail immediately. The surveyor's job is to describe the boat accurately, not to tell you whether to buy it (YDSA, types of survey).
What is in the report
- Brief details identifying the craft: name, type of construction, year of build and registration number if applicable.
- The extent and the limitations of the inspection, stated up front.
- A full description of the inspection carried out and any defects found.
- Graded recommendations identifying when action is needed, which the YDSA gives as immediately for safety reasons, at winterisation, or cosmetic.
That grading is the most practically useful part of a survey. It converts a list of findings into a sequence of decisions and costs.
What is normally excluded
- Cosmetic and soft furnishing items
- The YDSA notes a detailed report "will generally not include things like the soft furnishings or cosmetic items that do not affect the structural integrity of the boat".
- A valuation
- "A valuation is not normally included with a pre-purchase survey report and you should request one if required." If your lender or insurer wants a value, say so at the point of instruction.
- Anything not accessible
- Surveyors record limitations honestly: areas behind linings, under tanks or beneath fixed joinery may not be inspected without destructive access, which needs the owner's consent.
- A full engine strip
- Machinery inspection varies by instruction. Where a full engine survey is wanted, that is normally a separate specialist.
It is not a bargaining tool, but it is evidence
The YDSA puts the distinction carefully: the report "is provided as an independent assessment of the condition of the vessel for the client's information. It is not a 'bargaining tool', although clearly a serious defect can raised in consideration of an alteration of price or for the works to be done prior to purchase." The RYA makes the same point from the buyer's side, noting the report "may identify problems that justify renegotiation of the price" (RYA).
When to instruct one
- View the boat and agree a price subject to survey and, if you want one, a sea trial. The RYA recommends surveying after viewing and after an offer has been accepted.
- Agree with the vendor or broker who arranges and pays for the lift-out, and book the yard slot. The surveyor needs the boat ashore for the hull.
- Instruct a surveyor with experience of your vessel type and material, and ask them to confirm their professional indemnity cover in writing.
- Tell the surveyor at instruction whether you also need a valuation, and whether the report will be used for insurance or finance.
- Read the limitations section of the report first, then the graded recommendations. Price the immediate items before completing.
One practical point from the YDSA worth knowing before you decide to skip it: "To insure and/or secure finance on a boat you have purchased you should be able to use the pre-purchase survey. If you decide not to have a pre-purchase survey you may still need an insurance survey, so it is generally worth having a survey done to cover all eventualities."
A survey records condition on the day of inspection. It is not a guarantee about the future, and it is not a substitute for reading the sale and purchase agreement. The RYA advises reviewing that agreement carefully to be sure you can withdraw if the boat does not match expectations after the survey.