Surveyors Roundtable Prepurchase Surveys

In the prepurchase survey, there are multiple dynamics of location, e.g, boat (afloat in one place; hauled out in another), buyer, seller, broker, each of which can be in a different location. The surveyor knows where to show up but the boat might live in a slip at a private dock and need to be moved to a yard for haulout. Who’s job is this? When do we want the boat hauled? What about the engine surveyor’s needs? Who’s operating the boat for the test run? Where do we start the job? At the private dock with the boat afloat or at the yard? For example, Pat Kearns says she will refuse (yes, refuse) to enter a hot engine space and the engine surveyor will want to start with cold engines. How does that get coordinated? Who is responsible to ensure that the boat is ready to survey? What about a boat with lockers that are stuffed with owner’s gear? What about a boat that has been in storage for several years? what are the issues? Fuel quality? What about the boat that doesn’t have the required safety gear onboard for the test run? Remember, though all this, that the surveyor may have traveled a hundred miles to the job.