How to prepare for a survey
To prepare your boat for a survey, make sure it’s clean and organized, have all documentation readily available, and make sure safety equipment is accessible. Also, be prepared for a possible sea trial and have your boat prepared to be hauled out.
- Clean and Organized Vessel:
Cleanliness: Be sure the boat is clean both inside and out.
Clutter: Remove any unnecessary items, including personal belongings and excess gear.
Accessibility: Make certain that all areas of the boat are accessible for the surveyor’s inspection.
- Prepare Documents:
Specifications: Keep the vessel’s specifications, logs, drawings, and diagrams readily available.
Registration Papers: Have your registration papers are prepared for inspection. Make sure the boat numbers are visible.
Maintenance Records: If available, collect and show any relevant maintenance records for the surveyor’s review.
- Safety Gear:
Accessibility: Confirm that all safety equipment, including life jackets, fire extinguishers, and flares, is easily accessible and in good working order. Compliance: Verify that the safety gear meets federal regulations and those set by the American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC). Work Site Safety: Make sure that the boat and its surroundings are safe for inspection both on and within.
- Sea Trial and Haul-Out:
Preparation for Sea Trial: Prepare for a sea trial if it is part of the survey. Make sure the boat is equipped for testing at sea and that there is a designated captain to run the boat while underway. Expect testing of all systems and operation of the main engine(s) at various speeds and loads to evaluate performance and reliability.
Haul-Out: If the survey requires the boat to be taken out of the water, make sure it is ready for this process. Typically, the seller coordinates arrangements for the haul-out, while the buyer is responsible for the associated costs; however, it is advisable to discuss this with the surveyor ahead of time.
- Communication with Surveyor:
Timeline: Discuss a realistic timeline for the survey with the surveyor, particularly if insurance mandates it.
Scope of Survey: Confirm you and the surveyor agree on the type of survey to be conducted. Check your options on our homepage.
Forms: Complete the necessary surveyor forms before the survey day.
Deposit: Confirm your time slot with an appropriate deposit for the survey.
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Boat Surveys Performed by Marine Tech Survey NH/MA/ME Contact: ryan@marinetechsurvey.com
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