Buying a boat
Found the one? Get to know her.
A pre-purchase survey shows you the boat's condition before you complete. Find an independent surveyor near the boat.
The road ahead
From offer to keys.
Your offer is agreed
Usually subject to a satisfactory survey.
Choose your surveyor
Shortlist two or three near the boat, and ask each the seven questions.
Book the lift-out
Most surveys look at the hull out of the water. Agree who books the yard.
Survey day
The surveyor works through the boat. A sea trial often follows.
Read the report
Findings with photographs, graded by priority.
Complete with confidence
Agree any next steps with the seller. Then she's yours.
Two kinds of buying
Yacht or narrowboat?
Buying a yacht or motor boat
- The survey covers hull, deck, rig, engine and systems.
- Usually ashore, often with a short sea trial.
- Ask what the fee covers.
Buying a narrowboat
- The survey checks the hull out of the water.
- A Boat Safety Scheme certificate covers safety installations.
- The survey covers the whole boat.
Before you instruct a surveyor
Ask well. Arrive ready.
Seven questions worth asking
- Which professional body do you belong to?Membership means training, a code of conduct and a complaints route.
- Do you hold professional indemnity insurance?Ask for the insurer and the level of cover.
- Out of the water, afloat, or both?A pre-purchase survey usually needs a lift-out. Who books it?
- Is a sea trial included?And who provides the skipper and the fuel.
- May I see a sample report?It shows how clearly they explain what they find.
- When will the report be ready?Useful if a sale or an insurance renewal has a date.
- What does the fee cover?Travel, lift-out, rig or engine inspections can be extra.
Before survey day
Your free account
Keep it all in one place.
- A shortlist of up to ten surveyors
- A private note on each
- Your survey-day list, ticked as you go
- On iPhone, iPad and Android
Buyers ask
Good questions.
Does Marine Inspect carry out surveys?
The surveyors are independent professionals. You agree the survey, the fee and the terms with them directly.
Is it free?
Yes. Searching is free, and so is a boat owner account.
How do I choose between two surveyors?
Ask each the seven questions, and ask to see a sample report.
