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Boat Surveyor Palm Beach – How to Buy a Used Boat from a Private Seller

With the responsibility of making sure you buy an excellent boat resting on your shoulders, you have to evaluate the benefits of buying from a private seller instead of buying through brokers. Price is the most significant benefit. Private sellers tend to be cheaper since they don’t charge commissions. Expanding your search for a boat to private sellers further increases your choices. It is also easy to negotiate better terms with the owner than it is to negotiate with a broker. However, this does not mean you ignore the input of a boat surveyor Palm Beachtrusts.

At any given time, there are hundreds of boats available for sale across Florida. Unfortunately, some of these vessels are in terrible conditions. Sellers will not make you aware of those issues because their goal is to close the deal. That is why you need a boat surveyor Palm Beach recommends to help assess the boat thoroughly. Next, you need to follow the right steps when buying a boat from a private seller.

Ensure you see the boat

The first thing you must do is ensure you see the boat before making any commitments. It is very tempting to jump on a bargain boat that is not nearby and trust that the seller is telling the truth and the photos are accurate. Seeing a boat in person changes perspective. Seeing the boat in person helps you know how big it is and helps you know if it is the ideal choice for you. You should also plan a sea trial to see how it sails.  If you are confident that is the boat for you, you can proceed with the negotiations.

Get a thorough inspection

While it is possible to inspect the boat yourself, you will need the input of a professional to find hidden issues. That is why you must work with a boat surveyor. An experienced surveyor has inspected many vessels that are similar to yours. He is also familiar with the inspection guidelines. Their input will ensure you know every inch of the vessel and compile a report you can present to lenders and insurance companies. Don’t hesitate to pay extra for a sea trial if you really love a boat. It will help uncover any major issue. You also need to let the surveyor review the paperwork.

Negotiate

Now that you are certain the vessel is in an acceptable condition, it is time to bring the price down. This will involve negotiations. You can use the findings of the marine surveyor to compel the private seller to bring the selling price down. Make sure everything you agree on is included in a purchase agreement.

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What You Need to Know About a Pre-Purchase Boat Inspection Palm Beach

A pre-purchase boat inspection Palm Beach approves is often required when buying a boat. However, for you to take full advantage of the survey, you must have a deeper understanding of what the surveyor will be looking for. Yes, you can get some insight inspecting a boat by yourself but a professional pre-purchase survey is a whole different animal.

Finding a boat to buy in Florida is easy. Buying a perfect boat is, however, a whole different story. Once you locate a boat that interests you, the next thing you must do is take a closer look into it. You will need a boat surveyor for this.

As you get ready to bring a surveyor on board for a boat inspection Palm Beach approves, it is good to understand that the surveyor only works for you. He is hired by and works for the buyer. Due to the conflict of interest, you must refrain from working with a surveyor that is recommended to you by the seller or broker. Always find an independent surveyor to inspect the boat for you.

The good news is there is a clear path forward because every boat comes with a work list. This means the marine surveyor will have their work defined for them. If you need the survey done for insurance, make sure the surveyor you hire will be approved by your insurance provider and ask your insurer for a list of items that have to be inspected.

Surveyors have guidelines they use to help make an informed judgement call. This means the surveyor will not be acting on their own opinions. They follow guidelines from the Code of Federal Regulations, American Boat, and Yacht Council among other established bodies. Each of these guidelines covers specific areas. For example, the Code of Federal Regulations covers minimum requirements for navigation lights, safety equipment, sanitation, engine, fuel, and electrical systems. Diesel-powered boats are usually free from electrical and mechanical regulations. They must, however, comply with the other regulation.

While guidelines do exist on what a surveyor must look for in a boat inspection in Palm Beach, their judgement calls still matter. That is why it is so important to work with an experienced boat surveyor. Find someone that has lots of experience surveying vessels that are similar to yours. The surveyor you hire must also come highly recommended. You should also not be afraid to ask the surveyor the questions you may have. They work for you, remember?

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Common Questions About Working with a Boat Inspector Palm Beach

Is it the first time you are hiring a boat inspector Palm Beach trusts? If it is, you should not be anxious. The process of hiring a surveyor is quite straightforward. You just need to focus on an experienced boat surveyor who has worked on vessels similar to yours. The surveyor must also have a good track record and supply references and sample survey reports. Next, you need to understand what is involved in a typical survey. Here are answers to the most frequently asked questions about working with a boat surveyor.

What is inspected?

You don’t want to be clueless when the boat inspector Palm Beach approves arrives. You want to have some idea of what the surveyor will be doing. Understanding what is inspected in a survey is a good start. The surveyor will do the following:

  • Find and note the hull identification number as well as federal or state registration marks
  • Take moisture readings in the deck and hull
  • Check for blistering or delamination
  • Check the structural integrity of the bulkheads, stringers, and transom
  • Review and test the electrical systems and wiring
  • Review the plumbing
  • Check the condition of underwater gear, including the propellers, struts, and shafts
  • Inspect the fuel system
  • Create an inventory of the required gear

The list is much longer. What is inspected also varies from one vessel to the next. If the survey is needed for insurance purposes, the insurer will provide a list of things that should be inspected. Make sure you understand what you need the survey for before hiring a surveyor.

How long does the survey take?

How long a survey takes will depend on what has to be inspected, weather conditions, location of the boat and the size of the boat. Typically, it takes a couple of hours to a full day. A sea trial takes about 30 to 60 minutes.

How much will the service cost?

Marine surveyors charge differently for their services. Some will have a flat rate, more so for the simpler and smaller boats, while others will charge per foot for their time. The per-foot pricing ranges from $15 to $30 per foot. It is also common for surveyors to charge a portion of their per-foot time for travel to your boat. The location and age of your boat can also affect the cost of the survey.  There is also a cost for a short-haul at the yard. This costs about $15 per foot.

There are many reasons why you might need the services of a boat inspector in Palm Beach. The key is to hire a dependable surveyor. How comprehensive and reliable a survey report is will depend on the competence of the surveyor you work with.

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Marine Surveyors Palm Beach – Steps that Lead Up to a Boat Survey

If you are buying a boat for the first time, you are probably curious about the process. This is especially so when buying a pre-owned vessel. How do you know it is in good condition? That the owner did not hide vital details? The answer is a boat survey. The duty of marine surveyors Palm Beach trusts is to evaluate every inch of a vessel and compile a detailed report on their findings. But what is involved in the process? That is what we are here to discuss.

Although there are several major differences, buying a boat is the same as buying a car or a house. There are steps you have to follow in order to achieve desirable outcomes. One of those steps is hiring marine surveyors Palm Beach believes in. There are several things you have to do before getting to this step.

Choose a boat

The first step in the boat survey process is deciding on the boat to buy. It is not the job of a surveyor to show you which boat to buy. The job of a surveyor is to help you understand the precise condition the boat is in as well as its fair market value. Compile a list of things your ideal boat should have then shop around for the perfect boat. After finding the right boat and viewing it in person, you need to sign a contract with the seller. You then need to pay a deposit so that the seller can allow you to organize a boat survey and mechanical inspection.

Contract

The terms in the sale contract must be reviewed carefully. Make sure you understand every clause and ensure all the clauses are in place before you proceed with paying the deposit. Ensure there is a clause that states you will only proceed with the sale if the survey report is satisfactory to you. There should also be a sufficient settlement period for the balance. This is typically between 2 to 4 weeks. If the settlement period is short, you may not have ample time for a thorough boat survey and due diligence.

Deposit

The seller wants to be certain that you are a serious buyer with the financial means to buy their boat. As a result, they will request a deposit of 5 to 10 percent. You don’t want to be halfway through the survey only for the broker to tell you the boat has been sold to someone else, do you? Paying a deposit keeps the seller/broker from selling the boat to someone else.

After these three steps, you can go ahead and reach out to marine surveyors in Palm Beach. Whenever possible, find a surveyor that has experience inspecting vessels that are the same size and brand as the boat you are targeting.

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Marine Surveyor Palm Beach – What is in a Marine Survey?

Are you thinking about hiring a marine surveyor Palm Beach trusts? If you are, one of the key things you must do is understand what is included in a survey. The first point you must understand about marine surveys is that the vessel will be reported to the person that pays the surveyor; not the boat owner. The report is the current state of the vessel following a general examination. The inspection is also limited to the areas of the vessel that are accessible for a visual inspection; concealed areas will not be included.

One of the top reasons why you need a marine surveyor Palm Beach stands behind to perform a survey is so that you can use their findings to bargain down the purchase price. Experienced boat surveyors inspect a vessel using standards or guidelines that have been set out by established bodies. They also rely on their own experience to ensure they cover every aspect of the vessel. That is why you must always go for the most experienced surveyor who is fully versed in the standards and has experience surveying vessels that are similar to the one you are targeting.

Typically, a marine survey consists of sounding and obtaining moisture meter readings through the decks, hull, frames, superstructure, bulkheads, and the stringers transom. These are usually the main areas of focus during an inspection. The surveyor checks for areas of delamination, air voids from the time of manufacturing and the amount of moisture retention in the fiberglass or core. Most vessels will have moisture in some areas. It is the work of the surveyor to determine if the moisture level is normal or excessive.

In addition to moisture checks, the surveyor will inspect all the systems on the boat. They are checked for operation and not diagnostic. Surveyors are not licensed mechanics or electricians. They do not take components apart to look inside. They can, however, use imaging tools to look inside without dismantling an item. If they suspect there is a problem with certain components, they will advise you to contact an electrician or mechanic.

A marine surveyor in Palm Beach will also check for the following:

  • Electrolysis activity
  • Osmosis
  • Condition of all underwater gear including propellers, cutlass bearings and struts
  • Previous repairs and the condition of those repairs
  • Inspection of the fasteners such as chain plates, bolts and evidence of leaks

When buying a used boat, it is good to add a condition in which you will only purchase the vessel if the report from a mechanic or electrician is satisfactory to you. You should consider bringing your mechanic along for a sea trial.

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Survey Guidelines Followed by Boat Surveyors Palm Beach

If you have done your research on boat surveys, then you know that boat surveyors Palm Beach trusts simply observes and creates a report on their findings. They do not take components apart or repair damages. If there are issues that need more attention, the surveyor will request that you bring in a mechanic or electrician to take a closer look. The primary job of a surveyor is to help you understand the condition of a vessel and give recommendations on repairs and fair market value.

While their job is simply to observe and report, boat surveyors Palm Beach believes in do not just act on their own opinions. There are certain guidelines they follow. For example, when a boat survey is needed for purposes of insurance, an insurance provider will give a list of items that have to be covered in the survey. The surveyor also adheres to various other guidelines.

Code o Federal Regulations (CFRs)

This is also referred to as the ‘Coast Guard regulations’. The purpose of this regulation is to cover minimal requirements for safety equipment, sanitation, navigation lights, fuel and electrical systems, and engine. Although diesel-powered boats are free from electrical and mechanical regulations, they have to comply with other regulations.

American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC)

These standards are less of regulations but more of recommendations. They carry significant weight in the vent of failure or accident getting in court. The standards are quite extensive and they cover about everything on a vessel apart from the basic design and construction. Bearing in mind that the regulations are comprehensive, most of the sections don’t apply to one individual vessel or another. All in all, most of the systems a boat surveyor sees will have relevant recommendations from the American Boat and Yacht Council.

National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA)

While doing their work, surveyors will also need to cite standards from the National Fire Protection Agency. There are cases where a surveyor may use other sources. For example, a surveyor can judge the lifelines on racing sailboards based on Offshore Special Regulations which is the body that sets rules on offshore sailboat racing.

While these are just some of the survey guidelines a boat surveyor in Palm Beach will follow, judgement calls are still there. That is why it is so important that you only contact experienced surveyors with an impeccable track record. The set standards cannot help evaluate the significance of an elevated moisture reading or the level of wear in hoses or belts. Only experience will help a surveyor evaluate this accurately.

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Boat Surveyor Palm Beach – What Makes a Pre-Purchase Survey Important

Before buying any boat or yacht, it is always advisable to get a pre-purchase survey. This is a survey that is designed to give you a clearer picture of the condition of the vessel you are about to buy. Your boat surveyor Palm Beach will include a detailed breakdown of any defects found on the boat and recommendations on what needs to be repaired or replaced. However, for the survey report to be as comprehensive as possible, you need to work with the most competent surveyor in the business.

The person that requests a survey is the one that pays the surveyor. If you are the one hiring a boat surveyor Palm Beach to perform a survey on a boat you plan on buying, you will be the one to pay the surveyor. In most cases, the seller will require that you show commitment to the purchase of the boat by putting down a deposit. As you put down the deposit, make sure the sale agreement states that you will only buy the vessel if the survey report turns out satisfactory to you.

In most cases, the cost of paying for a pre-purchase boat survey is recovered by the reduction that is obtained at the purchase price. You can use the findings of the marine survey to negotiate a better price with the seller.

A pre-purchase survey report is a document that details all the findings of the surveyor. During an inspection, the marine surveyor will identify defects and provide recommendations for the remedial work that has to be done to correct the defects. The final survey report will include digital images of the surveyor’s findings. The images illustrate the problems that were found.

While it is easy to find a competent surveyor in Palm Beach, it is important that you find one that has experience inspecting vessels similar to the one you plan on buying. For example, if you plan on buying a boat constructed from GRP, you want to make sure the surveyor has experience working on such boats. This is important because the surveyor simply observes and listens then documents his findings. If he is used to inspecting only vessels constructed from aluminum, he will be ill-equipped to sufficiently identify issues on wood or GRP hull.

If you are going for a yacht, the surveyor you bring on must have experience inspecting yachts. Yachts are larger vessels and have more components. If yours is the first yacht he is inspecting, you can be certain that the boat surveyor in Palm Beach will miss many things.

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Why Do You Need a Boat Inspector Palm Beach?

Oftentimes, boat owners only contact a boat inspector Palm Beach when it is absolutely unavoidable. Unavoidable circumstances include when an insurance provider or a lender requires a survey report. They rely more on the input of their mechanic and electrician to ensure everything on their vessel is in perfect shape. What you may not know is that the input of a boat surveyor can save you time and money more so when getting ready to sell your boat or buy a used boat. To better understand why you should work with a marine surveyor, you need to understand when and why you should hire one.

The main reason people call a boat inspector Palm Beach is to perform a pre-purchase survey. This is a comprehensive survey done to understand the precise condition of a boat before buying it. The primary concern when hiring a boat surveyor, in this case, is to guarantee the safety of your vessel, crew and investment. While your lending institution or insurer will require a boat survey to be done, it is important to remember that the reason for working with a surveyor is to ensure the vessel is reliable, seaworthy, safe and with no major flaws.

Secondary concern when working with a surveyor has to be financial in nature. Buying a boat requires a significant investment. As a result, you definitely want the sale to go without a single hitch. If there is a problem with the vessel, an experienced surveyor will be able to find it and document it in the survey report. It is, however, your job as a buyer to make sure these problems are found before the deal is inked. That way you will either be able to avoid making a bad investment or use the documented problems to negotiate a better deal with the seller. Keep in mind that once you sign the sale agreement, you will no longer have any bargaining power in the sales transaction process.

Another reason that mandates a survey to be done is for the benefit of an insurer. After you own the vessel, you will pay for any damage that befalls it. To avoid spending a lot out of your pocket, you should get boat insurance. Insurance providers will require a survey report from a reputable surveyor.

You will have to get a survey done if you plan on using your boat as collateral for a loan. Lenders will want to know the real value of your vessel before accepting it as collateral.

Virtually any vessel will benefit from a boat inspection in Palm Beach. An inspection can be done even when you don’t plan on selling your vessel, using it as collateral or getting insurance. A survey can be done simply to understand the exact condition of your vessel and to avoid expensive repairs in the near future.

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Boat Inspection Palm Beach – Checklist for a Hull Inspection

Marine surveys can be a lot of fun. This is more so when you hire the right marine surveyor to help with the job. However, to avoid second-guessing the actions of a surveyor, you need to know what is looked at during a boat inspection Palm Beach. With a lot being considered, our focus in this post will be on what is looked at when inspecting the hull.

Blisters

Blisters are slight undulations that can be very hard to spot. As a result, during a boat inspection Palm Beach, the surveyor will check the hull from multiple angles and use special equipment. Blisters are mostly visible a few days after the boat has been moved out of the water. When the hull is dry, the blisters are easy to identify. They are seen as small wet spots. This is why in readiness for a boat survey in Palm Beach, your surveyor may recommend you get the vessel removed out of the water the night before the day of inspection or hours before the inspector arrives.

Cracks

The surveyor has to check for cracks between the keel and hull. The surveyor will mostly check the bottom pain for cracking. If the boat was removed recently out of the water, cracks will look like wet areas or discolored areas. It can be hard to detect cracks if the haul is not cleaned. The bow area and the front of the keel must be inspected for signs of stress or cracks.

Hollow spots

One of the things a boat surveyor does during an inspection is to check for soft spots. This is done using a special hammer and light. The surveyor taps on the hull and listens to the sound that is made. Thanks to experience, a surveyor can interpret precisely what a sound means. The bulkheads and water tanks make sharper tap sounds. If the sounds are dull, this might be an indication that there is water intrusion in the coring.

Chips or scratches in the gelcoat

Chips or scratches in the gel coat indicate stress or impact on the hull. The boat might have glanced off the dock or hit another obstacle. If there are scratches or chips, the surveyor will inspect if major damages were caused. The areas may be tapped to check if there is any structural damage. Special equipment can also be used.

Thru-hulls

The area around the thru-hull is inspected for signs of failed sealant, blockage or corrosion. Below water thru-hulls should not be made of plastic as that will be considered an insurance issue.

Rudder

To check its condition, the surveyor will shake the rudder to see how much it plays in the bearing. In good condition, the rudder should barely move. The rudder must also be tapped using a small hammer to note the noise it makes. If it is water-clogged the surveyor will recommend you get it repaired immediately.

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Tips for Choosing the Right Marine Surveyors Palm Beach

Regardless of where you live in Palm Beach, you are probably a stone’s throw from a boat surveyor. Florida is the boating capital of the US and as a result, there are more boats per square mile than any other part of the world. Boat surveyors know this and they have set up camp in the region. If you are looking for marine surveyors Palm Beach, it will not take you long before you find one. The problem, however, is that not every surveyor has what it takes to offer an accurate survey report. This is why you need to learn how to pick the right surveyor from the crowd. You can use the following tips to find the best surveyor.

Choose someone that evaluates boats frequently

A boat survey is more of an art than a science. The more hands-on experience marine surveyors Palm Beach have, the more dependable they are. That is why you should avoid professionals who offer boat survey services part-time. Part-timers, regardless of how many years they have been in the industry, are not qualified to offer a good boat survey. This is because using a surveyor who is not involved in the industry on a daily basis will affect the thoroughness of the final survey. Needless to say, there is no substitute for experience.

Find someone that has integrity

Being involved in boat surveys on a daily basis does not mean that a particular surveyor will be perfect for the job. Some service providers are known for their terrible customer relations skills. Such surveyors will be unwilling to answer your questions and make you feel left out. To avoid landing in the hands of such service providers, listen to what people are saying about a surveyor. Too many negative reviews are a red flag.

Ask for samples of their work

You will never know how good a service provider is until you take a look at their past work. A professional surveyor will be willing to offer ‘mockup’ surveys to help you evaluate their work. Check if the ample survey is thoughtfully crafted, extensive and demonstrates intense attention to detail. If it does, you are most likely considering the right service provider.

Ask for references

Upon request, a professional surveyor will provide you with several references. Make sure you contact at least three of the provided references. Ask about the professionalism, capability and quality of services offered by the surveyor. References help you get a sense of the surveyor’s track record performance. If your surveyor is unwilling to provide references, chances are they haven’t made a good impression on their clients.

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