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Boat inspector Palm Beach – How to Maintain a Boat

The main reason why you hire a professional boat inspector Palm Beach before buying a boat is to ensure you never invest in a doomed vessel. An inspector will ensure that you understand every inch of a boat before committing your money. Once the boat is yours, the next thing you will have to do is give it the best care. In this post, we will be taking a look at some of the things you should do in boat maintenance.

Gelcoat, polishes and waxes

Do you own a fiberglass boat? If yes, you will need gelcoat maintenance to put up with. Gelcoat is the tough, glossy finish on the exterior that protects the fiberglass from the sun, salt, and other elements. If the gel is in a poor condition, it will appear hazy or chalky. The good news is you can restore the gelcoat.

If a boat you are considering has a gelcoat that is a hazy, chalky mess, always ask a boat inspector Palm Beach to check if any damage has been done to the fiberglass. If the fiberglass is in perfect condition, all you need to do is use wax or polish to restore the glossy look. Waxes protect and seal the gelcoat whereas polishes remove oxidation from gelcoat to give it a shiny look. You will also find products that contain both polish and wax.

Your boat needs regular cleaning. You also have to maintain the gelcoat with wax at least twice every season. Always perform this task before you head out in spring and before storing the boat away for winter.

Marine canvas

Does your boat have a canvas for creating the cockpit or console enclosures? If so, you will have to care for this material. Start by keeping the canvas clean. You must never wash the canvas or dry it in your household washer or dryer. Wash it using a light brush, a mild soap, and plenty of fresh water. Regular cleaning will keep the UV and waterproofing components of the fabric intact. Cleaning also helps prevent the growth of mildew. If the canvas has lost its waterproofing qualities, you can treat it using a range of products available in the store.

Upholstery and vinyl

The comfy seats on your boat need to be cared for. Vinyl is the common material that is used for exterior furniture components. It is a very tough and durable material. It can, however, be destroyed by the wrong cleaners. For routine cleaning, use a bucket of mild, soapy water and a sponge. Never use ammonia or bleach as these chemicals will cause the vinyl to break down.

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Boat Surveyor Palm Beach – How is a Sea Trial Done?

If you have worked with a boat surveyor Palm Beach before, then understand that a sea trial is a fancy term for test drive. The whole purpose of a sea trial is to test the seaworthiness of a vessel. A marine surveyor will use a sea trial to test the speed and maneuverability of a boat. he will also use this opportunity to listen for weird vibrations and observe all the systems that are onboard.

There are various established standards for a sea trial. However, it is good to note that it is your job as the boat owner or boat buyer to insist on getting a sea trial. Always insist on a sea trial if the boat is complicated or uncommon. A chance to ride on the boat with a boat surveyor Palm Beach will help you gauge if this is the boat of your dreams or not.

Sellers are aware that some buyers are only interested in a joy ride. To avoid wasting time, most will ask you to agree to a price first before the boat leaves the dock. Some will also verify that you have the money to purchase the boat. For larger boats, it is not uncommon for the seller to retain a refundable deposit as well as a signed contract with an ‘acceptance of vessel’ clause with regards to a successful sea trial.

On Land

The first thing a boat surveyor will do is walk around the boat and thumb on the sides. This is done to ensure the hull is solid. If it is not solid, it is probably because there was water intrusion and delamination. The surveyor will also inspect the underwater gear. If there are any issues, a record will be made of all the problems.

The surveyor will then get on the boat to inspect everything. He will do everything from ensuring the grab rails are not loose to sitting on the pedestal seats to ensure they are mounted firmly. The inspector will also check for mold and mildew. If they suspect a problem, they may use imaging equipment to see inside components. You may be requested to hire a mechanic if there is a serious issue.

Sea Trial

For a sea trial, the boat should be cold before it is fired up. The surveyor will listen for weird noises when turning the boat on. They will also take note of how the shifter works as they back out. The boat will then be observed on how it gets to on plane after advancing the throttle. The boat should be able to hold a cruising speed without any issue. This is typically at 3,500 rpm.

A lot goes into a sea trial. To get the best inspection, always ensure you are working with an experienced boat surveyor Palm Beach. Find someone that has worked on boats similar to the one you own or intend to buy.

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Boaters Guide on Hiring Marine Surveyors Palm Beach

Finding the perfect boat for you is hard but it is not the last step you will take when buying a pre-owned boat. The next thing you will need to do is make sure that the boat you are buying is in good condition and perfect for your intended use. This is where the services of marine surveyors Palm Beach come in.

A boat surveyor is an individual certified to perform certain types of inspections on a boat. These individuals have a strong boating and/or mechanical background and they know more about boats than an average boater. The main role of marine surveyors Palm Beach is basically to assess and report on the condition of the mechanical and structural components of a boat.

An important point you have to remember is that surveyors do not take components apart to inspect their condition. They simply listen and observe. They may also use specialized imaging equipment to look inside components without taking them apart.

Why use a surveyor?

Bearing in mind surveyors simply observe, listen and report, you may feel like you don’t need them. The truth is you cannot replace the role of a marine surveyor. The first reason being surveyors use specialized tools like moisture meters to examine a vessel. They also have more experience inspecting boats like yours. Moreover, if you plan on financing your boat or getting insurance, lenders and insurers will require you to have a certified survey. This means you will have to involve a surveyor.

How much will the service cost?

The fee varies from one surveyor to the next. On average, surveyors charge between $18 and $25 per foot. This fee may include an out-of-water inspection, a test of all the systems, a sea trial and a full survey report. You may have to pay more for extra services like compression. Always check with the surveyor before requesting additional services.

Types of surveys offered

Before you hire any surveyor, you must start by taking note of the services they offer. The type of survey you need will depend on what you need it for. For example, if an insurer requested a boat survey to be done, you will require an insurance survey. This has to be done by a surveyor that is approved by your insurer. If you want to know the value of your boat, you will need an appraisal inspection. A pre-purchase survey is what you need when buying a used boat. The rule of thumb is to stick with surveyors who have experience offering the types of services you need.  

Questions to ask a survey

Prior to hiring marine surveyors Palm Beach, there are three very important questions you should ask:

  • Have you surveyed vessels that are similar to mine in terms of size, make and model?
  • What will be included in the boat survey?
  • How long will it take to get the survey report?

These points will give you an upper hand when hiring a surveyor. Always stick with surveyors that have a great reputation.

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Do You Really Need a Marine Surveyor Palm Beach?

Some years ago, only a handful of people gave thought to the idea of working with a marine surveyor Palm Beach. Instead, they used their research and experience with boats to survey a boat on their own. However, as time passes, more and more people are learning the importance of working with a surveyor. This is more so when they consider the experience and the tools surveyors bring.

It is pretty easy for an untrained eye to miss faults on a vessel. For example, if you have never owned a boat before and don’t have the right equipment, you will easily mistake water leaks for uncleaned spills. You will also not be able to tell if the set selling price is fair or not.

A marine surveyor Palm Beach is involved in the review of boats daily. This means he is aware of the common problems that affect boats in your region. In addition, based on his knowledge of selling similar boats, the surveyor will also be able to let you know if the vessel you are considering has been priced accurately or not.

Once you bring a surveyor on board, he will start by looking for visual clues that lead to more problems. These clues include leaks, rust, fiberglass damage and broken ribs. If there are no telltale signs, the surveyor will move to test the mechanical systems. This may involve a sea trial. During the sea trial, the surveyor will listen and observe the performance of various components.

When a surveyor suspects a component has an issue, he may use imaging tools to look inside without taking the component apart. However, if he suspects serious issues, the surveyor will advise you to work with a mechanic or electrician who will take a component apart and take a closer look.

It is good to note that an experienced surveyor knows what a boat should have depending on its intended purpose. Therefore, he will be able to give you a complete list of all the items that ought to be replaced or repaired for a vessel to meet its purpose. The surveyor will also estimate how much it will cost to replace and repair the listed components.

The service fee of a marine surveyor Palm Beach is a small cost to pay when buying a second-hand boat. The surveyor’s job is not to guarantee that the boat is perfect but to try and provide you with a realistic assessment of the vessel as it is. By reading the survey report, you will know if you are making a good investment or not.

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How to Get Your Vessel Ready for a Boat Inspection Palm Beach?

How well you prepare for a boat inspection Palm Beach will determine how smoothly the survey goes and how thorough a surveyor will be. The work of the surveyor is to observe, listen and document. Forcing the surveyor to declutter the boat for you will only get in his way. With that being said, let’s take a look at some of the important things you must do when getting ready for a boat survey.

Declutter the boat

The first thing you need to do is get rid of anything that will only get in the way of the boat surveyor. This includes your fishing gear and other extraneous equipment. Your gumboots and raincoat don’t need to be on board during the inspection. In simple terms, anything that will not be included as part of the sale should be removed from the boat. If removing these items is not possible, label them as not-for-sale or available-at-an-extra cost. Doing so will help avoid confusion during a boat inspection Palm Beach.

Clean the boat

Decluttering your boat is not enough. To make the work of the boat surveyor easier you need to clean your boat. pressure washing from top to bottom will help the surveyor find components easily and determine their condition without having to scrub them.

The propeller of the boat must also be cleaned to remove growth. Doing so will help reduce the vibrations and help the boat perform better during a sea trial. You also need to scrub the engines, bilges and machinery spaces.

Get periodic maintenance done

The objective of a marine survey is to help a buyer know if your boat is a great investment or not. At times, low or old oil can cause the boat to underperform and subsequently send the wrong message. That is why you should perform periodic maintenance including impeller and oil changes before the day of the survey.

Wax your boat

First impressions do matter. That is why in addition to cleaning your boat you should consider having a gel coat waxed, the stainless steel work polished as well as the wood varnished. You should also consider touching up paint and testing all the equipment to ensure they are performing well. If something is not working, you can get it fixed or note it so that the buyer will not be surprised.

In a boat inspection Palm Beach, a surveyor will earn his keep by identifying past maintenance problems and future repair needs. Whether you are a boat owner or a buyer, you should make sure you hire the most qualified marine surveyor.

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Boat Surveyors Palm Beach – What You Must Know About Working with a Marine Surveyor

Hiring boat surveyors Palm Beach is something you must do if you want to buy a used boat or want to understand the current condition of your boat. The surveyor will perform a thorough evaluation of your boat and compile a report that helps you understand its fair market and replacement value, cost of repairs, and other information that helps you understand your boat better. However, before hiring a boat surveyor, it is a great idea to start by understanding how the experience will be like.

What does a boat surveyor inspect?

The first thing boat surveyors Palm Beach do is locate and note the hull identification number (HIN) of your boat as well as the boat’s state or federal registration marks. A routine boat inspection will include moisture readings in the deck and hull. The surveyor will also check for blistering and delamination. The transom, bulkheads, and stringers will also be inspected for structural integrity. The surveyor will also take a look at the wiring, electrical systems, and test plumbing. A surveyor will include the condition of underwater gear including the struts, shafts, and propellers. The fuel system will also be inspected.

During a marine survey, the surveyor inspects and makes an inventory of all required safety gear. The list of areas that are inspected will vary from one boat to the next and depending on the type of survey that is requested. Always speak with a surveyor to know what the survey will include before you hire them.

What is required of you during the survey?

When working with a boat surveyor, it is highly recommended that you be present throughout the survey and sea trial. Being present will help you ask questions about the systems on the boat and help the surveyor around the boat.

It is good to note that the surveyor is not there to let you know if buying the boat will be a great investment. The surveyor will not help with negotiations with the owner. The surveyor will remain as objective as possible.

How long does a survey take?

The length of a marine survey depends on the boat that is being surveyed. The survey can take a few hours or a full day. You also need to note that bad weather can cause the survey to take longer. A sea trial will take between 30 to 60 minutes.

There is a lot that goes on in a marine survey. The best thing you can do is find dependable boat surveyors Palm Beach. The last thing you want is for your survey report to be turned down by an insurance or financial institution because the surveyor you used is not credited.

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Boat Surveyor Palm Beach – How a Damage Survey is Done

One of the reasons you may need to hire boat surveyors Palm Beach is for the purposes of damage survey. This is a survey done to determine the extent of damage to a boat. A damage survey is mostly requested after an accident or bad weather. A boat owner may hire a surveyor for this to know how many repairs are needed. In most cases, damage surveys are requested by insurance companies. In this post, we will be taking a look at a few facts you should remember about a damage survey.

Terms and reporting

The first point you should understand is that damage surveys should not take more than a day to complete. The boat surveyors Palm Beach will require no more than one full day of attendance. However, depending on the extent of damage, the marine surveyor may request additional time.

Once the survey is completed, the surveyor will provide you with a preliminary report. This report includes an outline of the incident as well as the extent of damage to the vessel. In many cases, the report will also include the estimated cost of repairs. You will then receive the final damage survey report.

How long it takes for you to get the final report will depend on a number of things. The main influencing factor is the availability of information. For example, missing invoices can delay the final report.

Cause of damage

So long as the boat owner presents an allegation as to the cause of damage to their boat, the marine surveyor will give an opinion regarding the cause of damage in the report. If no allegation has been presented by the owner, the surveyor will state their opinion regarding the cause of damage. This will be included in a separate message.

The surveyor will not give an opinion on the cause of the collision or elaborate on any appointment of blame. The surveyor will also never discuss liability. This is because doing so will prejudice underwriter’s and owner’s positions.

Purpose of a damage survey

A damage survey is usually done to report on the condition of a boat after an incident. The boat surveyors Palm Beach will simply observe then report on the extent of the damage. The surveyor will not dismantle components to determine the extent of the damage. He only listens and observes.

The above are the most important points you should understand about damage surveys. If you are hiring your own surveyor, it is always good to go with one that has many years of experience surveying boats that are similar to yours.

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Boat Inspector Palm Beach – Hidden Problems in Used Boats

When buying a used boat, hiring a boat inspector Palm Beach is a must. You cannot take the boat owner’s word for it or make decisions based on aesthetics. There are so many hidden problems that have to be looked at when buying a used boat. In this post, we will be focusing on the main issues that boat surveyors focus on.

Engine problems

The worst mistake you can make is buying a boat with a bad engine. Doing so will be disastrous especially when you consider your boat will not work without an engine and it costs a fortune to fix an engine. It is for this reason that the main focus of a boat inspector Palm Beach is the condition of the engine. They check the oil, the plugs and listen to how smooth the engine sounds when running. A boat surveyor will advise you to show up at least 15 minutes before the sea trial so that the boat owner doesn’t warm up the engine ahead of time to hide startup issues.

Electrical systems

Replacing the wiring on a boat is hard. The wires run under decks, through tight chases, and into closed compartments. When evaluating a used boat, you have to make sure that all the electrical items from the lights to the electronics are working properly. Don’t forget to look at the fuse box. If you see different brand fuses, this will indicate that some of the fuses have been replaced. Ask the owner why the fuses have been replaced. Don’t forget to take a survey of the state of the wiring to ensure it is well-loomed and supported.

Failing pumps

The bilge pumps are the most worrying pumps on a boat. You have to make sure that the pump works smoothly after flipping a switch. You also need to access the bilge pump and switch it on manually to make sure it works. You also need to test everything that is powered by a pump. Your marine surveyor will help confirm the condition of all pumps.

Rot

Rot is not as common in used boats as it used to be in the past. This is because most boat builders no longer use untreated wood. This does not, however, mean that you shouldn’t check for rot. Your boat inspector Palm Beach will go through the boat checking for rust and rot. The surveyor will also give recommendations on repairs.

There are many more issues you should look for including the stringers, cabin leaks, saturated foam, leaking lower units, and hull to deck joint separation. While an experienced boat surveyor will be able to look at all these issues, it doesn’t hurt to know what to focus on when reviewing a used boat.

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Boat Surveyor Palm Beach – Which are the Main Areas Covered in a Yacht Survey

Are you in the market for a used yacht? If you have already identified the vessel that you want, the next thing you have to do is find a dependable boat surveyor Palm Beach. The role of the surveyor is to help you determine if the vessel you are after is a worthy investment or not. All in all, before you hire a surveyor you have to know what will be looked at in a yacht survey. 

Hull

One of the primary areas of focus in a yacht survey is the hull. Your boat surveyor Palm Beach will start with the hull looking at the conditions of the underwater, topsides and deck. The keel matrix or the frame arrangement is crucial together with the condition of the hull-to-keel joint. The surveyor will also check to make sure the attachment of the keel is appropriate.

In the boat survey, the surveyor looks for evidence of damage or grounding to the keel because this can be a major issue. He also lists and checks conditions of underwater fittings both externally and internally. The surveyor also makes sure the attachments and hoses are all in good condition and properly secured.

Rudder

The rudder blades are often an issue more so if a boat is more than 20 years old. If the blades have absorbed a lot of moisture, this can cause structural failure. The surveyor will focus on a couple basic inspection points to confirm the overall condition of the rudder.

Engine

In a pre-purchase yacht survey, the engine has to be inspected. While a sea-trial offers the best way to determine the condition of an engine, not all issue present during a sea trial. Your surveyor will have a list of faults to check. This includes commenting on oil leaks, mounts, filters, fuel lines, condition of the engine bed, drive belts, cooling system and exhaust system. The surveyor will further check the stern gland arrangement, bearings, shaft and the condition of the propeller.

Onboard systems

The onboard systems need to be checked to ensure they don’t have any significant issues. The survey needs to comment on the navigation lights, bilge pumps, water systems, water pumps, shower pump outs and as many other systems as possible. A gas safe inspection is a worth investment and in many cases required when insuring a vessel.

Other areas checked include the following:

  • Diesel heaters
  • Rigging
  • Safety equipment

Buying a yacht is a huge investment. You want to be certain that you are buying the best boat. Working closely with an experienced boat surveyor Palm Beach will help you evaluate every aspect of the boat and be certain the investment is worth it.

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Marine Surveyors Palm Beach – Buying Tips for a Boat Insurance

One of the reasons boat owners hire marine surveyors Palm Beachis for the purposes of insurance. Insurance companies require a survey report before they can insure your boat. This is, however, not the only thing you need. The issuance of boat insurance is often complicated and trying to understand it can be at times confusing. If you own a boat or plan on buying a boat, you have to think about boat insurance. Here are a few tips to help you get the best cover.

Know your insurer

A boat insurance can be added on to a homeowner’s policy, be bought directly from a marine insurance specialist or be purchase from an independent insurance agent. The best way to go is buying the policy through a reputable agent or directly from a marine insurance specialist. While it may be convenient to add on to your homeowner’s policy, this option will limit you and will often not provide adequate cover.

As aforementioned, your insurer will need a marine survey report. They can either send their own surveyor for this or you can work with your own surveyor. If you plan on using your own marine surveyors Palm Beach, make sure the surveyors are approved by the insurer you are considering.

Agreed value versus actual cash value

Agreed value policies cost more upfront but potentially pay more. This policy covers the stated value of the policy in the event of total loss. With a partial loss, an agreed value policy only replaces the damaged boating equipment on ‘new for old’ basis without depreciation.

With an actual cash value policy, the policy costs less and pays up to the actual cash value in the event of total loss. This policy will also factor in depreciation in all partial and total loss. This policy is better suited for the less expensive boats or situations in which you are concerned about liability protection and defense against lawsuits than with the damage of the boat.

Ask about the salvage truth

In the event of total loss, you want to be certain the policy will cover salvage costs up to 100% of the total insured value of your boat. If 100% cover is not offered, you will end up paying salvage costs out of your pocket. It is, however, good to note that most insurers limit salvage coverage to a certain percentage of the boat’s total value.

One size doesn’t fit all

The insurance policy that works for your friends may not work for you. This is because boats have varying equipment onboard and are not all worth the same. That is why you should liaise with marine surveyors Palm Beach to understand the main areas of concern on your boat. A good surveyor will also be happy to give recommendations on the best insurance cover to take.

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