Preparation for a survey

There are a number of steps which can be taken in advance to help the whole survey process run more efficiently.

• Access to the boat. It is obviously important that the surveyor knows exactly where the boat is, and that he will be able to access it on the day of the survey. The marina/boatyard should be advised in advance.
• Keys. The surveyor must know what the arrangements are for collecting the keys (hidden on the boat, in the yard office, arrange a meeting to hand them over etc).
• Health and safety. It touches every part of modern life and surveying is no exception. The vessel must be secure and stable. If in the opinion of the surveyor, it is unstable, he will not board the vessel.
• Remove all unnecessary equipment. The lockers should be as empty as possible. Sails should be available for inspection (if they are not on board, the surveyor will need to know where they are). All safety equipment should be left on board.
• Batteries should be on board and connected. Idealy with shorepower connected.
• Access to the bilge. To inspect the bilge fully, access will be required to as much as possible. Any deck panels which are screwed down should be unscrewed.
• Documentation. Sight will be required of all appropriate documents (registration, bill of sale, VAT status, insurance, owners manual etc.). If they are not on board, other arrangements should be made to view these documents.
• The rig will only be inspected in detail to approximately 2m above the deck (head height). If detailed inspection of the whole rig is required, the mast must be unstepped and clearly identifiable.
• Tenders. If tenders and their outboard motors are to inspected, they must be present or close by on the day of the survey.
• The hull. To be able to carry out a full inspection of the hull including obtaining meaningful moisture readings, the vessel must have been lifted out of the water and pressure washed several days before the survey. As part of the inspection, patches of antifouling will be removed, it is therefore requested that fresh antifouling not be applied until after the survey. Likewise, the sacrificial anodes should not be removed.
• Client presence during the survey. Clients are welcome to visit during the survey (preferably in the afternoon), but are requested not to wait around all day. This delays the surveyors work.