The purchase question
Tell the surveyor what you need to understand. An assessment of general condition, a specific technical concern and a review of maintenance needs may require different scopes. Sales particulars and the seller’s comments provide a starting point; discuss which aspects the inspection can assess.
Share your intended use of the yacht as well. Whether it suits your plans may involve matters beyond a technical report. Keep those other parts of the purchase decision in view.
Gather the documents
Bring the available information into one file. Missing records or an unclear repair history are also matters to discuss. Ask the specialist which documents they would like to review before the inspection.
- Engine and generator hours, recent service invoices
- Maintenance records and previous survey reports, where available
- Known faults, repairs or modifications
- Purchase stage and intended dates
Agree the arrangements
Discuss access, haul-out and any sea trial arrangements in advance. The systems that can be operated, areas that can be accessed and need for additional specialists affect the inspection plan.
An area that couldn’t be reached or a system that wasn’t run hasn’t passed; it simply wasn’t checked. Ask how limitations will be explained when the findings are reviewed.
Discuss the findings
When the report arrives, ask for more than a list of jobs. Have the specialist explain the basis of each finding, the further investigation needed and the technical response to consider. If a repair scope or specialist quotation is needed, clarify whether that is a separate task.
- Which items need more detailed investigation?
- Which areas were inaccessible or could not be tested?
- Which findings need another specialist’s assessment?
- What else is needed to define maintenance or repair work?
Use the information
Survey findings form part of the information for a purchase discussion. Consider the technical findings together with access limitations and unanswered questions. Any formal inspection or certification requirement should be defined separately with the appropriate authorised specialist.