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Random Quote: Dad, is there a depth finder on this boat? Why is the water tan?
I'm on the verge of buying a 1999 Robalo 2420 center console with a Merc 250 OB. This is my first boat. A buddy of mine suggested I get the boat surveyed by a licensed, accredited surveyor. Another buddy suggested that this would be a waste of money. I talked to the surveyor today, it would cost me about $600. and he said "I'd understand if you got it done and I would understand if you didn't with a boat like that. It's really more for piece of mind."
Frankly $600 for piece of mind seems like a waste. What do you think? Thanks in advance for the advice....
I would not do it. I'll probably get clobbered on this site for saying that but on a smallish single outboard boat like that , unless you are a total novice and not to handy with simple mechanical stuff you can do it yourself. Ask around find out what to check. WRITE IT DOWN, and check things off as you check them.
Does the engine run? Does the bilge pump work? Is there water laying in the hull or oil? Do the electronic work? Did you take it for a test run? I bought a used 1999 Cobia last year. I had a lot of little things to do to the boat, but the engine had low hours on it and ran good. I guess I got lucky... I didn't think about a surveyor. It was my first boat and I guess I got lucky... The only issue besides the engine is the hull and weather or not there is rot. the surveyor might be able to figure that out for you.
I personally have bought approx 8 boats for my personal use in the last 10 years and
never had one surveyed--I have never been disappointed either---I have had my
mechanic go over the engines.
I talk to the sellers eyeball to eyeball and if I feel comfortable with their reasons for selling-- I go ahead. Also, I feel I have a pretty good eye when it comes to boats--you
can just tell from 10 feet away if a boat has been cared for properly..Every boat
"has a Story".
On the other side I would never sell one of my boats to anyone without telling them of
any known problems--Generally, I don't have problems because I have always taken
care of my boats/cars etc.
One last point--I have never owned a boat that cost me more than 31,ooo. So
the risk is not too great--
For peace of mind to a newbie--Pay the surveyor! They will always find a couple of things
that need attention and the seller will probably give back a few bucks to fix the
problems.
First off, Thanks for the replies -GD- I think I'm with you in terms of being able to handle what comes up.
The engine does run, the marina who is selling it did a compression test, they tell me the engine is fine. I will sea-trial it, so I'll be able to see if it gets up to the RPM that the manufacturer suggests. I will check the bilge pump, the flush out head and the trim tabs. The surveyor I talked to also suggested that I check the head hoses to make sure they are cracked and to look for transom rot...the boat has a depth sounder, a vhf, am/fm/cd and a gps, all working.
That being said I would recommend that you get one for two reasons 1) this is your first boat and your eye is not as well trained as the old salts on this board. 2) The surveyor will find something wrong, it may be small, but they will find something. As a result you will be able to leverage his/her independent opining to bring the price down from the negotiated price.
Ask the dealer for the compression numbers; I doubt they actually did a compression test.
I vote for the survey for a couple of reasons. If you're new to boating you can watch the surveyor work and ask questions. It's a great education if you have a good surveyor. On a 1999 boat there are bound to be little things that need to be fixed. The surveyor should find those for you and give you a value for the boat with or without all of those things fixed. This allows you to negotiate the price to include the minor repairs.
IMO $500 is well worth it when your talking about spending so much cash--if for nothing else than peace of mind. I'm sure the majority of boats are fine and don't need a survey, but what if your's is one that has problems...
Does the engine run? Does the bilge pump work? Is there water laying in the hull or oil? Do the electronic work? Did you take it for a test run?
No sense surveying that boat, take a rubber mallet and beat the hell out of the hull listening for soft spots.
If eelctrical works, and you test drive and check every swiitch for a working unit, then the only, and I mean only problem you can't fix is gonna be the outboard.
If the marina is selling it, and they compression checked and everything is fine, then BS. Bring in your own paid Merc mechanic to give you an unbiased opinion. Basically, if you have to repower, the hull is worthless, and those new outboards are a chunk of change. Ask me how I know, I had a solid hull with a skunked motor. See Sig. It's a 99 hull with a 2006 Zuki which replaced a 99 Zuki.
If your completely new have it surveyed. However I have never had a boat surveyed. I have a friend who is a surveyor and he agrees with me that if you know a few things about boats and mechanics it is unneccesary.
__________________ Capt. Don
26 Regulator - BEAR
BEAR Sportfishin LLC
Always the BEAR, never the Salmon!
A survey is good for an old boat like a Potter built Seacraft from the 1970's, or if you are not well versed, or familiar with boats. Everything a surveyor checks for can be done yourself if you know what to look for. Get the engines checked by a neutral mechanic (or your own that you trust if possible), and take a look all over the boat itself. Ask about the condition, any damages, etc. that has been done. If you think you're dealing with someone who is lying to you or acting fishy, it would then be a good option to have a survey.
I would not have the boat surveyed. I had several boats surveyed by some of the most highly regarded surveyors. In each instance the surveyor misssed or did not report some serious problems. In one instance sitting in plain sight was wiring in the bilge area that had plastic wire nuts (used in home wiring) securing the connections. Another one was a fuel fill hose was so rotted, it was about to fall off! This was easily noticed by myself when I was poking around the boat before purchase. Boat of these issues were missed by the surveyor. The only reason the boat was being surveyed is because the bank requested one prior to providing the funds. In any future boat purchase, I would not get a surveyor. I will open every hatch, look at every wire run that is exposed and crawl all over the vessel.
Unless you feel confident and educated for what problems there may be, I would think a $600 survey is a small price to pay relative to the boat cost. You say this is your first boat, so I am guessing you do not have a lot of experience working on boats.
Does it have an aluminum fuel tank? Is the tank foamed in, does it show signs of corrosion? How do the electrical conections look, any corrosion? Wires secured? How much water in the fuel/water seperator? What does the fluid in the lower units look like? Are you confident you know what is acceptable versus unacceptable cracking?
Just one thing found by the survey will likely save the cost of the survey.
Dave Pascoe has some good books on surveying fiberous-glass boats if you want to do it yourself.
__________________ There's a reason they call it fishing and not catching!
I bought a 1996 Intrepid 284 WA last year which I had surveyed. The reason for this was that there are alot of things that can be wrong with a boat that are not apparent to the eye. $600.00 is much more than I paid for my survey. I found my surveyor through here: http://www.marinesurvey.org/ The price was reasonable and I am very pleased with the job that was done.
I would say yes if you do not know your way around boats. Boats are expensive enough when everything is right.
A guy on the 'Grady board' bought a sailfish and the engines fell off, the bracket ripped right out of the rotted transom. He probably wanted to put a bullet in his head for not having it surveyed. $600 is too much? Price around, find someone to do it for $500 if you want but try to go by word of mouth (not everyone is good at what they do for a paycheck). Enough said.
$600 sounds reasonable. $20/ft is about the going rate I found. I would survey it without question. As stated above you may get some negotiating room for minor issues, and you'll know the status of everything on the boat which is worth something. And of course, you could avert disaster. I have voided 2 deals based on survey, 1 soaked cockpit sole and 1 wet grady transom, both of the same vintage as yours.
$600 sounds reasonable. $20/ft is about the going rate I found. I would survey it without question. As stated above you may get some negotiating room for minor issues, and you'll know the status of everything on the boat which is worth something. And of course, you could avert disaster. I have voided 2 deals based on survey, 1 soaked cockpit sole and 1 wet grady transom, both of the same vintage as yours.
I need to raise my rates
__________________ Baitkiller= Accredited Marine Surveyor
Bait fear me, fish just laugh.....
The little Dutch boy was just buying time...
used boat buying - survey or no survey? 
