Re: Boat Inspectors
There are a few different types of surveys. The general surveys cover basic issues of hull integrity and equipment. Is it working, is it not, etc. Frankly its usually something someone with a good degree of boating knowledge can do themselves. However, if you don't know what to look for is a very good insurance policy to make sure you don't buy something not sea worthy. Ask to see if they take hull cores to check for rotted wood, and if they go on a seacruise as well to assess systems underway.
Most Surveyors will provide a sample survey of a couple boats they surveyed. One that passed, one that "didn't" The culmination of the report is a general rating of it's seaworthiness and condition. They also provide an assessed value to the vessel based on their survey. Ask for some sample surveys of similar vessels you are looking at.
There are also Mechanical system surveys. A normal marine survey rarely goes into checking compression, oil, gear fluids, etc. There are also different levels of mechanical surveys. Somme just do things like compression, before and after fluid checks during sea trial, etc. Then the more expensive ones can literally start taking stuff apart to test it, and will cost you MUCH more money, and unless you are looking at a fairly expensive larger boat is rarely worth it.
