The marine surveying industry has changed dramatically over the almost 50 years we’ve been boating. Back in the early days there were not any standards or certifying organizations for surveyors. Those that had industry experience and connections just ‘hung out their shingle’. Some were very good and some were very bad!
By the late ‘70s and early ‘80s the industry (led by the mortgage and insurance companies) realized that being proactive with self- regulation would be good for the industry as a whole. There are now two major marine surveyor organizations in America that are both outstanding in their dedication and professionalism.
SAMS: Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors, founded in 1987 with its Accredited Marine Surveyor (AMS) designation to provide credentials to surveyors, and NAMS: National Association of Marine Surveyors introducing its Certified Marine Surveyors (CMS) designation in 1980. Since then, the International Institute of Marine Surveying (IIMS) was born in 1991 and has emerged as the leading worldwide professional body dedicated to excellence in marine surveying and offering professional qualifications to new surveyors. Additionally, it assesses each membership application intensely and wants to see objective evidence provided by the applicant of their skills and experience.
Though these professionals endeavour to uncover everything they can about the vessel being surveyed, there are things that just cannot be found in one day at the dock and a brief sea trial.
Marine surveys are a snapshot in time. They document the condition of the vessel AT THAT MOMENT. As one instructor at survey school noted “water is always working”. If the broker of the boat you are buying says “you don’t need a survey, the seller just had one done six months ago and you can read that,” smile politely and go have a survey done that will reflect the condition of the vessel AT THAT MOMENT.
We frequently find ourselves in the unique position of surveying a vessel, and then a short time later getting back aboard with the new owners for training, often while voyaging on the vessel to her new home. This certainly helps keep us focused on our surveying skills since we know any issues that we may have missed on the survey are likely to show themselves while we’re aboard, which at the least would be embarrassing. It also has provided us with an insight into those things that just cannot be found on a survey due to its brevity and nature.
Note that marine surveyors are precluded from certain action, due to the extreme liability and lawsuit potentials. As an example, here is some of the standard boiler plate wording you will find in most professional surveys: “This vessel was surveyed without removal of any parts, including fittings, tacked carpet, screwed or nailed boards, anchors and chain, fixed partitions, instruments, clothing, spare parts and miscellaneous materials in the bilges and lockers, or other fixed or semi- fixed items.”
When you buy your dream boat and have that “Best Surveyor in the World” examine her for you, be prepared to uncover a whole new set of problems once you start using the vessel. Here are some of the top examples that we have found. Note: Our focus is sailboats, so all of the examples are from sailing vessels between 30’ and 65’ long.
Fuel gauges: The Sea trial on a survey cannot run the vessel long enough to see if the fuel gauge moves. Also, very few fuel tanks have access ports on them, so it is unlikely the surveyor will be able to tell how much fuel is actually in the tank. At least half the newly purchased boats we get on for training have a fuel gauge that showed a reading when powered on but didn’t move when motoring a long distance. In almost all cases it was a simple fix of removing the float sensor from the tank, cleaning it and replacing it. Sometimes the gauge will move, but the reading is way off. On one particular boat we surveyed the Aux Fuel tank gauge showed empty, and the seller told us it was empty. A week later getting ready to go voyaging we went to fill the 18gl tank and it overflowed after only 7gl going in, surprise! When fuelling up for the first time on a boat new to you, always keep a pile of diesel absorbing pads handy.
Holding tanks: Most sellers make sure the holding tanks are completely empty and flushed to minimize odour. There is not time on a survey to fill these tanks and make sure the system properly empties them. Heads can be tested, macerator pumps can be turned on to verify power up, but the end-to-end system can rarely be tested. Note: overboard systems are usually not tested on surveys since the vessels are almost always within the three mile limit. During the survey of a new 46’ boat the holding tanks were empty during the survey, so it was verified that macerator pumps ran and seacocks and ‘Y’ valves worked. Later while on the initial voyage, we found that once the tanks were full, the macerators didn’t pump overboard, they were failing under load.
Leaking Tanks (fuel, water, holding): Detecting a leak in a tank can be a surprising challenge. Most often, the undersides of tanks are not visible or accessible. The best that can be done is to inspect the bilges and holds for signs of leaks. Example situations are:
- The tank is empty. Surveyors do not run around and fill water, fuel and holding tanks. They have what they have when they arrive.
- The leak is on the top of the tank, and/or above the current fluid level in the tank. This leak won’t be found until the tank is filled.
- The leak is in an inaccessible location and too small at survey time for the fluid to migrate to a visible location. If the vessel hasn’t really been sailed in a long time, and you then take it right out on a 1,000 mile voyage home, that small leak may now work open to a larger one.
- The leak was small and “quick” patched by the seller to stop the leak short term, so no leaking during survey. Then you start sailing the boat and the fix fails and the leak reveals itself.
This is why we note things like: stainless steel tanks have a life span of 20 years. If we’re surveying a boat with older stainless tanks, we’re going to note that, beyond any leaks we may have found, the buyer should monitor and be ready to replace those tanks sooner rather than later. This is also an area where we see the intrinsic build quality of the vessel makes a difference. The higher quality vessels have tanks that are problem free for much longer periods. While we have seen boats built to the “low cost market point” have tanks already leaking after only four years.
Outboards: When possible, surveyors will start outboard. However, it is almost never possible to run them under load (eg actually run around the marina in the dinghy) and never possible to run them for any length of time. There have been times when the outboard started ok on the survey, but some weeks later, when tried for the first time by the buyer, it wouldn’t stay running. Luckily, outboards are rather simple machines and if they’ll start on the survey, any additional repairs are usually minor and it doesn’t take much work to get them operational again. If the vessel is a power boat driven by large outboard(s) then we always direct the buyer to have an engine survey done by an outboard mechanic certified on those engines.
Corrosion: Good Surveyors will spot any clearly visible corroded parts and get a sense for the overall level of corrosion on a vessel. However, we surveyed one 1996 boat that had sat with no attention for two years in Florida. We noted to the buyers where we saw minor corrosion on wiring and some fittings and, that due to the vessel’s age, they would likely find more as they started to use her. Some of the hose clamps looked fine, but as noted above, a Surveyor may feel a clamp by hand, but we don’t (generally) put tools on things. As the new owners of the 1996 vessel started tightening hose clamps, that visually looked fine, many of the screws started to break off the clamps from corrosion. On a 39’ sailboat that we surveyed, the overall corrosion level was minor, and the engine space hose clamps looked okay. About eight days into a 19 day trip from the West Coast of Florida to the Chesapeake Bay, we were doing our regular log checks of bilges, engines, etc and found water trickling into the bilge. When we checked the engine, we found the hose clamp holding the engine intake hose to the siphon loop had failed and popped off, this hose joint was the source of the water trickle. A quick replacement with a new clamp solved the problem. Even when you’ve had a great survey, bring proper spares and do regular checks, especially on the first voyage.
Moisture: If it is raining, or there is very high humidity, a moisture meter is not going to be usable on the deck and topsides. The phonolic hammer is used to listen and feel for any voids, but no matter how thorough a surveyor is, they cannot possibly tap every millimetre of the vessel. A hidden dime sized moisture spot on day of purchase can turn into a metre square area if the root leak isn’t found and sealed. On the other hand, when we’ve done surveys in the rain, it has been easier to look for those leaks! On one 30 year old classic boat we surveyed, it was storming outside, and the boat had at least a half dozen leaks dripping into various compartments. These were noted, and we warned them that we could not check for moisture in the rain, and considering the number of leaks, to expect intrusion in a variety of places. They bought the boat and after purchase, they found moisture under the teak foredeck and a few other places.
Bimini/Dodger: If it is not raining hard on survey day, there is no way for the surveyor to know if the bimini/dodger is still waterproof. We have seen Bimini/Dodger canvas that visually looked fine with no tears, etc, yet, when on the voyage home, it started to pour down rain, the waterproofing was shot.
Hidden Rigging: The parts of the rigging covered under spreader boots, or huge layers of tape, cannot be inspected, and this should be noted in the survey. We recommend in our survey that the buyer should cut away all of that and inspect those sections. Chain plates sections that are hidden. Where the chain plates pass through the deck, or if the base of the plate is hidden behind cabinetry (becoming very common) or fibre glassed into the boat. We can inspect the visible portions and look for leaks, and get a good sense of overall condition. But if they are old, or show “tells” we’ll recommend pulling all the chain plates for inspection and replace as needed. Yet, even younger chain plates, that are visually fine where one can see them, can fail from issues in the hidden areas. We once had the stem fitting fail on our 38’ from an internal latent defect in the original casting that would only have shown under an X-ray exam…and the boat was already eight years old! No way would that have been found in any small boat survey.
Electronic Communications: The SSB powered up fine and received, weakly, the WWV signal.This tells the surveyor that the SSB electronics unit itself is working. But the SSB is a system needing both a proper ground plane and antenna structure to fully operate. When we were voyaging this vessel a few weeks after the survey, we tried to transmit to a cruiser’s net. It was found that corrosion in the ground plane and antenna connections were preventing proper Transmit (Tx). Most of the time, many of the connections for these ground and antenna planes are so buried in the vessel, it is impossible for the surveyor to put eyes on all of them.
VHF Radio: Most Surveyors only power up, and maybe try a Weather (WX) channel to hear something. We always do a radio check AND note how far away the test station was. It is not uncommon for us to survey a vessel and where a radio check to the marina office came in loud and clear, but a check to a station 15nm away, that should have worked, got nothing. In one case, a radio test to another station 5nm came in, but barely audible. This radio had serious antenna issues and would not help the owners if offshore more than 5nm.
Cell Boosters: Surveyors can only check if the system powers up and the proper lights are shown. Cell boosters only become active in a specific range from cell towers. Too close, and the booster drops offline since the ambient cell signal is very strong. Too far away from cell towers and there is no signal to boost. Unless the vessel is in a band of around 8 to 15 miles from the nearest cell tower, this system cannot be tested “end-to-end.”
AIS proper operation: Surveyors can check power up, and can look to see if there are local returns showing. However, if the vessel is sitting in a remote location with no other traffic around, or if it is in a marina blocked by tall buildings, one may not see anything even though the system is working. It is also difficult to verify that the onboard AIS that is supposed to Transmit, is in fact transmitting, and doing so to the range it is supposed to. On a 50’ vessel we surveyed the new AIS showed returns, but none further than 2nm. A check of the Web Site (app) MarineTraffic.com showed other vessels in the harbour, but not ours. The installer waved his hands and said it was due to the tall condos surrounding the marina. Once underway offshore between Palm Beach and Ft. Lauderdale, we quickly verified (lots of traffic in these waters) that the AIS, both Receive (Rx) and Transmit (Tx), was limited to 2nm or less. The installers boss meet us in Ft. Lauderdale and replaced the connector splices in the AIS antenna run with a hard solder joint and we then Rx/Tx out to the expected 18nm ranges! Checking if AIS has proper range really has to be done at sea or in a busy bay with targets at the maximum ranges. If the vessel has a complicated electronics suite, consider having an electronics specialist survey those systems.
What is wired to what: Tracing unlabelled wiring is very time consuming and not something that a surveyor can typically do. The surveyor can test the device to make sure it works and that the devic’es On/Off switch or breaker is properly labelled, but what cable runs are used and possible terminal blocks or junctions are used between the switch and the device will be left for you to have fun tracing. This is especially “entertaining” when there are multiple charging systems. One vessel we surveyed had; Large engine alternator (85A), and second High Capacity Alternator (200A), Solar Panels, a Wind generator and a standard shore power charger (40A). The systems were owner installed and understanding the charging relationships to know if they were proper was impossible in the short time of a survey.
Outlets (120v and 12v): Most surveyors do not look at the survey as a house inspection. It is a valuation and safety examination. Checking every single outlet for functionality can be very time consuming on a large vessel. One 44’ catamaran we recently surveyed had 20 AC outlets and a dozen 12V ones. We tested samples of these and verified their operation, but with all the other high value complicated systems aboard needing testing, all we could do is visually inspect the wiring and test samples of the outlets. Even then, later when voyaging the vessel, we found a 12V outlet that had showed the proper 12.8V on a Voltmeter during the survey, yet had corrosion in a hidden connector that didn’t allow enough current draw for the fan we plugged in.
Battery deep cycle ability: Almost all boats undergoing in- the-water surveys are connected to shore power, and have been for sometime when the surveyor arrives. Even weak batteries will show a full charge. Voltage measurements can be taken to verify the charging systems are working, at least in the Float stage, but even disconnecting the shore power first thing, doesn’t simulate how the batteries will respond when discharged over days of sailing and anchoring out. Sea Trials are never long enough to really know if the deep cycles are working, though the Sea Trial should be able to show if the alternator is putting out proper voltage. Surveyors will check the batteries to make sure they are properly secured, look clean and well cared for and may check voltage levels. What we will do is check the voltages upon boarding while hooked to shore power. At some point in the day, when the other systems needing shore power have been checked, the batteries are removed from charging and let sit for a bit of time, then the voltage is checked again. This can reveal batteries that are bad, but doesn’t give a lot of insight into weak ones. As soon as you go voyaging for a few days, you’ll learn how the batteries are doing.
Sea Trials are short periods of operation: Usually an hour at most, and usually in fairly protected water. The Brokers that join us are often surprised that we actually sail the boat, not just put up sails to inspect their condition. We load up the rig close hauled on both port and starboard tacks and check; the mast stays in column, the rig tensions, any binding in the running rigging during a tack, and other sailing aspects. However, due to the short duration, and likely relatively calm conditions, anything hidden that will come loose when the vessel is stressed in a real sea may not be evident. The Surveyor should be able to identify any structural issues, so we’re not talking about the boat coming apart. We’re talking about things like: the previous owner ducked taped the speaker wires together and then pulled them into the cable run. The speakers worked at the dock and on the gentle Sea Trial, but after the first voyage when the boat rocked an’ rolled, the speakers didn’t work anymore.
Current Carrying Capacity of heavy load systems:
Two examples here:
One: On a 42’ we surveyed and then sailed from Florida to the Chesapeake, there was an added Aux Fuel tank in the bilge with a transfer pump that moved fuel from the Aux tank to the Main tank. The transfer pump powered on during the survey, but the Aux tank was empty, so the pump wasn’t tested under load. While underway, testing with full Aux tank, the pump failed due to a partially corroded fuse buried in a circuit panel behind a bulkhead. When later diagnosing the failure it was found that the corrosion was such that with no load, 13V showed at the pump connections and enough current could pass to drive an unloaded pump. As soon as the pump was loaded and large current drawn, the corrosion caused a very large voltage drop and the pump did not operate. Not a chance of finding this on the survey!
Two: On a 44’ Catamaran, during the survey the anchor windlass was tested at the dock. The windlass operated down and up with no apparent issues. But the only load was the chain going back and forth since the anchor was secured to the deck. The first morning anchored out, while voyaging this Catamaran to her new home, the windlass could not get enough current to pull the chain and 70lb anchor up, so we ended up doing it by hand. No connection or corrosion problems were sighted in any of the visible connections and 13V+ was measured at the windlass terminals when no load. It was eventually discovered that the windlass motor had the corrosion in its internal structure. When possible on a survey, we’ll kick the anchor off the bow and drop it to the bottom and bring it back up for the windlass check, but this isn’t possible on many of our surveys.
Sail handling systems, especially In-Mast Main furling systems: It is very common for the Sea Trial to be done on a calm or moderate day that may not reveal issues that can only be found when the wind is strong. One example is an In-Mast furling system that often has internal pawls fail in the furling drum that cannot be detected until it is attempted to furl an already partially reefed main in the rest of the way in strong winds. On a 42’ sloop, the furling system worked fine during the Sea Trial in 15-20kn air. During the vessels voyage to its new home the main was reefed about half way in. When the winds picked up to 30kn and we went to furl in all of the main, the whole sail came unfurled and flogged due to the problem with the furling system.
Engines, Fuel and Oil systems: Some clients request an Oil test be done on the engine(s). These will come with a small additional charge for the time, processing and interpretation. Note that there is a key bit of data that must be provided for the oil test to have any meaning: how many engine hours has it been since the last oil change! If the boat has been well maintained and a proper maintenance log kept, this should be an easy answer. Sadly, most of the boats we’ve surveyed, the seller has no idea how many engine hours it has been since the last oil change. An oil test looks at the number of particles in the oil. Some particles will always work their way in and the longer the time from the last oil change, the more particles that can be expected. Thus, test results could be good for an engine that’s been run 100 hours since the last oil change, while the same results would be a glaring failure for an engine with only two hours since the last change. Yes, there are failures that an oil test will show no matter how many hours, and these reflect serious issues with the engine. In most of these cases, the engines will have other “tells” indicating further investigation is warranted. Dirt in the bottom of the fuel tank. If the fuel in the tank is old, even if the vessel has been sailed on a regular basis, there maybe a layer of sludge on the bottom of the fuel tank. If the seller recently changed the fuel filter, so the bowl is clear, the sludge cannot be detected by a regular survey. The Sea Trial is unlikely to be long, or rough, enough to stir the sludge up into suspension. You will do that the moment you clear the Sea Buoy on your voyage to the vessels new home. Then you’ll wonder why your engine is failing with clogged filters all the way home, even though the system surveyed out fine. We ALWAYS have our voyaging clients have the tanks cleaned and fuel polished on every boat that is new to them before we will start the voyage to the vessels new home.
Think of your surveyors like a doctor who is a General Practitioner (GP), highly educated with a breadth of knowledge but not a specialist. Though it is not unusual for a surveyor to have “specialist” expertise in one particular field (eg: Jeff is an Electrical Engineer with marine electronics expertise) in general, surveyors, like GPs, need to have enough knowledge to recognize when a Specialist is needed. A good example is when looking at engines. It never hurts (except in the pocket book) to have a mechanic do an engine survey, but it usually isn’t needed if the surveyor visually inspects the engine and runs it through its paces on the sea trial and none of the warnings signals are seen. However, if the engine has been laid up for a long period of time, or if the surveyor sees warning “tells”, such as oil dripping from the bottom of the engine after the sea trial, then the surveyors will recommend a mechanic do an engine survey. Remember, these are just examples, there are many other things that you will find when you start sailing your new-to-you vessel. Stop and consider just what the issue was. Could this really have been found on the survey?
FOOTNOTE:
Example of Boiler Plate limitations of survey noted in most professional surveys:
No reference or information should be construed to indicate evaluation of the internal condition of the engine or the propulsion system’s operating capacity. It is recommend that all diesel engines be surveyed by a qualified engine technician to determine the condition of the engines, gears and pumps, heat exchangers, coolers, etc. Electronic equipment was checked for “power up” only except where noted in the surveyors report.
This vessel was surveyed without removals of any parts, including fittings, tacked carpet, screwed or nailed boards, anchors and chain, fixed partitions, instruments, clothing, spare parts and miscellaneous materials in the bilges and lockers, or other fixed or semi-fixed items. Locked compartments or otherwise inaccessible areas would also preclude inspection. Owner is advised to open up all such areas for further inspection. Further, no determination of stability characteristics or inherent structural integrity has been made and no opinion is expressed with respect thereto. This survey report represents the condition of the vessel on the above dates, and is the unbiased opinion of the undersigned, but it is not to be considered an inventory or a warranty either specified or implied.