Preparing Your Boat for a Marine Survey | Master Marine Surveys Inc.

Before survey day

Clear the boat. Take personal items off the vessel: clothing, bins, sports gear, bicycles, food and drink, cushions in lockers. Every locker, hatch and bilge needs to be reachable.
Keep the safety gear aboard. Lifejackets, flares, fire extinguishers, bailer, heaving line and other required equipment should stay on the boat so it can be checked.
Charge the batteries and connect shore power. Batteries fully charged and connected, with shore power available, so that pumps, lights and onboard systems can be tested.
Do not warm up the engines. Please leave the engines cold. A cold start tells us more than an engine that has already been run.
Book the haul-out. For a pre-purchase survey the boat must be out of the water so the bottom, running gear and through-hulls can be inspected. A short-haul at the marina is usually enough.
Have the paperwork ready. Registration or pleasure craft licence, maintenance records, engine hours, receipts for upgrades and any previous survey report.
Include the extras. A tender, outboard, trailer or cradle is only included in the inspection and valuation if it is present on the day.

Missing safety equipment.

Pre-purchase surveys: equipment that is not on board is reported as missing, as if the boat were about to leave the dock, even during winter storage. The buyer needs to know the full cost of making the boat ready before deciding.

Insurance surveys: equipment that is not on board is noted as not seen, and may be listed as a Watch item when it was removed for winter storage.

Winterized boats. Systems that have been drained or decommissioned (fresh water, heads, air conditioning, raw-water cooling) cannot be run. They are inspected visually and the report states which systems could not be tested.

Sailboats. The mast, rigging and sails are inspected from the deck and at deck level. Going aloft, or a detailed rig inspection by a rigger, can be arranged separately when needed. Sails stored in bags are inspected where they can be reasonably opened out.

Power and system testing

Safety-critical items such as bilge pumps, navigation lights and the electrical panel are tested on every survey where power is available.

Pre-purchase surveys: every reasonable effort is made to operate all onboard systems, so batteries and shore power are needed.
Insurance surveys: comfort and convenience systems (heating, air conditioning, entertainment, advanced electronics) are not part of the scope, so shore power is helpful but not required.

What the inspection covers

The survey is non-invasive. The hull and deck are assessed by percussion sounding, moisture-meter readings and, where useful, thermal imaging and borescope. Hatches, panels and inspection plates are opened where they are readily accessible or held by simple fasteners. Nothing is cut, drilled or dismantled.

Every survey also includes a fair market value, based on comparable boats recently sold and currently offered in the North American market, recognized pricing guides, and the condition and equipment of the boat. Unusual short-term market swings may not be reflected.

On survey day

A survey typically takes 4 to 8 hours on site, depending on the size of the boat, the complexity of its systems and its condition. A small runabout takes much less; a large yacht can take a full day.

Questions are welcome before the inspection starts and during the walk-through at the end. While the inspection is under way, please let the surveyor work without interruptions; it keeps the survey thorough and on time.

The photo-documented report is delivered within 48 hours.

Sea trial

A sea trial is normally part of a pre-purchase survey and lets the surveyor see the boat, engines and systems working under load.

A captain is needed. Usually the owner, the broker or someone they designate. Please arrange the captain in advance.
The surveyor observes. The surveyor does not operate or crew the boat (except in an emergency). They will ask the captain for certain manoeuvres, such as full-throttle runs and turns, which the captain carries out only when it is safe to do so.
Safety first. The surveyor brings their own lifejacket and protective equipment. The captain reviews safety gear with everyone else aboard before departure.
Weather. The surveyor or the captain may postpone the sea trial in poor weather.

Good to know

The report records the condition found on the day, based on the surveyor's knowledge and experience and on the areas that were accessible. Parts of the boat hidden by its design, by fitted equipment or by stored gear cannot be inspected, and the report says where access was limited.

Your report is confidential. It is released only to you, and to others only with your written consent.