Why a gulet needs a different survey
A gulet is not a production yacht. Most are built one at a time in Bodrum and Marmaris yards, by hand, and no two are identical. Surveying one means reading how the hull was built, which timber went where, and the marks a yard’s workmanship leaves, not ticking a catalogue.
Most gulets work commercially (day charter, blue cruise). They run heavy and often: high engine hours, tired deck gear, hard-used accommodation. The survey weighs each of these.
What we check on a gulet
- Keel and main structure: rot in the wooden keel, corrosion in fastenings, open caulking seams. Hidden rot is found with a moisture meter and sounding hammer.
- Hull and deck: teak wear and opening seams, signs of water ingress, deck-to-hull leaks.
- Engine and shaft: commercial gulets run high hours; exhaust, cooling and shaft seal come first. Compression and blow-by, if wanted, are coordinated with an independent engine technician.
- Electrical and accommodation: generator, air-conditioning, watermaker and heavy wiring in multi-cabin boats.
- Deck gear: mast, boom, windlass, davit and bimini, parts that wear under charter load.
- Papers and commercial fitness: tonnage, passenger capacity, seaworthiness and any charter certificates.
Buying a gulet for charter
If you aim for charter income, the survey shows not just condition but running cost: the caulking, engine overhaul or deck renewal due soon will land before your charter income does. The A-B-C priorities in the report show what this season needs and what can wait, and give you leverage in the price talk.
We can combine the survey with a skippered delivery to bring the boat to your operating base.
Where we survey gulets
Gulets cluster in Bodrum, Marmaris, Göcek and Fethiye. We come to wherever the boat is hauled or berthed. For reliable moisture readings the boat should have been ashore and dry for at least a week.
Gulets from Bozburun and Selimiye
Bozburun and Selimiye have a wooden boatbuilding tradition passed down through generations. The slipways along the shore see new gulets built and existing ones maintained and repaired. The craftsman's work shapes the boat's future; two gulets of the same size can be in very different condition depending on how they were built and kept.
The hull survey of a wooden boat is done ashore. Slipways in Bozburun or the nearby Marmaris marinas can be used. A wooden boat left ashore too long dries out and its seams open, so the survey is planned shortly after haul-out and moisture values are read with the nature of timber in mind.
For our Marmaris services see Marmaris yacht survey.
For gulets over 24 m: large yacht survey.
Supervising a new gulet build
When building a gulet in Bozburun, an independent inspector on the owner's side follows the checkpoints from timber selection to launch:
- Timber species, dryness and quality; material acceptance.
- Setting of keel and frames, and the type of fastenings.
- Planking, caulking and protective treatment.
- Machinery, electrical and plumbing installation.
- Launch, sea trial and handover file.
Tying payments to these checkpoints is the strongest safeguard for schedule and quality. More: new-build supervision.
FAQ
How long does a gulet survey take?
Usually 2-2.5 days on site, depending on length and number of cabins.
What is the biggest risk when buying a wooden gulet?
Rot and open caulking hidden under paint. Not visible to the eye; found with a moisture meter and sounding, and recorded with location and priority.
When do I get the report?
Within 2-3 working days: 70+ pages in English, photo-documented, findings graded A-B-C.
Are moisture readings on a wooden gulet read like GRP?
No. Timber has natural moisture; readings are compared across areas and combined with sounding. The aim is to find rot and areas taking water.
Is an older Bozburun-built gulet worth buying?
It can be; a well-kept wooden gulet lasts a long time. What matters is the maintenance history and the extent of any rot found on survey.