Haul-out day gives the survey more information than any other hours. The moment the boat leaves the water, the underwater hull, anodes and running gear can be seen unwashed; that view does not come again.
Plan first: the date is set backwards
For reliable moisture readings the boat must be ashore and dry for at least one week, so the haul-out is booked at least 7 days before the survey. At the end of the season the crane queue can run past a week, so book early. Send the marina the boat's weight and beam in writing; travel lift capacities and lifting dock widths are in the marina directory.
The day, in order
- Sling positions. Transducers, log, shaft and propeller are shown to the operator and the slings placed clear of them.
- Out of the water. While the boat hangs in the lift, underwater photos are taken before washing.
- First look. Fouling pattern, anodes, propeller, shaft, rudder and keel joint are seen unwashed.
- Washing. After pressure washing, gelcoat and osmosis blisters show more clearly.
- Blocking. The keel block carries the load and stands are placed evenly; a ladder and safe access are set up.
- Start of drying. The time is noted; moisture readings are taken at least one week later.
What the surveyor looks at in the first hour
- Fouling pattern
- Heavy growth on one side suggests the boat sat in one berth a long time or the antifouling went on unevenly.
- Anodes
- Anodes wasted fast are the first sign of stray current or inadequate protection.
- Keel joint
- A crack at the leading edge points to a grounding or loose bolts.
- Rudder and shaft
- Pushing the rudder blade by hand checks bearing play; moving the shaft checks the cutless bearing.
Who pays?
Haul-out, crane, washing and hardstanding are invoiced directly by the marina and are not part of the survey fee. On a purchase survey, buyer and seller agree beforehand which of them pays.
Scope: The survey is non-destructive and nothing is dismantled; details on the survey types page.
Why a week of drying?
GRP laminate takes up water slowly and gives it up slowly. On a boat just out of the water, moisture at the surface and just under the gelcoat reads high everywhere on the meter. A reading then cannot tell an area that has really taken on water from one that is merely wet at the surface. A week of drying lets the surface moisture go so the real state inside the laminate can be read. In winter and in damp weather this can take longer; a boat caught in rain is not read until the surface has dried again.
So a plan to "haul in the morning and survey in the afternoon" does not work for moisture readings. The inspection ashore and the sea trial can fall on different days within the same survey; what matters is that readings are taken in the right conditions.
Why blocking matters
Ashore, a boat carries loads very differently from afloat. On a sailing yacht most of the weight goes through the keel onto the keel block; the stands only keep her upright. Stands pressing too hard, or placed on a weak area, can mark the hull and stress the internal structure. A motor yacht is supported at the strong points of her structure. On survey, stand positions are noted too, so a hollow seen in the hull can be traced to the blocking or to the structure.
What is seen before washing
The few minutes in the slings before pressure washing are very valuable. Areas of heavy fouling show how water flows over the hull. How far the anodes have wasted, and whether evenly, is the first clue to how the cathodic protection is working. Calcium deposits or pink discolouration on propeller and shaft can herald metal problems. These views are photographed and go into the report.
What to agree with the marina
- The boat's weight, beam and draft; whether the travel lift and lifting dock suit them.
- Whether sling positions are marked; where the transducers and shaft are.
- Hardstanding time and cost; the relaunch date after the survey.
- The marina's rules for visiting surveyors and technicians.