A survey is more than the hours spent on the boat. A well-run survey covers scope agreement, marina and lift coordination, the document list, owner preparation, inspection ashore and afloat, reporting, and reading the report together. The most expensive mistakes are not technical but coordination mistakes: a date given before the travel lift is booked is a promise that cannot be kept.
- 1EnquiryWhatsApp / form
- 2QuotationItemised, written
- 3BookingLift-out arranged
- 4AshoreMeasure and sound
- 5Sea trialUnder load
- 6Report2-3 working days
- 7DiscussionReading findings
The most productive hour of a survey is the one before stepping aboard. Is she ashore, how many days dry, when is the crane slot, which check points does this make and model bring forward, known in advance, the time on site goes into measurement.
Arrive unprepared and most of it goes into looking for access, and the report fills with lines that read "could not be reached". Those are the lines a buyer worries about most.
1. Step 1, Scope Agreement (5-10 days ahead)
- Ashore: hull, moisture readings, underwater gear; no sea trial.
- Afloat: engine under load, steering, instruments, rig; hull and shaft recorded as not inspected.
- Full scope (ashore + afloat): both; the standard for a buying decision.
Scope determines both the price and what will appear in the report. It is agreed in writing.
2. Step 2, Access and Marina Coordination
Access is arranged with the seller or their representative, along with marina entry, the travel-lift slot and hardstanding. These charges (marina entry/exit, lift in and out, hardstanding) belong to the owner or buyer and are invoiced directly, with no commission added.
3. Step 3, Document List
Requested before the survey: registration and tonnage certificate, insurance policy, engine service records, any previous survey report, warranty documents, equipment invoices and refit records. Maintenance without documentation counts as maintenance not done, that principle applies in the report too.
4. Step 4, Owner Preparation
- Lockers, bilges and compartments emptied and accessible.
- Fuel level suitable for inspection, and enough fuel for the sea trial.
- Batteries charged; engine and generator operable.
- The yacht dried ashore for three days, moisture readings are only meaningful this way.
- Crew and permissions ready for the sea trial.
5. Step 5, Inspection Ashore (3-5 hours)
Hull and gelcoat condition, blistering, impact and repair marks, moisture readings at defined points, hammer sounding for delamination, shaft and bearing play, propeller, rudder and bearings, anodes, seacocks and hoses, keel attachment and bolts on sailing yachts and gulets, underwater fittings. Every finding is photographed and located.
6. Step 6, Deck, Interior and Systems
Hull-to-deck joint, hatches, seams, mast step and chainplate areas, tracks and cleats. Below: persistent water marks, odours, bilge condition, electrical panel and wiring (assessed with the ABYC E-11 approach), battery bank and charging, gas installation, fire precautions, fuel lines and filters, freshwater system. On sailing yachts: rig, furling gear, sail condition and running rigging.
7. Step 7, Sea Trial (1.5-3 hours)
Cold start, idle, staged load, maximum revolutions and turning trial; exhaust colour and cooling water flow, vibration and noise, gearbox engagement both ways, steering and autopilot, instruments and electronics, windlass, and sail handling on a yacht. Temperatures, pressures and revolutions are recorded.
8. Step 8, Report (2-3 working days)
The report carries the finding list, photographs, priority classification and estimated repair costs. For how to read it, see the report guide.
9. Step 9, Reading It Together
After delivery we go through the report with you by phone or in person. Which finding is a negotiating item, which is "buy it and fix it now", which is a walk-away, that distinction is in the written report, but it becomes clear in conversation.
Frequently Asked Questions
10. Book a survey date
Send the length, type, marina and your preferred window, we handle the lift and access.
Related Pages
Prepared by SurveyYat, ABYC Professional Member, 149 GT Yacht Captain. Last updated: September 2026.
Scope: The survey is non-destructive and nothing is dismantled; details on the survey types page.
Continue with this topic
- Planning the sea trial: Weather, skipper, order and the day before.