Before you pay for a survey you should know exactly what you receive. This page sets out the delivered report section by section and what each part is for.
- 70+page report
- 2-3working days
- A·B·Cpriority classes
- 24months archived
1. Cover and Vessel Details
Report number and date, location, weather, who attended; vessel name, flag, registration, HIN/CE, builder, model, year, dimensions and draught, engine make, output, serial number and hours. This is the report's identity page, the first thing an underwriter or buyer reads.
Taken from a real client report (96 pages, issued in Turkish). Boat name, make/model, report number, hull and engine numbers, place, date and people are withheld. More pages from the report
2. Scope and Limitations
Which scope was agreed (ashore / afloat / full), how many days the vessel dried, which areas could not be reached and why. This section is never skipped. "Not inspected" means unseen, not risk-free.
Taken from a real client report (96 pages, issued in Turkish). Boat name, make/model, report number, hull and engine numbers, place, date and people are withheld.
3. Executive Summary
One page: overall condition, the number of class A items and their total estimated cost, and the three points that matter most to the decision. Someone with no time to read the full document, a bank, an underwriter, a partner, should still reach the right conclusion from this page alone.
4. Finding List
| Field | Content |
|---|---|
| Number and location | "B-14 · Engine room, starboard seacock" |
| Observation | What was seen, measurable language, no opinion |
| Assessment | What it means, and against which standard |
| Class | A critical · B short term · C planned |
| Recommendation | The work required |
| Estimated cost | A range, not a quotation |
| Photograph | Located, with scale where needed |
Taken from a real client report (96 pages, issued in Turkish). Boat name, make/model, report number, hull and engine numbers, place, date and people are withheld.
5. System Sections
Hull and structure · deck gear · steering · machinery and gearbox · fuel system · electrical (DC/AC) · batteries and charging · water and bilge · gas installation · fire precautions · safety equipment · navigation electronics · and on a sailing yacht the rig, sails and winches. Each section carries its own findings.
Taken from a real client report (96 pages, issued in Turkish). Boat name, make/model, report number, hull and engine numbers, place, date and people are withheld.
6. Recorded Readings
Moisture points and values with comparison areas; from the sea trial: maximum revolutions, cruise revolutions and speed, engine temperature, oil pressure, charging current and voltage, vibration notes. A report without numbers is an opinion; with numbers it can be compared.
Taken from a real client report (96 pages, issued in Turkish). Boat name, make/model, report number, hull and engine numbers, place, date and people are withheld.
7. Safety and Compliance Checklist
Liferaft and service date, lifejackets, flares, extinguishers, EPIRB, bilge alarms, navigation lights, VHF/DSC. This is the list underwriters question most at renewal.
8. Value Opinion (on request)
A market value range based on make and model, age, engine hours, equipment and regional comparables. The technical report and the valuation are different things and are clearly separated in the document.
9. Conclusions and Recommendations
What must be done before going to sea, what should be done this season, what goes on the maintenance schedule. For a buyer this is the negotiating table; for an owner it is the maintenance plan.
10. Who Accepts These Reports
- Underwriters, for cover or renewal.
- Banks and finance houses, for lending and security assessment.
- Buyers and sellers, as documented common ground in a negotiation.
- Legal proceedings, in damage and defect disputes.
- Flag and registration work, measurement and compliance documents.
Frequently Asked Questions
11. Ask for a sample report
The format is set out above, you know exactly what you receive before you commit.
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.