🏆 ABYC Professional Member · Truly Independent · Bilingual Reports
Independent Marine Surveyor in Turkey
Example scenarios. Transparent pricing. The conflict of interest no one else will tell you about. And a complete guide to buying a boat in Turkey.
Every survey tells a story. These scenarios illustrate typical findings on boats in the Turkish Aegean and Mediterranean and how they can affect a purchase decision.
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Pre-Purchase Survey · Bodrum · Bavaria 40
70+page report
2-3working days
A·B·Cpriority classes
0commission
No repairs sold, no commission from yards or brokers, report only to whoever commissioned it.
€18,000 renegotiated after osmosis discovery
The seller had recently antifouled, concealing blistering across the port quarter. Our moisture-meter readings flagged the area. Full osmosis treatment quotes ran to €22,000. The buyer renegotiated €18,000 off the asking price, the survey fee covered itself more than twelve times over.
Outcome: Buyer proceeded at revised price. Repairs completed in winter lay-up.
Access to the starboard aft berth was restricted during the initial viewing, the seller cited "stored equipment." During survey we found a cracked structural bulkhead and evidence of long-term water ingress into the foam core. Repair estimates exceeded €35,000. Our clients walked away without losing a single euro on the boat itself.
Outcome: Clients purchased a different vessel 6 weeks later, which we also surveyed.
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Insurance Survey · Marmaris · Beneteau 50
Clean bill of health, lower premium
A German owner was renewing his insurance policy after relocating his boat to Turkey. His insurer required a condition survey. We issued a full bilingual report in the format his insurer asked for. The clean findings also helped him negotiate a reduced premium at renewal.
Outcome: Report accepted first time. No insurer queries.
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Valuation Report · İzmir · Jeanneau 45
Fair market value confirmed for divorce settlement
A UK solicitor required an independent Turkish market valuation for an asset division. We provided a detailed bilingual report with comparable sales data, condition assessment and a fair market value range. The report was submitted as part of the case file.
Outcome: Settlement concluded. No second valuation required.
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Osmosis Analysis · Bodrum · Hallberg-Rassy 37
Hidden engine room flooding, seller unaware
The owner wanted an osmosis check before selling. During bilge inspection we found the engine room sole was saturated, a slow seacock leak had gone unnoticed for at least one season. The owner had the repair done before listing. Declared openly, the boat sold quickly and cleanly at full asking price.
Outcome: Sold within 5 weeks. No buyer negotiation on the issue.
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Delivery Survey · Fethiye · Azimut 40S
Engine hours discrepancy identified
A Dutch buyer commissioned us to survey an Italian motorboat before a 340 NM delivery. The seller's stated engine hours did not match the hour meter reading or the service records we obtained independently. The buyer renegotiated the price and proceeded, fully aware of the real service history.
Outcome: Delivery completed without incident. Full chain of custody documented.
€8K-22K
Average price renegotiation after survey
6 in 10
Fiberglass boats with moisture issues found in 2024
Based on surveys conducted across Bodrum, Göcek, Marmaris, Fethiye and İzmir. These are the issues we encounter most, and what they mean for buyers.
Fiberglass & GRP Hulls
Osmotic blistering
Present in approximately 60% of GRP boats over 15 years that have been kept in warm Turkish waters year-round. Frequently concealed by fresh antifouling. Treatment cost: €8,000-25,000 depending on severity. Always test with a Sovereign Tramex before antifouling.
Core delamination (deck)
Balsa or foam core saturation around deck fittings is extremely common. Often caused by bedding sealant failure over many seasons. Can be structural if left untreated. Always walk the deck, soft spots under foot are the giveaway.
Chainplate corrosion / weeping
The most common hidden structural issue in Turkish Aegean yelkenliler. Stainless chainplates corrode internally where they pass through the deck. External appearance often perfectly normal. We always inspect the interior face and look for staining on the headliner.
Engines & Systems
Disclosed vs. actual engine hours
Hour meter replacement or reset is more common than buyers expect. We cross-reference the meter, the service book, the impeller, heat exchanger and injector condition to build an independent picture of true engine age. Discrepancies found in roughly 1 in 5 motorboat surveys.
Seacock condition
Bronze seacocks in Turkish waters corrode at the point where they contact bilge water. Many boats have seacocks that have never been serviced since launch. A seized or leaking seacock below the waterline is a serious safety issue, and a leverage point in price negotiation.
Rigging wear (yelkenli)
Standing rigging on boats more than 10 years old is routinely overdue for replacement. Furlex drum bearings and forestay terminal fittings are the most common failure points. A full rig inspection takes 40 minutes and can prevent a dismasting offshore.
Not sure what type of survey you need?
Send us the boat details, we'll tell you which inspection is appropriate, what it costs, and how long it takes. No obligation.
Turkey is one of Europe's best-value yacht markets. But the legal, tax and registration system is different from the EU. Here is what every foreign buyer needs to understand.
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Title & Registration (Tapu Tescil)
Turkish pleasure craft are registered at the local coastguard command (Liman Başkanlığı). The title document, called a tapu tescil belgesi, is not a simple bill of sale: it records the official hull ID, engine details, registered owner and any financial encumbrances. Always verify the tapu directly with the issuing office before paying any deposit. We check this as part of every brokerage transaction.
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Turkish Flag vs. Foreign Flag
A foreign buyer can keep a boat under a foreign flag in Turkey for up to 2 years on a Transit Log (Transitlog). After that, the boat must either leave Turkish waters or be registered under Turkish flag. Turkish flag registration requires a Turkish company or a resident permit. We advise on the most tax-efficient structure for your situation.
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Taxes, Duties & Fees
Boats entering Turkey from EU countries may be subject to customs duty and VAT if they have not previously cleared Turkish customs. The rules differ depending on flag state, boat age and whether the boat has been in Turkey before. We will tell you exactly what applies to the specific vessel you are buying, before you commit.
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Checking for Debt & Liens
A boat in Turkey can have outstanding maritime liens, unpaid marina fees, tax debts or loan encumbrances, none of which are always visible to a buyer. Turkish law allows creditors to seize a vessel even after sale if debts are discovered. We run a lien check on every brokered boat before listing and before any offer is signed.
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Paying in Turkey
Payments for Turkish-registered boats should ideally be made through a licensed broker or notary, not cash in hand. Bank-to-bank transfer in EUR or USD is standard for larger transactions. A formal purchase agreement (satış sözleşmesi) should always precede title transfer. We prepare bilingual purchase agreements as part of our consultancy service.
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Marina Berths & Winter Storage
Berth availability in Bodrum, Göcek and Marmaris is tight from May to October. Winter hard-standing prices have increased sharply in recent years, budget €80-180/metre/month for a marina berth and €30-60/metre/month for hard-standing. We know which marinas offer best value and shortest waiting lists.
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Our Boat Buying Package, Full Support, One Fee
Search assistance · Shortlist review · Pre-purchase survey · Lien & title check · Bilingual purchase agreement · Price negotiation support · Registration transfer guidance. From €2,500 depending on vessel size. Ask us for a no-obligation breakdown.
Why You Should Never Use a Marina-Recommended Surveyor
When a marina, broker or seller says "we can recommend a surveyor," that offer may not be in your interest.
Marina-based surveyors work alongside the same brokers and yards they depend on for referrals. A survey that kills a sale, or one that recommends repair work to a competing boatyard, can cost that surveyor their next ten referrals. The financial incentive is to write a clean report.
We have no relationship, commercial, personal or financial, with any marina, Consultancy, seller or repair yard in Turkey. Our only client is the person who commissions the survey. That is the only arrangement that makes the report worth anything.
Referral relationship with the selling Consultancy or yard. Financial interest in the sale completing. Report may understate findings to protect the relationship.
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SurveyYat, independently commissioned
You hire us directly. We have never received a referral payment from a Turkish Consultancy or marina. Our income comes solely from the buyer or owner who commissions the survey.
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ABYC standards
ABYC Professional Membership requires adherence to a published code of ethics that explicitly prohibits financial arrangements that could bias a report. No Turkish marina-based surveyor holds this credential.
For Owners Based Abroad
Your Boat Is in Turkey. You Are Not.
We provide monthly on-site check-ups for foreign-owned boats laid up on the Turkish Aegean and Mediterranean coast, so you always know what is happening aboard.
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Monthly Visit & Photo Report
We visit your boat in person, walk the deck, check the bilge, run the engine for 10 minutes, inspect mooring lines and fenders, and send you a full photo report in 2-3 working days. You see exactly what we see.
From €150 / visit
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Battery & Systems Check
Discharged house banks, failed bilge pumps and seized seacocks are the most common causes of preventable damage during Turkish winter lay-up. We check battery state, run the bilge pump manually and operate all seacocks on every visit.
Included in monthly service
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Issue Management
If we find a problem, a chafe point, a leaking hatch, a fouled mooring, we coordinate with local yards and tradespeople on your behalf. You approve costs by email. We never mark up labour or parts.
"We left the boat in Göcek for the winter and asked SurveyYat to check in monthly. In February they found a through-hull fitting weeping, caught early, fixed for €180. Without that visit it could have sunk at the dock."
From first message to final report, here is exactly what to expect, at every stage.
1
You contact us
WhatsApp, email or the quote form. Tell us the boat, location and what you need. The surveyor answers personally, in writing.
2
We confirm & you pay deposit
We confirm the date, fee and scope in writing. A 50% payment secures the slot. The balance is due before the report is released.
3
Survey day
Typically 1-2 days depending on boat size and type. You are welcome to be present, and we encourage it. We walk you through every finding in real time.
4
Report delivered
Full bilingual (English / Turkish) written report within two to three working days, prepared in the format insurers ask for. Includes condition summary, photographs and prioritised recommendation list.
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We support your next step
We help you interpret the findings, estimate repair costs and, if you choose, negotiate on your behalf. No extra charge for a 30-minute debrief call.
Send us the boat details, make, model, year, location and what you are planning to do. We will tell you honestly which inspection (if any) is right for your situation. No sales pressure. No obligation to book.
If a seller refuses access to the engine room, the bilge or any locked compartment during a survey, we stop the inspection immediately. We refund the buyer's deposit in full.
A seller who restricts access during a professional survey is telling you everything you need to know about that boat, and they know it.
Full deposit refund guaranteed if survey is terminated due to seller access refusal.
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When we decline to accept a commission
We will not survey a boat where we have reason to believe the report will be used to mislead a buyer, an insurer or a court. We will not produce a valuation for a transaction in which we have any financial stake.
We have declined commissions where the circumstances did not allow us to report independently. We would rather lose the fee than compromise the report.
If we cannot survey a vessel independently, we will tell you, and suggest who can.
ABYC Code of Ethics
ABYC Professional Membership requires adherence to a published code of professional ethics. Every SurveyYat report is produced under those standards. You can read the full ABYC code at abycinc.org.