1. What should I expect from a marine
survey report?

2. What is a Condition and Value
Survey?
•
Simply put, a Condition and Value Survey (C & V) is a report
which details the current condition of a boat and estimates
its value.
The surveyor will complete a thorough visual inspection of
the boat to insure it conforms with accepted marine
standards as a safe floating platform. Some non-destructive
testing, such as sounding the laminate with a hammer or
testing with a moisture meter, may be included.
The survey report will cover the areas inspected and
include recommendations regarding problem areas. It will
also include a current market value estimate.

3. Basis of the Survey
• You should be aware of the guidelines a marine surveyor uses for
his comparisons, such as: "The mandatory standards promulgated
by the United States Coast Guard (USCG), under the authority of
Title 46 United States Code (USC); Title 33 and Title 46, Code of
Federal Regulations (CFR), and the Voluntary Standards and
Recommended Practices developed by the American Boat and
Yacht Council (ABYC) and the National Fire Protection Association
(NFPA) have been used as guidelines in the conducting of this
survey. "
• This tells you the exact information the marine surveyor used as a
baseline for his comments and recommendations. Also be sure you
understand how the marine surveyor determined the market value
and/or replacement value for the boat and what those values
mean.

4. What good does it do me as a boat
owner?
•
Most importantly, the survey helps determine the overall
condition of your vessel, that it meets the safety criteria
which safeguard your passengers and crew. For individuals
buying or selling a boat, a Condition and Value Survey helps
determine the actual value of a craft. The survey also helps
the insurance company determine that they are
underwriting a safe working platform.
Remember that you are hiring a surveyor for his or her
objective opinion of the condition of the boat and its value.
You may not agree with the final findings in either regard
but you have benefited from their professional opinion.

5. What components are examined?
• The hull, decks, overall cosmetic
appearance, structural
integrity, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, and
propulsion systems are examined as well as
the electronics and navigation equipment

6. Bottom and Hull Sides
Delamination or Inflated Moisture in Core

7. Blisters, Condition of Bottom Paint

8. Wooden Hulls
• Provide a different set of challenges.
Typically they are old and suffer from the
various forms of degradation unique to
wooden hulls; from worm damage and decay,

9. to degraded fasteners and
delignafication from bonding

10. Running Gear - Prop nuts tight, tips
sound, blade dezincification, shaft
zinc, strut and cutless bearing
ABYC recommends, “The distance between the
forward end of the propeller hub and the aft
end of the last strut bearing shall be limited to
one shaft diameter.”

11. Deck, Core, Stanchions, Scupper Drains

12. Anchor Windless
Backing Plate ?
Fuse or Breaker?

13. Cockpit, Scupper Drains, Hatch Gutters
Lack of Attention to this

14. Will lead to this

15. Interior
Structure, Bulkheads, Stringers, Frame
s

16. Interior Joinerwork, Leaks in
windows, Hatches and Port Lights
• Gaskets supple, all dogs sound, with no gaps
when tightened

17. CO and Smoke Detector
• For gasoline propelled vessels and those with liquid
propane gas stoves, a CO monitor is required by ABYC;
• NFPA recommends, “All vessels 26 feet or more in
length with accommodation spaces intended for
sleeping shall be equipped with a single station smoke
alarm that is listed to UL217 for recreational vehicles
and is installed and maintained according to the device
manufacturer's instructions “. As this is a relatively
inexpensive commodity capable of a huge safety
return, it is the opinion of this office that a smoke
detector is installed to accommodate these
recommendations.

18. Mechanical Systems
• Engines
• Fuel System
• Exhaust system
• Steering System
• Stern Gear
• Ventilation

19. Engines
• Securely Mounted, annual maintenance
performed, inclusive of raw water impellers
• Clean and Free from oil
• Linkage Free
• Hoses sound

20. Damaged hose caused by lack of maintenance to
raw water pump impeller

21. Fuel system
• Tank Composition and Condition - Is it properly supported
• The interior of older steel tanks should be inspected
• Fuel fill hoses are not cracked, are grounded and double clamped
• Supply lines and vents are provided with adequate support
• Fuel Filters, Manifold

22. Exhaust
• Connections Tight, double clamped, hoses
sound, no rust streaking at manifolds and risers
• Lagging on un cooled components

23. Steering System
Free movement of quadrant from stop to stop
Stuffing tube recently packed
Support Secure
Notable leaks in hydraulic fittings

24. Ventilation
Federal Regulations Stipulate *for gasoline powered vessels):
A powered ventilation system is required for each compartment in a boat
that has a permanently installed gasoline engine with a cranking motor for
remote starting.
A powered ventilation system consists of one or more exhaust blowers.
Each intake duct for an exhaust blower must be in the lower one-third of the
compartment and above the normal accumulation of bilge water.
ABYC recommends,
H-2.5.4.1 There shall be at least one powered blower for each
gasoline engine used for propulsion.” Because the safety benefits far
outweigh the cost, we recommend providing an additional blower as part of
the engine ventilation system.

25. Stern Gear
Stuffing Box Double Clamped,
No cracks in boot, no excessive leaks,
Packing in good condition or recently re-packed
Shaft run not too long without support

26. Electrical System
• DC System – Batteries Secure, Wires supported, breakers
and fuses where appropriate, appliances ignition
protected where appropriate, Battery charger
grounded, and suited to battery size and number

27. Buss Bars in place of excessive terminations
Switches provided for battery banks with a CCA rating
greater than 800 amperes (Group 24)

28. Electrical System
• AC - Shore Power connections, Transfer switch
Double Pole Breakers, within 10’ of connection
Wires Neatly Run, Reverse Polarity, GFCI, Ignition
Protected, where appropriate

29. • Galvanic Isolator or
Isolation transformer
• Excessive amperage
on one circuit
• GFCI outlets
Scorched Wire Termination

30. Plumbing
• Bilge Pumps – Secure, operational, adequate
pumping capacity?
• Bilge Alarm?
• Hoses Sound?

31. Through Hull Fittings
• Freely operable, and free from extensive Verdigris
• Above water discharge fittings sound

32. Habitability
• Liquid propane gas stoves – hoses and copper
lines sound, solenoid control valve
• Heads – Required holding tank & tank
composition and condition, hoses sound
• Fresh water system – water heater
secured, ignition protected (if in gasoline
engine compartment), pressure relief valve

33. Navigational and Electronic Gear
Adequate for the intended operational area
Running Lights
Recreational vessels are required to display navigation lights between sunset
and sunrise and other periods of reduced visibility (fog, rain, haze etc.). The U.S.
Coast Guard Navigation Rules, International-Inland encompasses lighting
requirements for every description of water craft. The information provided
here is intended for power-driven sailing vessels less than 20 meters

34. Clear and Unobstructed

35. Fire and Safety Equipment
All recreational boats must carry one Type I, II, III or V PFD
(wearable) for each person aboard. For Type V PFDs to be
counted they must be used according to their label
requirements. Any boat 16ft and longer (except canoes and
kayaks) must also carry one Type IV (throwable) PFD Off-Shore Life Jacket
PFDs must be Coast Guard approved, in good
and serviceable condition, and of appropriate
size for the intended user. Wearable PFDs must
be readily accessible, meaning you must be
able to put them on in a reasonable amount of Near-shore Buoyancy Vest
time in an emergency (vessel sinking, on
fire, etc.). They should not be stowed in plastic
bags, in locked or closed compartments or
have other gear stowed on top of them.
Throwable devices must be immediately
available for use.
Type III Flotation Aid

36. Legal but Questionable

37. Visual Distress Signals
All vessels used on coastal waters, the Great Lakes, territorial seas,
and those waters connected directly to them, up to a point where a body of
water is less than two miles wide, must be equipped with U.S.C.G. Approved
visual distress signals. Vessels owned in the United States operating on the
high seas must be equipped with U.S.C.G. Approved visual distress signals.
The following vessels are not required to carry day signals but must carry night
signals when operating from sunset to sunrise:
* Recreational boats less than 16 feet in length.
*Boats participating in organized events such as races, regattas, or marine parades.
*Open sailboats less than 26 feet in length not equipped with propulsion machinery.
*Manually propelled boats.
Red Flare Parachute Flare
(hand-held/day and night) (day and night)
Orange Flag Arm Signals
Orange Smoke Signal Floating Orange Smoke (day only) (day only)
Signal
(hand-held/day only) (day and night) Electric Distress Signals
(night only)
Red Meteor
(day and night)

38. Fire Extinguishers
Minimum number of hand portable fire extinguishers required:
Vessel Length No Fixed System With approved Fixed Systems
Less than 26' 1 B-1 0
26' to less than 40' 2 B-1 or 1 B-II 1 B-I
40' to 65' 3 B-I or 1 B-II and 1 B-I 2 B-1 or 1 B-II
For the CME, Halon units to be counted toward the minimum requirements
must be inspected and tagged by a recognized authority within 6 months of the
examination. The pressure gauge is not an accurate indicator that Halon
extinguishers are full. The units should be checked regularly.
All portable extinguishers must be mounted in a readily accessible
position. The Auxiliary requires at least 1 B-1 handheld fire extinguisher on all
motorboats and sailboats (without motors) 16 feet or longer.

39. Sailboat Rigging
Age of shrouds Condition at mast base
Condition of Swages and Compression Post
Possible Crevice Corrosion in Chain Plates

40. Valuation
Market value is generally the price of the vessel would bring
on the open market, that price agreed upon between a willing
buyer and a willing seller, with neither being required to act
and both having reasonable knowledge of the relevant facts.
Evaluate Market conditions
Identify Comparable Listings - The concept of
“comparable”, noted as vessels of similar vintage, and serving
the same function with similar capacity

41. Questions?