need advice on surveying 2003 410 Dancer

M

merlin

Member
Jun 17, 2010
86
san francisco,ca/Marina del Ray, Ca
Boat Info
"Volare", a 2003 Sundancer 410, with original Raymarine electronics.
Engines
2, 350 hp, Cat 3126's
I have an accepted offer, and I'm having a boat survey and a separate Cat diesel engine survey done next week. My excitement is balanced by caution. Are there any problem areas that I should have the surveyors look at extra hard? Both surveys will include portions under way.

I've spent 6 months reading this site every day and it's been a fun as well as an educational experience. I just completed two Coast Guard Auxiliary classes (Safe Boating & Navigation.) Even after 40 years of sailing, I learned so much in those classes that I would recommend them to everyone.
 
Where is the 410 located, that's a start...
 
Here's what I went through, it might be helpful. http://clubsearay.com/forum/showthread.php?t=33258

I'd first make sure the surveyor you choose has strong diesel experience and most importantly, make sure he knows he's working for you. I'd have the surveyor present when CATs doing the work-up (incl low by, oil/coolant/trans samples) and he needs to spend plenty of time in the ER while the boats under load. Locate and have him review the service records, you might even ask him to speak with local marina service dept or whomever has serviced the boat.

I'd haul-out to thoroughly inspect running gear (rudders, props, shafts, struts, cutlass bearings, etc), all thru-hulls, tabs, platform structurals, as well as hull condition, incl moisture tests.

Make sure he also powers up and operates all electronics. Good luck..don't worry, it'll all work out fine if you do the proper due diligence.
 
It is important to understand the limits of the survey process. Most surveyors will not use tools and will not disassemble parts to do an inspection. I"m not sure there are any on a 410, but look for sealed but accessible compartments that need to be checked but are beyond the surveyor's limits. Particularly, remove all interior cushions and look under them....Sea Ray puts storage everywhere and some are only accessible when you pull up seating.........what looks like a couch may have enough room for dead bodies to be underneath.

Depending upon the year model, have your Cat guy run down t he block casting numbers. Not the serial or arrangement numbers, but the casting number on the head surface of the block....he then needs to verify that they are not in the group of soft blocks that found they way into 3126's. (just check to be sure ----I believe the problem was fixed before 2003).

Finally, the surveyor will usually only power up electronics. They normally will not check operation. This could turn into a major expense if one of the boxes powers up but won't receive satellites, identify a radar target, of track a waypoint.
 
We looked for 2 years before we found what we wanted in the condtion it is in. One trick I was told was to walk the decks in your sock feet. It will find soft spots. When you walk the decks have some one inside and see if there is any deflection. I also took about 100 pictures of each boat. I put my camera where I could not see. Then I would go over them at home. Be surprised what shows up a small water stain when you look you may not notice but a picture will pick it up most times. You have a leak. If some one asks you not to take picture there might be a reason. Only one surveyer did a complete instrument check. He even call people on the VHF radio.
 
I agree with the comment on checking operation of electronics. My surveyor missed that the Radar on my new boat didn't work. The owner revealed that the Radome didn't work when I asked him to demonstrate how the Raymarine RL80C worked on the day of the survey.
 
I try not to rely on the surveyor to find every single failed component, so I try to do my homework and come up with a detailed list of every single thing I need to check, which of course includes every piece of electronics on board. When you get to the helm simply take a notepad and go through every single item you see there and make notes. Don't forget the autopilot. IF a chartplotter is missing a card ask for it at last just to prove proper operation to zoom in on the area and see what you expect. Operate all the lecetronics, don't just power them on/off. Make a test call on VHF to make sure that besides hearing others you can alos broadcast and others can hear you.

The bottom line is that the better homework you do and the larger your checklist is you'll be more comfortable that number of missed items is minimized. I'm giving this advice only b/c I was in situation when I found more than a surveyor. I was in remote location and found myself being disapointed with the surveyor only during the time of survey. However, having enough items on my checklist I felt comfortable enough to make the call "deal or no deal".

It's always nice when you can rely on a professionals to provide the service you expect, but it's important to be prepaired for unexpected.
 
Please keep the advice coming! I'm writing it all down for the sea trial. There's so much you've all suggested that never would have occured to me.
 
Yes, it was fuel. Primary's were loaded up. I had ran the fuel down pretty low and treated the tanks which broke a bunch of the stringy stuff at the bottom of the tanks loose. A few rounds of Power Service fuel treatment, new racors and a couple tanks of fuel cleaned the fuel system up nicely.
 
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