Survey or am I wasting money and energy?

[RobnBern]

Good morning.....first, let me say THANK YOU to the folks on this site. I've learned so much about my boat and boating in general from here. I need to send in my sponsorship money (sorry, let it lapse). I've got a quick question. After completing our 4th season of ownership, we're thinking of selling "With Benefits" and moving up. The great debate is a bridge or another dancer. Admiral is concerned about the lack of "outdoor" space on a bridge. We checked out a 44DB last week and it was smaller than I expected. She did, however, fall in LOVE with a 2002 510 Dancer. Only concern we have is it draws a 52" of water and our favorite river hangout is pretty shallow....but I digress....part of getting the boat ready for market, we've toyed with the idea of having it surveyed, just like a buyer might, so that we can find any possible problems early!!! The advantages, as we see them, are reducing the "surprise" factor during the sales process and, if we decide to keep WB, we'd have a nice road map of problems etc.

Thoughts?? And, be well, hope you're getting those last few rides in before its freezing.

 

[Southpaw II]

After 4 years of ownership, I suspect you know the boat pretty well. I wouldn't do the survey. The only thing it might show that you don't already know is the condition of the bottom, or the props, if you haul it. You might find a leaking window or through hull, or even an expired fire extinguisher. Like I said, stuff you already know.

Don

 

[Sous]

After 4 years of ownership, I suspect you know the boat pretty well. I wouldn't do the survey. The only thing it might show that you don't already know is the condition of the bottom, or the props, if you haul it. You might find a leaking window or through hull, or even an expired fire extinguisher. Like I said, stuff you already know.

Don

I'd agree. At 20-30 bucks a foot, you'd be paying a lot of money for things you don't need (i.e. flip all the switches and make sure all the lights work), things you already know (i.e. that water hose is showing some signs of surface cracks and should be replaced), or can find out yourself much cheaper (i.e. do oil samples).

 

[rcknecht]

I say no... If tell a buyer "You don't need a survey I already did one." What do you think your buyer will do? The potential buyer will get his own survey... Let's say he finds things that you did not find, or you found things his surveyor did not find. Will you argue with him? Will you tell the buyer "BTW your surveyor did not find the balsa rot in my transom". You know now most of what is wrong with your boat... The things you don't know you have an answer "I had no idea that my compression was low in that cylinder" If i were you, I would fix what was necesssary to sell the boat, and let the buyer negotiate with if he finds things that you are unaware of...

 

[RobnBern]

Fluid samples.....I (admission that I was an idiot) didn't do them before I bought the boat and WOW did it screw me. Lost the port transmission coming home from Baltimore, about 110 miles into the trip. I will never buy another used boat without an independent sample. Now, how do I do it?? Is there a kit I can buy somewhere?? Would be nice to get it done as a piece of mind. And Don mentioned expired extinguishers, how/where can I get the big one in the bilge inspected??

 

[Larry&Leisa]

Black stone labs for oil analysis

http://www.blackstone-labs.com

 

[Sous]

Black stone labs for oil analysis

http://www.blackstone-labs.com

I've also used Motor Check in FL... $25 for each sample, quick results.

 

[CliffA]

maybe an idea regarding the cost of a survey.....tell a potential buyer that he/she is resposnsible for the initial cost of the survey and if they end up buying the boat you will refund the survey cost to them.....if they do not buy the boat for whatever reason they loose the cost of the survey.....not a lot of incentive to a potential buyer but maybe enough to sway some buyers...

this would weed out any 'tire kickers' and only serious buyers would be OK with this....

cliff