After narrowing down your search to the second-hand boat that works for you, the next step is to hire an experienced boat surveyor Fort Myers depends on. The role of the surveyor is to help with the inspection of the boat in order to create a clear picture of the vessel’s exact condition. All in all, before you can get to this stage, there are a couple of things you will have to do before the inspection. Here is a pre-inspection checklist.
Servicing and maintenance records
In order for a boat surveyor Fort Myers trusts, to do their job well, they will have to take a look at your target boat’s servicing and maintenance records. Knowing if the boat has had regular maintenance and servicing helps the boat surveyor know what to focus on in a boat inspection. As a buyer, you want to buy a boat that has been taken good care of. Ideally, a well-maintained boat will be serviced at least once every year.
Know how the boat was being used
This is yet another important piece of information you should have. What the boat was used for will give insight into how well it was looked after. For example, if the boat was a charter boat, it will be well maintained in order to keep the passengers safe. Still on how the boat was used, if it was primarily used in salty water, it will most likely have more corrosion. In this case, the surveyor will pay more attention to corrosion. You also need to get information on how it was stored, any major damage it might have incurred, and so on. The more information you have the better.
Ask about damages
Finding an accident-free boat is almost impossible. This is because boats hit submerged items and the dock all the time. However, this doesn’t mean you go for a boat that has had a major accident. Minor damages to the boat are easy to repair and conceal. Major damages, on the other hand, are hard to hide. An experienced boat surveyor in Fort Myers will be able to identify major repairs that were done on a boat. Asking the seller about any damages to the boat will help test their transparency.
Know what the price includes
Last but not least, you need to know what is included in the selling price. It is common for sellers to stage their boats in order to attract more buyers. The issue is some of the gear on board might not be included in the price. Asking what is included will help you know if the vessel is worth the investment or not. Your marine surveyor will be able to give you a list of all the items that are missing. You can use this information to negotiate a better deal with the seller.