If you have never bought a boat before, you are probably unfamiliar with the benefits of working with a boat surveyor Cape Coral. While it is easy to trust what a seller says and inspecting the boat on your own, you will be safer working with an experienced surveyor. The marine surveyor has the equipment, training and experience needed to know when there is a problem and how to document issues accordingly. Moreover, financial and insurance companies only accept survey reports from reputable surveyors.
Now that you understand why you should work with a boat surveyor Cape Coral, let’s focus on the process that is involved during a typical boat survey. Here are some of the things you should expect to do when buying a boat.
Choose a boat
The work of a surveyor is not to help you find the boat that best meets your needs but rather to let you know if you are making a sound investment or not. It is your job to complete research on the boat you want. If you do not understand the paperwork on a boat, reach out to somebody that does. After finding a boat that impresses you, it is time to get a signed contract. You will then need to make a deposit so that a boat survey and mechanical inspection can be organized.
Contract
A contract of sale is made before a deposit is made. This has to be written up as well as agreed to by both the seller and the buyer. It is normal practice to include a clause that states how much deposit is to be paid as well as when the balance will be paid if there is a satisfactory boat survey. The boat survey has to be completed within a set period of time and sea trial has to be undertaken. If issues are discovered by a boat surveyor Cape Coral, the buyer and seller cannot agree on fixing it or negotiations, there should be a clause that states a full refund of the deposit. The contract also includes sufficient time for the problems to be fixed as well as ample time for a boat surveyor to be found and a survey to be conducted.
Deposit
In most cases, you will be required to pay a deposit of 5% to 10% of the total cost of the boat. The deposit has to be made before a survey is done. A deposit has to be paid to prove to a seller that a buyer is serious about buying the boat. Needless to say, a marine survey is a lot of work that involves inspecting, testing, slipping and sea trialing.
Organizing a survey
Once the deposit has been paid, a marine survey can now be done. Most surveyors include mechanic inspections while other use imaging equipment to look inside components without dismantling them. You will get a survey report within a few days.