surveyor was no good

Sound like the boat seller paid more to the surveyor then you did?
The problems you describe are more then a casual mistake.
 
Was the surveyor SAMS or NAMS accredited? If so, I would suggest you report the results of your inadequate survey to whichever organization the surveyor belongs to.

Gary Shorrel SAMS SA
 
I don't know, maybe the surveyor spent his time checking the critical propulsion systems, engines, transmissions, steering, fuel systems etc, and missed the s..t in the bilge?
Did both fuel tanks run out of gas at the same time? That would be weird.

Regarding the intermittent tachs, intermittent problems can be a pain, but easy to fix if you can catch them when they're NOT working.

It's hard to tell if you had a bad surveyor, but got lucky to have a good boat with no problems.
Or
You had a good surveyor, that checked out you boats important stuff, and in your absence, didn't sweat the small stuff.
Either way, enjoy the boat, sounds like you got a good 'un.

Best Regards, delan.
 
Document everything you have spent and call a lawyer. Since he's certified, he is likely required to carry some form of professional liability insurance. I think its a pretty decent case.

DKJ
 
This guy is an AMS. I made plenty of mistakes here but this guy didnt even know a water tank was not a hoding tank. I hope his moisture readings were good!
 
quote:
Originally posted by jeffk

Fred,
I see you live in Orlando. I live in Oviedo. I keep my boat in Merritt Island, how about you?

Click to expand...


Had a Cheribini design 1980 H30 at Harbortown B20 "Harvey" for 5 years sold her about 4 years ago. Still looking for the right replacement. Seems this is the week for the east coast have 3 surveys over there this week, all at the cape. But that is abnormal to have them all clustered together as I go all over the place. Don't have a boat right now and don't know if I want one. Just doesn't seem there is enough time to properly maintain one.. Which yard is your boat at?.. Could be we know each other.. Fred
 
Let's see...some non functional gauges, some intermitant gauges, green corrosion on cable ends, bad water heater, bad ice maker, bad windlass (basically all electric), and crud in the bilge. Unless you know it's human waste in the bilge and not mud/sediment, I'd almost think this was a sunk vessel.
 
water / waste stain in the bilge on close inspection very high.. maybe 12 inches or more. This water sat for a while.. I think a storm damaged boat is correct. The original bimini frame is gone the side windshield is cracked. I didnt think much about it the crack is small but it could have been caused by the bimini crashing down on the windshield.. Its not sludge but waste I'm afraid. I know because he tank had overflowed.. Strange though, the rails are in perfect condition. Not a ding on them. Even the rub-rail looks original without a scuff ( until I rubbed a post the other day anyway ). The lesson is, without a personal reference surveyors are not of much use I'm afraid. I should have been there for sure, but the only reason I believe this guy was even on the boat was the pictures he had.
 
Take a look at various huricane pics. I've seen pics of boats sitting on houses and cars that were otherwise undamaged. It's not out of the ordinary for boats to sink right in their slip and you not know it two weeks later.
 
I dont think the sole got soaked but it was right up to the boards.
 
With all respect, I had a terriable survey done by a SAMS member. He ended up as an officer of SAMS. He was teaching at a famed school, he was a "Boat US surveyor" etc. He missed muiltiple problems, including that the boat had been sunk, poorly repaired, that a water tank had been burst and wrapped with epoxy, and epoxied, that a fuel tank was leaking and a beach towel stuffed under it (he found the beach towel when I called him back a week later). The Stb strut had been driven thru the boat bottom and repaired with just a piece of plywood inside the hull with some glass over and under, there was even a cut out where the repair was done, and stepped down, this was obvious on even his photos. There were multiple other clues.
One of my friends who is a yacht builder was aboard for five minutes and asked "has this boat been sunk?"--it was that obvious.

I had asked a lot of questions, and he or the owner had a glib answer for each one. I had trusted this surveyor--and I made a big mistake by doing this. I talked with the President of SAMS and the Ethic's chairman for SAMS, basically the insurance covered their members if they were sued. Despite my having another survey which showed all of these defects (I found who had made a bid previously and had withdraw for cause of a bad survey--and obtained that survey). Despite having very good photo documentation of all of the problems, SAMS would do nothing unless I won in a court of law. I consulted an attorney. The SAMS surveyor had no attatchable assets, and I was told it was not worth persuing legal action. The repairs cost me $30,000 by the time I had the boat fixed. I had to disclose the damage and what was done to repair it when I sold the boat. That was 9 years ago--I don't know if things have improved in SAMS or not, but I learned an expensive lesson!

I had surveyed my own sailboats in the past, with the help of a naval architect, but this was my first large power boat (42 foot trawler). So, I now have a surveyor I can fall back on if I need help (means flying him in, but worth it if necessary)--and do my own surveys again.
 
David, I would check for drain holes throughout all under floor compartments. If there are spaces you can't get to, I would get a fiberglass repairman to come out and make more limber holes. If all spaces can drain, you might want to consider removing all cushions from the boat and hitting everything you can with scrub brush, hose, and simple green. It's a little more pleasant than bleach and will leave behind a better smell for the rest of the season. I would also lightly scrub the backside of anything wood, like cushion seats, etc. Spray the backside of all cushions and wood with Lysol unscented spray. This will help prevent mildew (if any is present). I wouldn't spray the fronts because it might stain it.

About those wires - I would spray some WD40 on all wire ends and then wipe off the excess with a paper towel. Replace the gauges one at a time so you don't mix up the wires. You might want to even replace the ones that work now because they will probably fail down the road. You are more likely to be able to get a matched set if you buy them all at once. Spray and wipe down the engine too. Don't forget around the pulleys (use a wash cloth with some sprayed on it for hard to reach areas). Remove the distributor cap and spray the inside of the distributor and wipe it all clean and dry. If there is a felt lube pad for the shaft, put a dab of lithium grease on it. While you have that grease out, put a dab on all throttle and trans cable end and move them to work the grease under the dust boots. Check all fluids for milky oil and replace it if you need to. Scratch that - just replace your trans fluid now so you know it's done.
 
I am in Harbortown at slip B4. I am right outside the restaurant.
 
I should have put in my post that the bad SAMS surveyor I dealt with was in Florida...I will not devulge the city.
 
Well I sure didnt want to use the broker recomended surveyor.. I didnt know anyone that
knew a surveyor.. I had not found this web site ( though I dont see how that would even help )
I pretty much picked on off the sams web site.

What surveyors need is an ebay rating.. Come to think of it we should all have a rating. At least one could determine what others thought of of them.

Dave-
 
Al, when did the US (Army) Corps of Engineers get involved in certifying a yacht surveyor?
 
L.Keith, 1976 Ft. Belvor VA.,Special operations personnel were given the opportunity to add a K4 rating to there mos code. I was one of those few that where picked to go to the Rhine River in Germany.The rest is all history.
 
Al, Thanks for that answer. Is a K4 rating a small craft rating of some sorts? I worked with a gentelman that was once, as he put it "The Supreme Allied Commander of the Rhine River", he was a retired Major in U.S. Army Transportation Corp. We were civilians running a small shuttle tanker in 1969-1970.
 
62B30K4: U.S. Army Heavy equipment engineer with a marine float vechicle Certification. 1976-1982. Our mission was to modify the Duck for heavy transport of vechicles across the river. Creating a moving bridge.
 
pull the refrigerator...if it was sunk, the mud will collect behind it, and most people forget to remove it when doing a clean-up
 
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