buying a trawler & walked away from the deal

[Bigsfish]

jimf

I think you missed my point. While in business I was sued many times and never lost but each suit cost me lots of money. A few times I countered that I won a judgement but was never paid the entire amount.

My opinion is to avoid law suits and lawyers so I never want to place myself or company in jeopardy.

Sorry for any confusion.

 

[jimfrens]

I'm with you 100%, the cost of defending yourself is too high to risk it. Not the way it should be, but that's the way it is. If we had a 'sue and lose, you pay the costs' system that would be different. And it would probably clear out the dockets, too!

 

[Capt Richard A.]

Good for you,
neither the seller or broker some of time could give a flying leap, or they refuse to disclose info.
I had a survey done, they reduced the price. For my next vessel or any of yours demand nicely from the broker any past surveys, if he or she says I don’t know, then ask for the owners phone number. No number no sale. I did that and got the old survey but still had my own done.
We could always make them walk the plank.

Really, most people are honest, all vessels on the water need repairs and up keep.
Best to you all.
Yes , I still have a plank. Ha

 

[gsholz]

Good surveys are very helpful if you are new to boating or you want a second opinion an a particular issue. After your 3rd or 4th boat they become less important. You'll still need a recent survey to satisfy insurance companies.

 

[Bigsfish]

The survey should find most of the problems with a boat assuming you have a good surveyor who should know the various problems of the boat you are considering purchasing, then the survey should give you a negotiating price to work for.

 

[boatpoker]

The only survey I've ever purchased had specific language prohibiting anything like that.

"The survey purchasers specifically agree not to release nor reveal the survey report, nor any part thereof, to any party who may rely on the content. (Surveyor) agrees to furnish copies, as required, to financial and insurance concerns for the exclusive purposes of lending decisions and insurance underwriting. The survey purchasers agree not to reproduce, photocopy, nor quote the survey report, nor any part thereof."​

With almost 5,000 surveys under my belt I would not hire sucha surveyor.
The survey is a product which you paid for and it's your right to do with as you wish .......... period.

 

[boatpoker]

well we were on the last few weeks of a deal on a Nova38 europa needing a little work I had had a good look but thought better get a survey well two weeks to go & the survey arrived, to my shock it was not good the hull below the water line was good no problems with the glass but some of the fittings needed replacing I knew this, next was the water line upto the the gunwales, not bad needing tidy up few chips etc all ok so far, then came the deck this is where it started the last owner had removed the teak decking filled all the holes & glased over the top thats ok but the wood core in the middle is rotten so I would have to cut the top layer off to replace the wood & then replace the top not good then we found the cabin has sagged due to two bulkheads being rotten on the port side another major the front cabins would have to be striped out to replace the bulkheads & the floor needed to be lifted to repair the lower water tank once done all would need to go back in but you would have to jack the body up & brace it while doing this ,then came the flybridge the floor in this had gone the same way as the deck so would have to be cut open as well all sounded a bit daunting to me so I walked away from the deal its a major rebuild
round two start looking again

Issues like those could be determined by laymen if they had know what to look for. I suggest you study Marine Survey 101 before you look at another boat. It could save you time and money.

 

[boatpoker]

Several years ago I had a survey performed on a boat that I had under contract. Ultimately I decided not to complete the purchase.

A subsequent buyer requested a copy of the survey. The surveyor told me that I owned the survey and I could do anything I wanted with it.

I sold the survey to the next buyer for half of the amount that I had paid for it.

As a surveyor I get those calls every few weeks, "hey I hear you surveyed this boat, can I buy a copy of the report". NO ! it belong to the person who commissioned it. I put them in contact with each other and it's up to them.