Marine survey Bermuda.

What a marine surveyor checks

A standard pre-purchase survey covers about 100 separate items across these systems:

• ●Hull and structure. fiberglass condition, blistering, osmosis, stringer integrity, transom strength, keel condition.
• ●Engines and drive train. visual inspection, oil sample analysis on request, compression test on request, propeller and shaft condition, exhaust system.
• ●Electrical. wiring condition, battery state, fuses, navigation lights, electronics, charging system.
• ●Plumbing and fuel. fresh water system, head, holding tank, bilge pumps, fuel tank and lines, fuel filters.
• ●Rigging and deck. cleats, stanchions, lifelines, anchor system, windlass, deck hardware.
• ●Safety gear. life jackets, flares, fire extinguishers, sound signal, distress signals.
• ●Sea trial (optional add-on). engine performance under load, handling, electronics in operation.

The report you get

Surveyors deliver a written report (usually 15 to 30 pages with photos) within a few days of inspection. The report categorizes findings:

• ●Major deficiencies. things that would prevent safe operation or fail BMA inspection. These need fixing before you'd want to take the boat home.
• ●Recommended repairs. items that should be addressed soon but don't stop the boat from running. Useful for negotiating the buy price down.
• ●General notes. wear and tear, cosmetic items, future-watch items.

The report is also accepted by Bermuda marine insurers as proof of the boat's condition for underwriting hull and liability coverage.

How surveys save you money

The survey almost always pays for itself. Three ways it does:

1. Negotiation leverage. If the surveyor flags $4,000 of recommended repairs, that's a credible $4,000 off the asking price. Most sellers accept survey-driven adjustments because the alternative is the next buyer commissioning the same survey and asking for the same discount.

2. Walking away. A bad survey is the cleanest reason to back out of a deal. If the surveyor finds a cracked stringer or a tired engine, you keep your deposit and move on. Without a survey you'd own that problem.

3. Insurance and BMA registration both prefer recent survey documentation. Skipping the survey means doing more work later when the BMA wants a condition report anyway.

Who BDA Boats works with

We work with a short list of licensed Bermuda marine surveyors for boats already on island. For imports we coordinate US-based surveyors (typically in Florida) or fly one in for larger boats. Sean has been commissioning surveys for over twenty years and knows which surveyors are thorough, which are quick and which to avoid.

For any boat we sell or import, we arrange the survey, schedule the inspection at the seller's dock, and forward the written report to you within a few days. You can attend in person or join by video.

When to skip the survey

Almost never. The only case where it makes sense to skip is buying a brand-new boat direct from a dealer with a full factory warranty, and even then, an independent inspection on the dealer's dock before you sign is wise. For everything else: survey it. We've never had a customer regret commissioning the survey.