Sample Survey

The sample report that follows is based on a recent survey and is fairly typical, in style and depth, of reports prepared for prospective purchasers. Most reports will run to about ten pages and will include photographs to illustrate points in the survey. From the client's point of view, the important sections of the report will be 4, which explains the limits of the survey, 11, which details the problems (if any) with the boat and 12, which may add further recommendations and usually includes a valuation.  

Introduction

Description Paragraph 

Principle dimensions 

Location

Limitations of survey

General condition & appearance

Construction

Spars & rigging

Interior

Steering & machinery

Equipment & Services 

Defects & omissions          

Conclusions          

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

The yacht is an enlarged version of the "Oro" sailing catamaran, one of a range of cruising multihulls designed by James Wharram for amateur construction.  The design was conceived as a long distance cruising yacht and has proved very successful in that role with many ocean passages recorded.  The general configuration of the vessel is two separate hulls flexibly connected by four laminated timber crossbeams.  The space between the hulls is filled by slatted decking, an engine nacelle and a cockpit. The accommodation is confined to the hulls.

2 PRINCIPLE DIMENSIONS 

LENGTH OVERALL50' 0"      

BEAM OVERALL24' 0"

DRAFT  3' 6"

BUILT by amateur builder, Southampton.

LAUNCHED 1980

3 LOCATION

The vessel was inspected on the foreshore at Culatra, Portugal.

4  LIMITATIONS OF SURVEY

The survey took place with the vessel beached between tides, Most parts of the vessel were available for inspection, however extensive interior lining prevented access to much of the interior of the hull skin and framing. The ground tackle was in use and so not available for inspection. The survey was essentially non-destructive in nature, bunkboards, locker lids and sole panels were opened but paint was not removed nor the sheathing lifted. The structure was sounded and a 7000 Moisture meter from Electronic Temperature Instruments Ltd. used to check suspect areas, a spike was only used to confirm the presence of decay thus detected. While the condition of the engine, the electronic equipment and sails does not fall within the scope of this report, they were given a visual inspection and defects observed will be commented on in paragraph 11 below. This report is issued solely and in confidence to the above mentioned A Client. Steve Turner is under no circumstances liable to any other person or organisation for any aspect of this report. The copyright of the survey document remains the property of Steve Turner. Neither the survey report, nor copies made of it, shall be disclosed to any third party other than to the owner's insurers or authorised repairers without permission.

It is some time since Nameless last underwent an extensive refit and she is starting to suffer from the lack of maintenance.

6  CONSTRUCTION

Hulls and decks are constructed from marine plywood on Fir stringers and framing, with resorcinol and glue and non-ferrous fastenings. The crossbeams are of laminated softwood, the foreward and aft netting beams are aluminium tubes.

The hulls, decks, cabins and crossbeams are sheathed with nylon cloth and resorcinol resin. The vessel is painted with conventional yacht enamel.

For beaching protection, the keels are fitted with sacrificial hardwood keel shoes.

7  SPARS AND RIGGING

The vessel is rigged as a Bermudan cutter-headed ketch. The masts and boom are aluminium extrusions.

The standing rigging is stainless steel tensioned with polyester lanyards. The forestay carries a jib roller reefing gear and terminates on the forward netting beam, which is fitted with a stainless steel pelican striker.

The halyard winches are Harken single speed. Sheet winches are Harken 44, Harken 16 and Gibb 10.

8  INTERIOR

The forepeaks of both hulls are used for stowage of sails etc. 

The forward cabin in the starboard hull is fitted as a chartroom, in the port hull as a galley, both hulls have a saloon amidships and a double bunk with sea toilet in the aft cabin.

 The starboard stern compartment houses the heads and the port stern is used for stowage.

9 STEERING AND MACHINERY

 Wheel steering is fitted in the cockpit, connected to laminated wooden tillers by an Edson chain steering gear and flexible stainless steel cable.

An aluminium tiller bar joins the tillers. 

A BMC diesel engine is fitted in a central engine box/nacelle between crossbeams 3 and 4.

The engine drives a three-bladed bronze propeller on a long lifting shaft, through a universal joint which allows the prop to be lifted clear of the water while sailing.

When lowered, the prop is kept immersed by a paravane mounted on top of the prop guard. The guard is a steel hoop suspended on stainless steel strops and has a water-lubricated bearing running on a stainless steel tail shaft.

Cooling water is lifted from a bronze skin fitting in the hull. Diesel oil is supplied from a mild steel tank mounted in the mainmast case ahead of the engine.

10  EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES

The galley is fitted with a gas oven and hob with grill. The gas supply is via copper piping with cut-off tap, from a gas bottle stowed in the adjacent beam trough.

There are two stainless steel galley sinks with fresh and salt-water hand pumps. 

A 12-volt cool box is built into the counter top.

A Brydon manual sea toilet is fitted in the heads compartment. Two Simpson Lawrence 400 manual sea toilets are fitted in the bunk cabins.

The vessel is wired for a 12-volt supply with a 95ah lead acid engine start battery mounted in the engine box and two lead acid service batteries of 105Ah and 96 Ah fitted in the port bilge. All cabins are fitted with 12 volt lighting.

A Sailor VHF radio telephone is fitted in the chartroom, other instruments are installed in the cabin coaming adjacent to the helm.

Both hulls are equipped with Whale Gusher Titan manual bilge pumps fitted with a manifold system allowing them to pump separate bilge areas.

A C02 fire extinguisher is fitted near both main hatches and a BCF dry powder extinguisher in the galley.

A Simpson Lawrence 555 manual anchor windlass is mounted at the side of the main mast case.

i) There are areas of decayed timber and plywood, caused by fresh water penetration, in various places around the boat: In the port stem post at it's top and just below deck level (Photo 1&2), in the port side of the port hull below the second beam trough (Photo 3), in the port sheer stringer at various points in its length, in the framing to bulkhead three at deck level in that hull, adjacent to the port main hatch washboard, in the starboard sheer stringer of the starboard hull at bulkhead three (Photo 4), in the port and starboard bulwarks (Photo 5), in either the coamings or the covers of all four of the end compartment hatches (Photo's 6&7), in several of the beam chocks, in all of the bunk cabin coach roofs at their lower corners, in the fore and aft mast case supports for both masts (Photo 8) and in the supports for the forward deck-slatting beam.  All effected timber and plywood should be cut out and replaced, then sheathed over with epoxy resin and glass cloth.

The vessel is lined with thin plywood, over polystyrene foam, glued in with resorcinol glue. This limits the access to the interior of the hull planking. It is likely that other small areas of decay, undetected during this survey, will come to light when the vessel is opened up. High moisture levels were recorded in several places that showed no other signs of rot, including the starboard stem post and the beam chocks.

ii) The seams between the coach roofs and the deck show signs of leaking in many places, causing the decay in the coach roof coamings mentioned above and some local delamination of the plywood.

iii) The paintwork needs attention. The varnish on the tillers is weathered. The mild steel diesel tank and other mild steel fittings on deck are showing surface corrosion and should be cleaned back to bright steel and repainted using a zinc rich primer. There is some surface corrosion on the aluminium alloy spars, with blistering to the paint finish. These areas should be scraped back to a clean sound surface and the paintwork made good using an etch primer.

iv) Some of the deck slats are loose or damaged.

v) Some of the crossbeam brackets are not in contact with the tops of the beams. Timber packing pieces should be fitted to fill these gaps.

vi) The plates above the rubber stacks in the crossbeam connections are too light and are bending under the load, one plate has cracked into two pieces. To prevent further failures in these plates, replace with thicker, hot dip galvanised, plates.

vii) The copper gas pipe is connected to the cooker by a length of rubber hose. The gas piping should be copper all the way, or if flexibility is required, armoured flexible pipe.

viii) There are several cables that enter the hulls without glands, also openings where fittings have been removed and not made good. All these openings are potential sources of rot and should be sealed up. 

ix) The exhaust hose is perished and should be replaced.

x) All three sea toilets and their associated sea cocks need stripping and overhauling.

xi) The stern light has become detached from the aft netting beam and is hanging from its cable.

xii) Several of the knees that support the deck slatting beams have failed and are coming away from the hullsides.

xiii) The wooden mounting wedge under the anchor roller is loose.

xiv) The lower rudder pintles are corroded, with play in the pins. When replacing these fittings consideration should be given to fitting sacrificial zinc anodes to prevent further trouble.

xv) The chain is not centred on the sprocket of the steering gear, prevent the rudders from turning equal amounts on each lock.

xvi) The batteries in the port bilge are not secured in place.

xvii) There are a number of galvanised mild steel shackles in the stainless steel rigging that are suffering galvanic corrosion. All these shackles should be replaced with stainless steel. Many of the shackles used in the rig are not "moused" to prevent the pins coming out while sailing. All the shackles should be secured with suitable seizing wire or nylon cable ties.

xviii) The stainless steel shackle at the foot of the inner forestay has failed. Considering the nature of the failure is likely that there was a manufacturing fault in this shackle, however the loading in a bridle is considerable higher than that in the associated forestay and a replacement fitting should be of a larger size.

xix) All the fire extinguishers are out of date, the CO2 extinguishers were last inspected in 1993, the BCF in 1988.

xx) Although the ground tackle was not available for inspection, The chain for the main bower anchor could be inspected and showed heavy corrosion for some 10 to 15 metres nearest to the anchor.

Although well built, from good quality materials, Nameless is suffering from lack of maintenance and requires a thorough refit program to return her to a sound condition and prevent further deterioration. With the defects listed in paragraph 11, items i to xxi, above, attended to the yacht should be insured for a value in the region of £35,000.00.

Signed   ...............................................................0th June.2001

S. A. B. TURNER  Dip Mar Sur

Specialist Multihull Surveyor

RYA Tonnage surveyor

Southdown Marina  Millbrook Torpoint  Cornwall PL10 1HG UK

01752 823539   Mob.07720983645  Email: steve@multihullsurveys.com