Surveyors, Sea Trials & the Art of the Conditional Offer
How the pre-purchase survey should be structured, staffed, and used as leverage — from the buyer's side of the table.
The Memorandum of Agreement should always be subject to survey and sea trial acceptance. This single provision is the buyer's principal protection — treat it with the seriousness it deserves.
Retain an independent surveyor (SAMS, IIMS, or YDSA accredited) with no historical relationship to the selling broker. For vessels above 20 metres, commission a separate mechanical surveyor for the engines, generators, and running gear — hull and machinery are distinct specialisms.
Use the survey findings not as a pass/fail gate but as a structured negotiation input. Categorise defects into safety-critical (must fix or walk), commercial (price adjustment), and cosmetic (noted, not priced). A disciplined framework converts an emotive process into a rational one.