Getting a survey done....

Before I bought the boat I decided to have a survey done. My experience with the Boatyard where I bought the ranger tug initially was pretty laid back. The staff were nice and a Salesman was decent, but did not seem to know a lot about the boat. When I went up to look at the boat I took it out on a sea trial with the dealer who didn't seem very familiar with the operations of the electrical and other systems on board. As a result of that I decided to contact a surveyor to have the boat looked at professionally. Although the boat seemed in good shape, my lack of experience with boats and this being my first purchase, I decided to get a professional to look at it. It was the best decision that I ever had made.

When I let the Boatyard dealer know that I was getting survey done they were quite surprised. Most boats in this price range did not get a survey the salesman told me - but I was welcome to do it. Contacting a surveyor is pretty straightforward. The Boatyard did provide a list of authorized surveyors that they had used in the past, but I decided to go with somebody independent. All reputable surveyors participate in a national accredited organization which attest to their independent evaluation of your purchase. When I was making a $40,000 purchase I felt it important to understand that the boat that I was getting was all the things that was promised. On my initial sea trial several pieces of equipment such as the air conditioning, batteries, and toilets were not in perfect working order. This prompted me to have a surveyor complete the task of looking at them to ensure that they were in working Condition.

Surveyors traditionally charge about $10 per foot to have a boat surveyed - although it may cost more or less depending on your area. I found a surveyor who is about 1 hour away from the dealer where I purchased the boat. For $400 the surveyor took the boat out on a sea trial with the dealer and additionally did hull inspection on shore. The following report that I got was very complete and was in-depth covering all aspects of the boat. While I had walked around the boat and did a fairly thorough visual inspection, and even took it out on a sea trial, I didn't feel comfortable validating all the equipment myself.

The survey process took about a week. Surveyors will contact the Boatyard of your choice where you are purchasing the boat to make the arrangements to go and have the boat inspected. Within a week I had a complete evaluation of my boat that was documented and certified. Thankfully for me there were no significant issues that were identified during evaluation and it was nice to know that the minor things that were not working were easily fixable. Additionally my insurance was reduced by 10% for having a survey done within the prior 12 months.The most important part is to find a surveyor who is familiar with Ranger Tugs. I spoken to some people who feel that a survey on a small Ranger 21 is a waste of money, but for me with my limited experience and this being my first boat I found it to be a very valuable investment and peace of mind.