Articles
Guides to surveys, costs, and what to look for before you buy — written by the accredited surveyors who do the work.
A pre-purchase boat survey includes a full inspection of the hull, mechanical, electrical, rigging, and safety systems, plus a 30+ page report with photographs and a fair-market valuation. Here is everything the $30 to $35 per foot price covers, and what it does not.
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A pre-purchase survey includes a visual and operational engine check. A separate mechanical (engine) survey, run by a marine mechanic, adds oil analysis, compression testing, and a borescope. Here is the difference and when you need each.
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The biggest red flags when buying a used boat are soft spots in the deck or transom, milky engine oil, corroded wiring and bonding, hull blisters, and a seller who resists a survey or sea trial. Here is the surveyor's list, and what each warning sign can cost you.
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A marine survey gives you negotiating leverage by turning the boat's flaws into a documented, photographed list you can put a price on. Here is how Connecticut buyers use a survey report to ask for a price reduction, a seller-paid repair, or a clean exit.
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A marine survey is almost always worth it: at $30 to $35 per foot, one survey routinely catches deck core rot, osmotic blistering, corrosion, or wiring faults that cost thousands more than the survey itself. Here is the real cost-versus-value math.
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The 10 questions to ask a marine surveyor before you book: credentials, independence from the seller, experience with your boat type, what the survey includes, report turnaround, and price. What good answers sound like.
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A marine survey is not legally required to buy a used boat in Connecticut — but most marine lenders and insurers require one, and cash buyers who skip it take on risks a $30 to $35 per foot inspection routinely uncovers.
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The right marine surveyor in Connecticut holds a SAMS-AMS or NAMS-CMS credential, works independently for the buyer, and has hands-on experience with your boat type. Here is what to ask and what to avoid.
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A marine survey in Connecticut typically runs $30 to $35 per foot — about $900 to $1,050 for a 30-foot boat. Full pricing by length, what's included, and what can change the total.
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A marine survey is a non-destructive, top-to-bottom inspection of a boat in three phases — dock, haul-out, and sea trial — followed by a written report. Here is exactly what a Connecticut surveyor does, step by step.
Read the guideNo card to reserve. You pay after the survey's complete.
01 Your boat
Estimated investment
$900 – $1,050
30′ vessel · pre-purchase survey
02 Choose your day
03 Your details
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