Estimated cost of wooden hull survey ?

Discussion in 'Wooden Boat Building and Restoration' started by helen07, Mar 7, 2010.

  1. helen07
    Joined: Sep 2009
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    helen07 Junior Member

    Could anyone offer an educated guess as to the probable cost of having a hull survey done on a 15metre wooden traditional Scots fishing boat built in the 1960's ?

    The boat is still fishing commercially and the purpose of survey would be to gauge for how much longer she can be expected to do so .
     
  2. gonzo
    Joined: Aug 2002
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    gonzo Senior Member

    A survey will give you the actual condition of the vessel. It only covers accesible areas. If you also want an inspection of all systems, they get priced separately. I can do it for you, but first have to agree on the limitations.
     
  3. helen07
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    helen07 Junior Member

    That just confirms my guys attitude , he says money spent on surveys is just a waste of money that could be spent on actual repairs .
     
  4. alan white
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    alan white Senior Member

    Anyone who can actually do repairs correctly is probably also able to discover problems needing attention. This makes a good boat carpenter a reasonably qualified surveyor of boats constructed in a way that is familiar to the carpenter.
    Few boat carpenters also have the knowledge to deal with electrical, plumbing, electronics, engines, rigging, sails, and on and on. This is what makes a professional surveyor worthwhile.
    If you only want a survey of the structure, being unsure about how you could personally go about the survey yourself, you will have to pay for a qualified person (not necessarily a professional surveyor, but a good carpenter). Fees will vary but the simplest structural survey won't break the bank. Obvious problems can certainly be simply repaired, but some problems are not so obvious, nor would you necessarily know what the cost of fixing them would amount to.
    I'd suggest a modest structural survey by a reputable person, preferably not the one who will be doing the repairs if problems are found (which should be made clear).
    If doing the repairs yourself, you must already know what needs to be done.
     
  5. gonzo
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    gonzo Senior Member

    You ask for a price on a service and then make snide remarks about how it is a waste of money. Tell your guy that if he starts giving fish away for free, I'll start surveying for free too.
     
  6. helen07
    Joined: Sep 2009
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    helen07 Junior Member

    Apologies i did not intend to be "snide" (though on reflection it is a fair comment)

    I was only trying to work out why my guy thought my suggestion that a pro survey is the way to go with regards to safety was laughable .

    Thanks to Gonzo and Alan White i now know .
     
  7. gonzo
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    gonzo Senior Member

    No problem. I think that he is touchy about help
     

  8. dskira

    dskira Previous Member

    Yes but it is a little short. It cover also inaccessible area, like under the cooper sheathing, some also will takes "carrots" to see the state of the innerwood. It is a very deep investigation sometime almost like a "colonoscopie" :D
     
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