During this course, we have looked at various aspects of the marine and yacht surveying profession. We started by discussing the main international organizations involved in the yacht and marine industry, looking at their profiles, purposes, and responsibilities concerning yachts and boats, and giving a glimpse of how the surveyor’s work may be connected with those organizations.
After becoming familiar with the main organizations and their place in the industry, we looked at one of the most important regulatory requirements in the yacht industry: the Recreational Craft Directive, or RCD. This directive lays down the requirements for the design and manufacture of recreational craft, as well as the rules for their free movement within the European Union. We also reviewed some of its main aspects related to boats and yachts.
We concluded the first section of the course with a review of the legal aspects of the surveyor’s work and provided some basic guidance on how surveyors can protect themselves against possible legal issues.
In the second section of the course, we looked at some of the main types of surveys that a surveyor may be requested to perform. We discussed their purposes and particularities, and provided practical guidance on how to carry out those surveys and what the surveyor should keep in mind when asked to perform each type.
We started with the most comprehensive types of surveys: pre-purchase surveys and condition surveys. We discussed how and by whom they may be requested, and what needs to be taken into account when performing them. We then looked at other, more specific types of surveys that require a different approach, such as damage surveys, rig and sail surveys, valuation surveys, and sea trials. Each of these has its own particular set of requirements that must be observed during the survey and requires a more specific approach.
The section concluded with a review of some of the main systems of a boat that have to be inspected during a survey. We looked at each system separately and discussed some of the main systems and construction types that may be encountered on board boats and yachts, as well as how to proceed when required to inspect them.
In the third section of the course, we reviewed the main materials used in boatbuilding, some of their peculiarities, and how they are used in the building process. We looked at the pros and cons of each of the three main materials used in boatbuilding and provided practical guidance on how to approach surveys of craft built from different materials.
In the last section, we talked about the survey process itself. This section began with a detailed look at the main safety precautions and rules that every surveyor must observe in their line of work. We discussed the necessary personal safety equipment in more detail and presented practical guidelines on how to choose and use that equipment.
We then reviewed the main tools that a surveyor may require when performing a survey of a boat or yacht, together with their purpose. After that, we moved into the preparation for a survey and the performance of the survey itself. We discussed the process from receiving the survey appointment all the way to finalizing the survey report, providing key pointers on how to approach each step of the survey process.
This included guidance on how to communicate with the client, the necessary information that must be collected before the survey, the logistics of the survey, and practical guidelines to follow during the survey itself.
In the final topic, we talked about the completion of the survey and the preparation of the report. We discussed some of the most important points that must be considered when preparing an official report, such as the language and terminology used, grammar and spelling, the use of photographs, and other relevant details.
We hope that you have enjoyed this course and that we have managed to meet your expectations and needs. We look forward to seeing you in one of our next courses, and please do not hesitate to contact us if you need any further help or assistance.