Is a survey a must have with an older boat?

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by KP44

A survey will be required if you are financing the boat.

If not required, it depends upon your experience, knowledge, and understanding of boats.
If you think a 3 year old survey will tell you any current problems, you probably do not have the experience to buy without a survey.

Don't depend on a surveyor. I hired "the best" surveyor in Seattle and got 5 pages of errors. (36' hull instead of 45', wrong anchor rode size, VHF was turned off so reported as not working, wrong engine specs, ignored my order for engine oil analysis, missed the two frozen seacocks that I discovered after purchase, etc.)
So have a survey done and also have experienced friends or boaters look at the boat with you. Listen to them and trust yourself.

I doubt financing would be an option with a 1968 boat nor insurance other than liability.
I would have to look at the survey cost verses the purchase price and how good the buyer is at crawling around in bilges.

[MV Caroline]

A lot can happen in three years. Unless you are a qualified boat builder or professional yacht maintenance person with many years of experience, you need a really good "buyers Surveyor". I personally am a former boat builder, shipyard owner and have a degree in naval architecture and I always use a surveyor of my own choosing because I don't want to make decisions based on my own influence which, in the case of buying a boat, might be emotional attachment and blindness to what might be a major problem down the road.
Basically you will need an educated second opinion and a Devil's advocate.

[MicHughV]

'69 boat....so we're talking a 53 year old boat....not sure you'll even be able to get this surveyed...or financed....
4500 hrs on the engine is not necessarily bad.....if they have been maintained...doubtful in my opinion...
What about the engine fuel filters, wiring, thru'hulls, gauges, instruments, crap in the fuel tank, etc, etc...
Has the boat been hauled ? have you seen what the bottom looks like ?

I can only think if one reason to buy this boat "as is"....it must have a ridiculous low asking price...

My advice....run...don't walk away...

[GWilly]

wow, a boat of that age and you want to forego a survey? You either must REALLY know boats, or do well in Vegas. Seriously, I think you are taking a huge risk, especially if the boat has sat in a marina for 3 years without moving. I bought a 15yo boat, did a survey that said the boat was great...and still ended up repowering the boat after only 1 year. That boat had sat for most of its life - it had only 200 hrs on the diesel engine. I thought it was a gem, but my normal usage of the boat, which was more than I had ever experienced, proved otherwise.

I now look at a survey as not only grading out the vessel but also as a great tool to inventory the boat, its systems, its current condition, and potential pitfalls. A survey is not that expensive, considering the wealth of information you get out of it. I paid $500 for mine.

Sure, go ahead and don't do a survey but I think it's a poor move.

[Moretolife]

I just wanted to add that it is a Diesel engine, original from 1969, Perkins, and the boat price is just below 100k CAD.

[nortonscove]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

'69 boat....so we're talking a 53 year old boat....not sure you'll even be able to get this surveyed...or financed....
4500 hrs on the engine is not necessarily bad.....if they have been maintained...doubtful in my opinion...
What about the engine fuel filters, wiring, thru'hulls, gauges, instruments, crap in the fuel tank, etc, etc...
Has the boat been hauled ? have you seen what the bottom looks like ?

I can only think if one reason to buy this boat "as is"....it must have a ridiculous low asking price...

My advice....run...don't walk away...

If your advice is like your math the one asking questions might wish to move along to other posters. There are no rules for this process only accepted steps. Two boats I've bought neither I paid for a survey and my insurance accepted an old survey for the first five years of ownership.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Moretolife

I just wanted to add that it is a Diesel engine, original from 1969, Perkins, and the boat price is just below 100k CAD.

That seems like a lot of money for such an old boat without any evidence that it has been well maintained or upgraded over those years... but I don't know your market area.

At any rate, investing a k$ or so in a survey seems prudent. It is most likely that the survey will turn up enough flaws that you can negotiate the price down to well cover the cost and perhaps even more.

You don't sound like you have personal experience and skills to make forgoing the survey a good idea... so I'd say you should bite the bullet and hire a surveyor.

Jim

[Island Time O25]

99% of the sellers of 1969 boats should be paying you to take the headache off their hands. If your seller is among the remaining 1% I'd very surprised.

[MicHughV]

ok....52 years.....3 months......2 weeks....1 day.....45 minute and 2 seconds...better ???

I rounded up.....slay me......

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by Moretolife

I just wanted to add that it is a Diesel engine, original from 1969, Perkins, and the boat price is just below 100k CAD.

At that price and age, I'd do both an marine survey and mechanical (engine) survey.

At that age with those diesels... I'd also 1) be searching out whether parts are available, 2) expecting an asking price less than half of that, maybe 1/3rd, maybe 1/4th, and 3) researching what a repower (for parts availability) might cost.

Today's market is a bit hosed; sellers are adding a spare $100K here and there just because they can... inventory is so low... so maybe your seller has added some "Covid incentive" to what would have been a fair asking price...

-Chris

[Chris Cringle]

Any 52 year old boat will have dirty little secrets. If you buy her without a through servey, she will reveal them to you, one at a time for......how long? You will never know for sure what evil is lurking deep in her heart. Even the best surveyor may not find all of her flaws but at least you will have a 'heads up' on the most important issues. Spend the money.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

ok....52 years.....3 months......2 weeks....1 day.....45 minute and 2 seconds...better ???

I rounded up.....slay me......

I thought it was a cheap shot unless you're friends. My other thought was you used my typo of 68.

[MicHughV]

it's kinda irrelevant really....how old does something need to be to be old.......ha ha....people think I'm old....but not me...I think I'm "young"...I'm not gonna qualify to being old till I'm at least 80...maybe...might change my mind when I'm "80"...if I make it there....90 will be my new "old"...'jes sayin'.....

[rwidman]

You can do anything you want, but the wise thing to do is to pay your own surveyor to survey the boat. The seller's surveyor's loyalty is to the seller, not to you.

Your insurance company may or may not demand a survey. You might want to check with them for their requirements before you do anything.