Need a Boat Surveyor near Ashtabula OH........Any recommendations?

[Big Water]

Got a friend looking to buy a used boat near Ashtabula OH but he would like a survey done first.  Do you guys have any recommendations for a reputable surveyor in that area? 

 

 

Thanks,

 

Doug

[lakebound88]

Call a few local marinas. They will usually give ya a few names

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[John E Powell]

Check out this link, it has a lot of info about marine surveyors and certifications, and has a members page where you can search among surveyors in each state and locality.

 

http://www.marinesurvey.org/index.html

 

I've used surveyors off this list before and have been happy with the professionalism and knowledge each possessed.

 

If you go to their search page: http://www.marinesurvey.org/index.php?option=com_storelocator&Itemid=303&view=map and enter in the zip code of 44004, and set the search radius to 50 miles, you'll find 7 surveyors listed. You can then check each surveyor's certification credentials and any specializations they might have. Among these you'll probably find a few willing to travel to Ashtabula. Talk to a few and ask about their services. I find it's sometimes helpful to know the name of the boat, the marina it's at, and the names of the current and previous owners - in some cases you'll find a surveyor who has previously surveyed a boat and can offer a historical perspective on the boat and what has happened to it since they surveyed it last.

 

I personally would not go by the recommendation of a marina owner that you did not know personally. There could be a hidden agenda that might steer you towards a non-reputable person who might have the marina owner's or seller interests at heart instead of you. You are hiring this person and you want them to represent your interests, not someone else's.

 

Another advantage to talking to multiple surveyors is sometimes a boat will have a major problem that is known to local people. It may have been surveyed a couple times already and previous interested buyers walked away from it. Most reputable surveyors will tell you up front that they have already recently surveyed a boat and found it to have a major problem without charging you. (They will sometimes offer to sell you a copy of their report at a reduced price).

 

A seller who's not forthcoming to you about a boats recent multi-surveys and subsequent rescinded offers is clearly trying to offload their problem onto someone else.

Edited October 9, 2014 by John E Powell