Sailboat Surveys
A sailboat has an entire structural system a powerboat does not: a rig under permanent tension, loads running from the masthead into the hull, and a keel hanging off the bottom. Those are the parts that fail expensively and they need a surveyor who looks at them properly.
Standing and Running Rigging
Standing rigging inspected at deck level and at every terminal I can reach: swages examined for cracking at the neck, turnbuckles for thread condition and alignment, clevis pins and cotter pins, toggles, and the tangs at the masthead where they are visible.
Age matters here more than appearance. Stainless rigging fatigues internally and the failure mode is sudden, so a rig that looks fine and has no documented replacement date is a finding, not a pass. Insurers increasingly ask about rig age directly.
Running rigging, sheaves, halyard exits and winches are assessed for condition and service, along with the furling gear if fitted, which is a common source of trouble and an expensive one.
Chainplates and Deck Hardware
Chainplates carry the entire load of the rig into the hull, and the place they fail is where they pass through the deck, out of sight, because water got in around the seal and sat there for years.
I inspect chainplates above deck, examine the bedding, and look below at the knees, bulkheads or tie rods they attach to. Staining or softness around a chainplate penetration is one of the findings that genuinely changes a purchase decision.
Deck hardware bedding, backing plates and the structure under winches, travellers and genoa tracks get the same attention, because those are point loads on a laminate that was never meant to take them wet.
Keel Joint and Grounding Damage
The keel joint is inspected for movement, previous repair and evidence of a hard grounding. Sailboats hit things. The question is whether it was reported and repaired properly or faired over and sold on.
I look for stress crazing at the hull-to-keel joint, movement in the keel bolts where they are accessible, and damage inside the bilge that corresponds to what the outside is telling me. Internal and external evidence have to agree, and when they do not, that is worth knowing about before you own it.
Rudder and Steering
Rudder condition, bearing play, shaft corrosion where visible, and water intrusion into the blade, which is common on older spade rudders and usually invisible until the rudder is out or sounded.
Steering gear, whether cable, hydraulic or a quadrant and cables, is inspected and operated through its full range, along with the emergency tiller arrangement, which is frequently missing or does not fit.
Book a Sailboat Survey
Call or email with the boat, its location and whether the rig has a documented replacement date. Sailboat surveys usually want the vessel hauled, and where the rig needs close inspection I will tell you in advance what access is required.
Your report is delivered the next day. Not next week.
What a Sailboat Owner Said
Andrew is very knowledgeable and also able to explain things so that even those with far less experience can understand it. This is an invaluable skill in a surveyor. While some people simply want a survey for insurance purposes. I want the detailed report and punch list for me to go through and repair, restore and maintain my sailboat. Andrew is generous with his time and wants to make sure you understand the report and the needs of your boat. Highly recommended!