Good questions and responses!
Very important question, and lots of excellent responses. Everyone likely has different experiences, so each response merits consideration.
My $.02.....
Not all surveyors are equally diligent. Two year lay up or lower level of activity can invite deterioration in fuel supply on board, sedimentation, perhaps corrosion to various systems, hardening of plumbing components including heads, freeze damage, and more. Decks not maintained might absorb more moisture. Obtaining a current survey from a highly regarded, diligent surveyor makes a lot of sense to me.
I made an offer on a boat in FL years ago, and my buyer's broker recommended a very fine surveyor. I was present for the entire 5 hour survey. That survey detected shaft whip and other key issues, so I declined to close the deal.
The boat I purchased 1000 miles north of Florida, which I am very happy with on balance, had a less diligent surveyor and a far faster survey process, but it is a much better boat. The survey report, which I received in print a week after the purchase - reviewed in person at the conclusion of the survey, notes a 5 bladed prop, but it has a four bladed prop - makes one wonder what else he missed! There is a roughly 2'x2' slightly discolored portion of the hull, (although the repair is absolutely not felt by careful rubbing by the hand - smooth as can be), which was from prior damage and repair with less than great matching of the gel coat repair color - survey missed it. Surveyor did note some things that needed fixing and replacement - several good catches - idle speed too high, capping an unsed fuel line extension, replacing above water UV degraded through hull fittings, etc. But,on the delivery trip the primary RACOR clogged in rough seas off of the NJ coast and the wonderful prior owner, who accompanied me on the first four days of the delivery immediately knew what to do and instructed me to switch to the alternate RACOR filter. Shouldn't the survey have tested the fuel and tanks for sediment, suspended matter, etc.? Or, was the blockage due to the two post-purchase top off fuel stops on the delivery cruise - certainly possible? Granted, I should have looked for fuel polishing on the maintenance record, but as a newbie - my prior 5 boats were gas and sail/gas, I had never heard of fuel polishing. Post fuel polishing a month later the Volvo all but sings, especially with ValveTect diesel fuel. In general, it's a great boat, and various items in the maintenance log and conversations with the seller's mechanic on board were very positive, including pre-delivery follow up items that the seller quickly offered to pay for. But the fuel filter clogging off shore could have become quickly dangerous.
Conclusions: 1. What a great thing to have a wonderful seller who offered to go the first four days on the 11 day delivery! Wonderful gift to me! The selling broker also gave me some helm instruction and practice during commissioning days - also very helpful. Meeting with the prior owner's mechanic was a positive experience.
2. I should have examined the boat more carefully, read more, maybe gotten a survey from a different local source. Buyer's broker was more than 700 miles away - he put me onto the first great surveyor in Florida, but we didn't do so well on choosing the second surveyor. 3. Fair to admit that after 5 prior gas and sailboats, I didn't do enough reading about diesel engines, complexities of trawlers, etc. Fuel pressure didn't budge for first three days of the delivery, and onset of fuel starvation and high vaccum pressure gauge reading coincided as seas quickly built off of Cape May. Still learning, including help from TF, Zimmerman articles in Passagemaker, Boaters University classes, and US Power Squadron classes.
Advice: 1. Whether fuel tank testing in the survey or ordering a fuel polishing and primary on line and back up RACOR filters and engine fuel filter before a delivery cruise, tank/fuel condition should be a priority on any boat purchase. I did have engine oil and filter changed before the delivery cruise. If I ever buy another boat (unlikely - I am so pleased with this one!), I'll make time to have a thorough fuel polishing done, no matter what the survey shows.
2. Do a thorough job of finding the best possible surveyor you can find, even if you have to pay for travel expenses for the surveyor.
3. A good practive - I cut open the used RACOR filter after my last filter change, rolled it out in the driveway for detailed inspection in order to see what the filter was catching in a full year - 80 hours, and found absolutely zero - filter medium looked almost 100% like pictures of brand new filter medium. This confirmed what the fuel pressure gauge had been showing all year - no detected obstructions. I'll continue cutting open used RACOR filters as an annual practice to help detect fuel issues, and continue using Biobor JF and Valv-Tect fuel.
4. I've researched Synthetic 15W40 Heavey Duty Diesel Engine Oil (viscosity recomended in engine manual, no mention of synthetic) engine oils extensively and noted that the Volvo VDS-4 spec and the matching API/SAE spec are inclusive of specs back to the 2005 OEM engine manual Volvo and same period API/SAE ratings, and feel that there is good reason to consider synthetic oils. Lots of opinions on that subject. (I called Volvo USA resulting in "We recommend Volvo products", no more statement, objection or support). Performance difference is well proven in heavy highway independent testing, including by Volvo. Shell/Rotella and Mobil 1/Delvac publish performance advantages and metrics over their own blended and dino oils, and on my boat the idle, operating and WOT temperature are slightly less, engine idles and runs at all speeds smoother and quieter. Constroversial to some TF members.
Enjoy the survey/discovery process and enjoy your new trawler. I've enjoyed 5 other boats in the past, but I have never enjoyed the water as much as I do with my trawler in coastal waters. Only big mistake was waiting too many years to switch to a trawler.
