Surveyor

[windrose]

I assume I have to pay for the insurance survey. What should I look for in a surveyor, know of a good one in the Annapolis area, what should I expect this to cost?

[Tim]

I assume I have to pay for the insurance survey.

Yes. I recall one insurance company that paid for its own surveys on commercial policies, but that's the only instance I have seen. (Not counting the so-called "short form" and the like...)

what should I expect this to cost?

Rates vary widely from region to region. Roughly, you should expect to pay in the neighborhood of $300-$400, give or take. There are always high and low exceptions, of course.

What should I look for in a surveyor...

Good sense of humor, spontaneity, good with animals and kids..oh, wait. That's something else.

Seriously, you want a surveyor who is used to dealing with smaller, older sailboats, so that they will have an understanding of the specifics of what you have done to the boat and be able to properly evaluate the whole boat. Stay away from the ones specializing in powerboats or large yachts; they'll be out of their element.

Some surveyors prepare only one kind of survey, no matter the purpose behind the need. Others delineate between an insurance survey and a pre-purchase survey. This may save you money and more specifically tailor the report to the needs at hand, but in the end of course you need to ensure that the report will be acceptable to all insurance companies, so most insurance surveys end up being rather comprehensive anyway.

There are dozens of surveyors in your area, probably with widely varying experience and specialties. Contact a few and see what clicks.