Used Sailing Yacht Pre-Purchase Checklist

Use this on a viewing, with a torch, a small mirror, a moisture-free rag and old clothes. Nothing here replaces a professional survey. The purpose is to decide, in an hour or two, whether this boat deserves the cost of a survey, a lift and your time — and to build the list of questions the surveyor should answer.

Hull and topsides

• Sight along the topsides from bow and stern for distortion, previous repairs or mismatched gelcoat
• Look for crazing concentrated around hardware, chainplates and the mast step rather than spread evenly
• Check the hull-to-deck joint along its length, inside and out, for weeping, sealant repairs or corroded fasteners
• Ask when the boat was last out of the water and whether osmosis has ever been treated

Keel and rudder

The keel-hull joint is the single most informative area you can look at ashore. A fine, consistent line is normal on many boats; a stepped crack, rust weeping from keel bolts, or filler that has broken away suggests a grounding or a joint that has worked. Inside the boat, check the bilge above the keel for cracked tabbing or distorted floors.

• Move the rudder lock to lock and feel for play in the bearings or shaft
• Look for rust streaks, blistering or a split along the rudder's trailing edge — signs of water inside the blade
• Ask about lifting-keel or centreboard mechanisms specifically; they carry their own maintenance history

Through-hulls and seacocks

Open and close every seacock you can reach. They should move without excessive force and without flexing the fitting. Look for green corrosion on bronze, dezincification (a pink, chalky look), soft or perished hoses, and single hose clamps where there should be two. Note anything you cannot reach — hidden, seized seacocks are a common surprise on older boats.

Standing rigging, mast and chainplates

From deck level you can learn a great deal without going aloft. Check the wire at every terminal for broken strands, rust staining or cracked swages, and look at the turnbuckles for bent threads and missing split pins. Inspect chainplate deck penetrations for dark staining around the sealant, and look at their bolts inside the boat where the interior allows.

• Ask for the date of the last re-rig and any rig inspection report
• At the mast base or step, look for corrosion, compression, standing water and cracks in the coachroof beneath
• Check the boom, gooseneck, vang and furling gear for play and corrosion

Running rigging, sails and deck hardware

• Halyards and sheets: chafe, hard spots, flattened cover, obvious age
• Sails: hoist or at least unroll them if possible; check UV strip, leech and foot condition, batten pockets, stitching along seams and the state of the sailcloth at the head and clew
• Winches: turn them, listen for grinding, ask when they were last serviced
• Deck hardware: loose or leaking fittings, crazing under tracks and cleats, cracked stanchion bases
• Ground tackle: chain condition, marking, windlass operation under load

Engine, hours and installation

Ask to start the engine cold. A cold start tells you far more than a warm one: watch for excessive smoke, hesitation and how the alternator light behaves. Hours matter far less than servicing — a 4,000-hour engine with a folder of receipts is usually a better prospect than a 900-hour engine that sat unused for a decade.

• Oil: level and colour, no mayonnaise-like emulsion on the dipstick or filler cap
• Raw-water circuit: strainer condition, impeller service records, salt crust or corrosion at the pump
• Exhaust: check the elbow and hose for corrosion and soot leaks; a corroded mixing elbow is common and not trivial
• Belts, mounts and the flexible coupling; check alignment concerns with the surveyor
• Fuel: tank access, sediment, filter age, any history of diesel bug or tank cleaning
• Gearbox or saildrive: oil condition, seal replacement date, anode state

Batteries, charging and electrics

• Battery age, type and whether they are secured against movement
• Charging sources: alternator, shore charger, solar; ask what the actual house consumption is
• Shore power: RCD present and tested, cable condition, galvanic isolation if fitted
• Wiring: look behind panels for tidy, labelled runs versus taped joints and added circuits
• Test everything that switches on: lights, pumps, instruments, autopilot, plotter, VHF and AIS

Plumbing, tanks, heads and bilges

• Run the fresh-water system and check the pump cycles cleanly; taste and smell the water
• Inspect tanks and their hoses where visible; look for staining beneath fittings
• Operate the heads fully; look for calcification, leaks at joints and the state of the holding tank system
• Bilges: a dry, clean bilge is a good sign, though a suspiciously fresh one is worth a question. Note salt crystals, oil and rust deposits

Interior signs of water and structure

Water leaves a record. Look at the underside of the deck around every fitting, at the headlining edges, in lockers and behind the settee backs for staining, swollen plywood or a musty smell. Where bulkheads are visible, check the tabbing where they meet the hull for cracking or separation, especially near the chainplates and the mast. Soft or springy areas of deck should be flagged for the surveyor rather than judged on the day.

Documentation and history

• Ownership and title documentation, registration, and confirmation the seller is entitled to sell
• Evidence of VAT or tax status where it applies in your jurisdiction
• Any outstanding finance, lien or mortgage registered against the boat
• Service history: engine, rig, sails, batteries, and the dates of major work
• Previous survey reports, and what was done about the findings
• A written inventory: what is included, what the owner is removing

What warrants a professional

Take these to specialists rather than trying to judge them yourself: moisture readings and any suspected core saturation in deck or hull; keel attachment and structural repairs; internal rig inspection and aloft work; osmosis assessment; engine compression, injectors and oil analysis; gas installation testing; and electrical installation compliance. A survey is normally done with the boat ashore, and the lift is usually the buyer's cost.

OnlySail is a marketplace. We do not carry out surveys, inspections or sea trials — appoint an independent, qualified surveyor of your own choosing and read the full report before committing.

The sea trial

Insist on sailing the boat, not just motoring it. Hoist the main and unroll the headsail, sail upwind and off the wind, tack and gybe, and let the autopilot steer for a while. Under engine, check the boat reaches sensible revs and speed without smoke or overheating, motor astern to see how she handles, and watch the charging behaviour. Note anything that only appears under load: vibration, a leaking stern gland, a jammed reefing line, a bearing that groans when the rig is loaded.

Turning findings into a decision

Sort what you find into three groups: items that are safety-critical and must be resolved before purchase, items with a known cost that belong in the price, and normal wear you accept for a boat of that age. Most negotiations resolve around the middle group. If the first group is long, walk away — there is always another boat, and the survey fee you spent is cheaper than the one you avoided.