Pre-purchase Yacht Survey in Leros

I was back in Leros Marina carrying out a Pre-Purchase Yacht Survey on this Catamaran yesterday. This 1980's highly regarded Prout Snowgoose 37 has earned a well-deserved reputation as an exceptional blue water passage maker. With nearly 100 reported circumnavigations completed, you would be hard pressed to find another line with this track record.

Lifting her out for the bottom inspection

The low draft greatly increases the skipper’s anchoring options when storms approach, and makes her ideal for exploring the shallow waters found in coves around the Greek Islands.

The Prout family began building cats in the 1950s, and their boats have been well known and respected in the United Kingdom and Europe for half a century.

The interior is well executed with abundant storage and counter space. The liberal use of teak creates a warm and elegant atmosphere not seen on many modern day cats.

Surveyors comments: The Snowgoose 37 is a solid, capable world cruiser with a proven track record. It may not be as flashy as newer-designed cruising cats, but when the ocean is in an unpleasant mood the last thing on your mind is flashiness!

Thinking about buying a boat and need help, email me at  info@yachtsurveysgreece.com

Trawler Yacht Survey in Preveza

My last Survey in Missalongi, Preveza before heading back to Samos is this very popular American boat with traditional styling, a small mast behind the bridge, she has a straightforward aft cabin layout, the Mainship 40 was built on a solid glass hull with average beam 14' and fairly high freeboard. She has a old-fashion downeast profile, her performance and interior accommodation is similar to those of a modern motor yacht. The salon is particularly spacious, there's a convenient breakfast bar, which takes up little space. Both staterooms are arranged in the conventional manner. There is a tub/shower fitted in the aft head! Outside, the aft deck guest seating is provided aft of the helm. The Mainship 40 will cruise at a respectable 12 knots with 200-hp Perkins diesel engines.

The laminate of the hull bottom begins with a 20-mil gelcoat, followed by two layers of 1.5-ounce mat and a combined five layers of 24-ounce woven roving and mat. Fiberglass-encapsulated marine plywood stringers and bulkheads provide support. Her hull sides and exterior decks are cored with balsa. Fuel is carried in two aluminum tanks outboard of the engines.

Surveyors comments: If you have earned the right to slow down, the Mainship 400 Trawler would be an ideal choice for exploring the Greek islands. She is up for sale and the owner will look at sensible offer around 35,000 Euros. Cheap!! Drop me an email for more detail: info@yachtsurveysgreece.com 

Bavaria 42 Yacht Survey and Valuation at Aktion Storage Yard in Preveza

Today's second inspection in Aktion Storage Yard in Preveza was this Pre-Purchase Survey and Valuation on this 2007 Bavaria 42 'C' Sailing Yacht. 

Over the years since they started, Bavarias low price policy has been a major influence on other production manufacturers who have not wished to loose market share. Similar 2007 models are going for as little as 60,000 Euros!

A few Bavarias of a certain model had major keel issues due to inadequate engineering structure at the hull/keel joint a couple of years ago. Bavaria recalled the boats involved and came up with an engineering fix. It was only one Bavaria Match series which lost it's keel. No similar issues with any of the Bavaria cruiser range of which multiple 000's have been produced.

Aktion Marina is another massive storage yard in this very popular cruising ground of Greece.

Bavaria comments: A BAVARIA boat combines boat building tradition, German engineering and the ability to manufacture yachts precisely to the millimetre with the use of modern industrial production facilities. From bow to stern, every BAVARIA is a perfect combination of the highest quality, the best materials and the most innovative state-of-the-art fittings and equipment available in yacht building today.

Surveyors comments: Bavaria is in boats what Ford was in automobiles! 

Check out my new website and book that Survey! Yachtsurveysgreece.com

I have been surveying boats since 1995. By 2016 I will have completed over 3500 surveys, which have included 100's of types of sail and power boats. Having spent 15 years running a successful business in the UK, we now also have a base in Greece, and are able to travel to all the Greek Islands in the Cylades, Northern Aegian, Dodecanese, Ionian, Sporades and the Saronics. We specialise in Catamarans, Cruising Yachts, Sail boats, Motor Boats, Steel Yachts, and of course.... all Wooden Craft.

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Prout Catamaran Survey in Preveza

I had a good flight from Samos to Preveza via Athens. I set off at 730am and was here mid afternoon. I have three inspections to carry out over the next five days. This Prout built 39 foot Catamaran, an Escale model from 1993 being my first. 

A number of different layouts are available. This vessel has two heads, one in each hull, and three double-berths, each 15 feet away from the others, which provides privacy. The athwartships double-berths aft are excellent sea berths. One hull is for the owner and the other for crew and friends. A large galley with triple-sink unit and a nav-station with full-size Admiralty chart table, helps to keep both crew and skipper happy!

The shallow draft (3 feet 3 inches) allows you to cruise areas where most vessels cannot venture.

The Prout 39 is built for blue water cruising and passage-making. Although the price per foot is more than a monohull, the p catamaran design, introduced in 1991, is descended from a long pedigree of ocean cruising designs from Prout, such as the Quest 31 and 33, Event 34, Snowgoose 35 and 37, and the Ocean Ranger 45. 

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Three Marine Surveys in the Ionian Islands

I think the late 'winter nights' on-board 'Christina' marketing the new website  www.yachtsurveysgreece.com has paid off, as some interesting jobs are coming in from all corners of the Greek Islands. Next Wednesday im flying off to Preveza and Messolonghi for five days to Survey a 2006 Bavaria 42, a Prout Catamaran and a 1985 Mainship Nantucket 40. An interesting group of boats. The Prout Cats are a well-known build. The Prout family began building cats in the 1950s, and their boats have been well known and respected in the United Kingdom and Europe for half a century.

The Snowgoose 37 is not, by any means, a lightweight. The displacement of more than 5,600 pounds is heavier than some modern monohulls of a similar length. The early hulls, which include molded stub keels, are solid fiberglass, while new models are solid below the waterline and cored from the waterline north. The bridgedeck is solid, and although this adds weight it also provides rigidity between the hulls that a single crossbar can't match. The deck on the older boats is balsa cored, while some newer boats have been cored with other materials.Over the next two weeks i have one older and one newer model to survey. The one in the picture is the Elite model with the cored hull.