A Marine Surveyor is a necessary CYA step. It appears that you can't buy a boat from a reputable broker without a survey. I suppose that's because you shouldn't buy a boat without a professional survey.

Unlike cars, boats appear to have a longer life and more complex set of safety regulations. Not more regulations -- cars are pretty heavily regulated -- but more complex regulations. I think it's because cars have fewer degrees of freedom. Boats vary from very small to very immense. My tender is regulated similarly to a cruise ship tender. Mine's a lot smaller.

Or perhaps because there are fewer manufacturers. Or perhaps cars were regulated from the earliest versions, where boats are traditionally unregulated.

Whatever the real reason, boats exist in a complex safety and regulatory framework. It takes a professional to show you what's required and what's desired.

The List

The going-in job list starts something like this. These are summarized a bit. Each boat is unique, so your list will be considerably different, even if it's an '82 Whitby.

• ❑ Equip vessel with required USCG and State equipment

• ❑ Foredeck repair

• ❑ Spinnaker pole bracket rebedding

• ❑ Seacock Servicing

• ❑ Galley sink drain

• ❑ Propane locker wiring

• ❑ Bilge pump wiring

• ❑ Headsail halyard wraps problem

• ❑ Water hoses for pressure system

• ❑ Refrigeration system

• ❑ Alternator/water pump belt loose

• ❑ Turning block on mizzen boom

• ❑ Knot meter does not register

• ❑ Standing water on top of keel fuel tank

• ❑ Water in keel step box

• ❑ Battery positive terminals not covered

It goes on; there's a second list of recommended changes. Plus there's another dozen nice-to-haves.

And that doesn't include removing the old television.

As soon as the funds transfer, we'll be back up to Deltaville to start in on "The List".