Every point carries its bound standard, so you never look a citation up in the field — and the moment a point is anything but green, the standard it fails is put in front of you. You record what you saw and how it failed; the flag derives itself.
223inspection points
Derivedseverity
11engine forms linked
→ deskemailed
How ESI runs a survey
Start at the top and work down. Rig, then deck, then topsides, then waterline, then bottom. Water travels down — work the same direction and you find the source, not just the stain.
Start at the bow and work back. Every section, every compartment, same direction, every time. A route you repeat is a route you can prove you completed.
Use your tools wisely. Where ESI already has a tool, use it. A number off the Go/No-Go tool or the wire calculator beats an opinion, and it is what makes the finding survive a challenge.
Finish as you go. Write the finding at the point, photograph it while you are standing there. A survey completed on the boat is a report that never needs a second visit.
Vessel type
Sail vessels get §18. On a power vessel that section is hidden and is not counted against you.
📄§0 · Scope, conduct and disclosure
Agreed and signed before the survey — not delivered after it.
Surveyor independence & disclosure
The surveyor is employed by Essential Shipyard Industries, a working boatyard. Notwithstanding that employment, this survey is rendered independently: the surveyor’s findings, classifications and conclusions are formed with full professional autonomy; the surveyor is not compensated on the basis of findings; and the yard exercises no input, direction, or influence over the survey’s observations or conclusions. Any repair or recommendation arising from this survey may be carried out by any qualified yard of the client’s choosing.
ESI does not use the word “appears.” The benchmark survey defines it as “a close inspection was not possible” and then uses it dozens of times as though it were a finding. Here, a point you could not inspect is GREY with a reason, and a point you inspected but could not confirm is UNVERIFIABLE. Those are different states, they are recorded in different places, and neither of them quietly reads as a pass.
Society report element designation unconfirmed
Element the societies expect in a survey report. Confirm wording against the SAMS Recommended Survey Report Content.
Element the societies expect to see in a survey report.
Confirm the wording against the SAMS Recommended Survey Report Content once membership grants access.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
Society report element designation unconfirmed
Element the societies expect in a survey report. Confirm wording against the SAMS Recommended Survey Report Content.
Element the societies expect to see in a survey report.
Confirm the wording against the SAMS Recommended Survey Report Content once membership grants access.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ESI method observation
No consensus standard governs this point. The finding is still made and cited as an ESI-method observation.
No consensus standard governs this point.
The finding is still made, and cited as a stated ESI-method observation.
Say what the criterion is and why it exists — the reader has never seen it before.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
📏§A2 · Instrumentation, calibration and settings
Fill this in before you touch the boat. An instrument with no settings recorded produces a picture, not a measurement.
Overclaiming from an instrument is the fastest route to a liability claim. Every reading in this report is reported with the instrument, the setting and the reference it was read against — which is what makes it a measurement rather than an impression.
📏 Instrument use and settingsMoisture meter — contact
It is comparative, not absolute. A number on its own is not a finding. Establish a baseline on a known-dry area of the same laminate, record it, and report every reading against that baseline.
Record the scale. Meters do not share a scale. “22” means nothing without the make, model and scale it was read on.
Record time since haul. A bottom straight out of the water reads high everywhere. Note the hours since haul-out and the weather — without it the reading is not defensible.
Surface must be clean and dry. Wet paint, growth and a damp rag all read as wet laminate.
Temperature shifts readings. Record ambient and surface temperature if either is unusual.
Moisture meter — non-contact / capacitance
Record the depth setting. Shallow mode reads the skin and gelcoat; deep mode reads into the laminate and core. They answer different questions and they disagree — a report that does not say which mode was used cannot be repeated.
Record the sensitivity / range setting as well as the depth mode.
Zero it on air, then on a known-dry reference of the same construction before you take a single reading that goes in the report.
It must sit flat. Curvature, voids and a gap under the pad all produce false highs.
It cannot tell water from metal. Backing plates, foil-faced insulation, tank walls and wiring behind the laminate all read wet. Confirm with a second method — sounding, or a contact meter — before you flag it.
Confirm before flagging. A single non-contact high reading is UNVERIFIABLE, not DEGRADED. It becomes degraded when a second method agrees or you cite a limit.
Thermal imager (IR camera)
An IR image without emissivity and reflected temperature is a picture, not data. Record both, every time, or the image is inadmissible as a measurement.
Set emissivity for the material. Painted GRP is around 0.95. Bare or polished metal is low and unreliable — put a tape target or a spot of paint on it and image that.
Record reflected apparent temperature and ambient.
Load the circuit before imaging electrical. A cold panel proves nothing except that nothing was drawing current.
Work in ΔT, not absolute. Compare a component against an identical adjacent one — terminal to terminal, cylinder to cylinder. The difference is the finding.
Sun loading and reflections make false hot spots. Shade it, or image it early.
IR temperature gun / pyrometer
Mind the spot-size ratio. At distance you are averaging a much larger area than you think, and the hot spot disappears into it. Get close, or use the imager.
Same emissivity problem as the imager — bare exhaust metal and polished manifolds read low.
Use it comparatively: cylinder to cylinder on the exhaust manifold, riser to riser, bearing to bearing. Record every reading in the set, not just the odd one.
Sounding hammer / percussion
Plastic or phenolic head only. Never steel on gelcoat — you will make the defect you are looking for.
Listen for a change in tone, not an absolute tone. Sharp and ringing means attached; dull and flat means disbond, void or wet core.
Consistent grid, consistent force, consistent drop height. Inconsistent technique produces inconsistent tone and a finding you cannot defend.
Mark, photograph and record the extent. “Some softness” is not a finding. A marked and photographed area with dimensions is.
Sound and moisture-meter together. Either one alone is weak; agreement between them is what makes DEGRADED defensible.
Battery tester and ripple-current test
Enter the battery’s rated CCA. A conductance tester without the correct rating printed on the battery entered into it returns a meaningless number.
Remove surface charge first — rest the battery, or apply a brief load. Testing straight off a charger reads high and passes bad batteries.
Test at the posts, not at the switch or the bus bar, or you are testing the cable.
Record state of charge and state of health separately. They are different findings: a discharged good battery and a charged dead one look the same on a voltmeter.
Ripple test — this is the one nobody else does. With the engine running at charging rpm, read AC volts across the DC bus. Elevated AC ripple on a DC system means failing alternator diodes. Record the mV reading and the rpm it was taken at.
Record the ripple figure even when it is good. That is a GREEN with a measurement behind it, and it is the kind of verification the incumbent report has none of.
Combustible gas detector / fuel sniffer
Bump-test before use. An un-bumped detector is an unverified instrument, and anything it tells you is UNVERIFIABLE. Record the bump test and the calibration date.
Sniff before you ventilate. Open the boat up first and you have destroyed the evidence. This is the single most common way the test gets wasted.
Sniff low. Gasoline vapour and propane are heavier than air — they sit in the bilge, under the sole, and in the bottom of the LPG locker.
Test the LPG locker drain, the bilge under the tanks, and the engine compartment before the blower runs.
A positive reading is a stop-work. Do not continue the survey, do not run anything electrical, get people off, and tell the desk.
Digital multimeter and corrosion reference
Record make and model. It goes in the instrumentation manifest like everything else.
Silver / silver-chloride half-cell for corrosion potential. The benchmark survey we compared against states plainly that a corrosion meter was not used — and then gives an opinion on the bonding system anyway. If you do not run the reference cell, the bonding system is UNVERIFIABLE and it is recorded as such.
Record the reference electrode type and the reading location. Readings are not comparable between electrode types.
Moisture — contact meter
Moisture — non-contact / capacitance
Thermal and temperature
Percussion
Electrical
Gas detection
ESI method observation
No consensus standard governs this point. The finding is still made and cited as an ESI-method observation.
No consensus standard governs this point.
The finding is still made, and cited as a stated ESI-method observation.
Say what the criterion is and why it exists — the reader has never seen it before.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
Other
🛥§1 · General information and vessel identity
Get this wrong and every finding attaches to the wrong hull.
33 / 46 CFR - Federal requirement designation unconfirmed
Mandatory federal regulation. Non-compliance is unlawful, not merely substandard.
HIN permanently affixed and matching the documentation.
Capacity and certification plate present where required.
PFDs, throwable, extinguishers, visual distress signals and sound device to the carriage requirements.
Navigation lights of the correct type showing the correct arcs.
MSD of a certified type, with the Y-valve secured where required.
Backfire flame arrestor and ventilation on gasoline installations.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
33 / 46 CFR - Federal requirement designation unconfirmed
Mandatory federal regulation. Non-compliance is unlawful, not merely substandard.
HIN permanently affixed and matching the documentation.
Capacity and certification plate present where required.
PFDs, throwable, extinguishers, visual distress signals and sound device to the carriage requirements.
Navigation lights of the correct type showing the correct arcs.
MSD of a certified type, with the Y-valve secured where required.
Backfire flame arrestor and ventilation on gasoline installations.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
33 / 46 CFR - Federal requirement designation unconfirmed
Mandatory federal regulation. Non-compliance is unlawful, not merely substandard.
HIN permanently affixed and matching the documentation.
Capacity and certification plate present where required.
PFDs, throwable, extinguishers, visual distress signals and sound device to the carriage requirements.
Navigation lights of the correct type showing the correct arcs.
MSD of a certified type, with the Y-valve secured where required.
Backfire flame arrestor and ventilation on gasoline installations.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
🛠§2 · Hull, deck and superstructure
Top down, bow to stern. Same route every time.
📏 Instrument use and settingsMoisture meter — contact
It is comparative, not absolute. A number on its own is not a finding. Establish a baseline on a known-dry area of the same laminate, record it, and report every reading against that baseline.
Record the scale. Meters do not share a scale. “22” means nothing without the make, model and scale it was read on.
Record time since haul. A bottom straight out of the water reads high everywhere. Note the hours since haul-out and the weather — without it the reading is not defensible.
Surface must be clean and dry. Wet paint, growth and a damp rag all read as wet laminate.
Temperature shifts readings. Record ambient and surface temperature if either is unusual.
Moisture meter — non-contact / capacitance
Record the depth setting. Shallow mode reads the skin and gelcoat; deep mode reads into the laminate and core. They answer different questions and they disagree — a report that does not say which mode was used cannot be repeated.
Record the sensitivity / range setting as well as the depth mode.
Zero it on air, then on a known-dry reference of the same construction before you take a single reading that goes in the report.
It must sit flat. Curvature, voids and a gap under the pad all produce false highs.
It cannot tell water from metal. Backing plates, foil-faced insulation, tank walls and wiring behind the laminate all read wet. Confirm with a second method — sounding, or a contact meter — before you flag it.
Confirm before flagging. A single non-contact high reading is UNVERIFIABLE, not DEGRADED. It becomes degraded when a second method agrees or you cite a limit.
Sounding hammer / percussion
Plastic or phenolic head only. Never steel on gelcoat — you will make the defect you are looking for.
Listen for a change in tone, not an absolute tone. Sharp and ringing means attached; dull and flat means disbond, void or wet core.
Consistent grid, consistent force, consistent drop height. Inconsistent technique produces inconsistent tone and a finding you cannot defend.
Mark, photograph and record the extent. “Some softness” is not a finding. A marked and photographed area with dimensions is.
Sound and moisture-meter together. Either one alone is weak; agreement between them is what makes DEGRADED defensible.
2.1 Hull construction
General good marine practice
No single standard governs this one - accepted trade practice and surveyor judgement apply.
No single standard governs this one.
Cite accepted trade practice, a manufacturer figure, or a measurement — and say which.
If you cannot cite anything, the honest classification is UNVERIFIABLE.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
General good marine practice
No single standard governs this one - accepted trade practice and surveyor judgement apply.
No single standard governs this one.
Cite accepted trade practice, a manufacturer figure, or a measurement — and say which.
If you cannot cite anything, the honest classification is UNVERIFIABLE.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
General good marine practice
No single standard governs this one - accepted trade practice and surveyor judgement apply.
No single standard governs this one.
Cite accepted trade practice, a manufacturer figure, or a measurement — and say which.
If you cannot cite anything, the honest classification is UNVERIFIABLE.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
General good marine practice
No single standard governs this one - accepted trade practice and surveyor judgement apply.
No single standard governs this one.
Cite accepted trade practice, a manufacturer figure, or a measurement — and say which.
If you cannot cite anything, the honest classification is UNVERIFIABLE.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
General good marine practice
No single standard governs this one - accepted trade practice and surveyor judgement apply.
No single standard governs this one.
Cite accepted trade practice, a manufacturer figure, or a measurement — and say which.
If you cannot cite anything, the honest classification is UNVERIFIABLE.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
General good marine practice
No single standard governs this one - accepted trade practice and surveyor judgement apply.
No single standard governs this one.
Cite accepted trade practice, a manufacturer figure, or a measurement — and say which.
If you cannot cite anything, the honest classification is UNVERIFIABLE.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ESI method observation
No consensus standard governs this point. The finding is still made and cited as an ESI-method observation.
No consensus standard governs this point.
The finding is still made, and cited as a stated ESI-method observation.
Say what the criterion is and why it exists — the reader has never seen it before.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
General good marine practice
No single standard governs this one - accepted trade practice and surveyor judgement apply.
No single standard governs this one.
Cite accepted trade practice, a manufacturer figure, or a measurement — and say which.
If you cannot cite anything, the honest classification is UNVERIFIABLE.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
General good marine practice
No single standard governs this one - accepted trade practice and surveyor judgement apply.
No single standard governs this one.
Cite accepted trade practice, a manufacturer figure, or a measurement — and say which.
If you cannot cite anything, the honest classification is UNVERIFIABLE.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
2.2 Transom
Manufacturer specification
The maker's own service data for this model and year. The factory number is the reference.
The maker's published figure for this model and year is the reference.
Where the OEM publishes a joint spec and a chart gives a different number, the joint spec wins.
Record where the number came from — manual, bulletin, or plate — so it can be checked.
Bottle locker vapour-tight to the interior of the boat, opening only to the atmosphere.
Drain at the bottom of the locker, discharging overboard above the waterline.
Solenoid at the bottle, with a remote switch and indicator at the appliance.
Continuous tubing with no joints inside accommodation spaces.
Pressure-drop leak test is the acceptance test — not a soap check.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
Manufacturer specification
The maker's own service data for this model and year. The factory number is the reference.
The maker's published figure for this model and year is the reference.
Where the OEM publishes a joint spec and a chart gives a different number, the joint spec wins.
Record where the number came from — manual, bulletin, or plate — so it can be checked.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
General good marine practice
No single standard governs this one - accepted trade practice and surveyor judgement apply.
No single standard governs this one.
Cite accepted trade practice, a manufacturer figure, or a measurement — and say which.
If you cannot cite anything, the honest classification is UNVERIFIABLE.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
General good marine practice
No single standard governs this one - accepted trade practice and surveyor judgement apply.
No single standard governs this one.
Cite accepted trade practice, a manufacturer figure, or a measurement — and say which.
If you cannot cite anything, the honest classification is UNVERIFIABLE.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
⚙️§4 · Propulsion machinery
You have a purpose-built form for this. Use it, attach it, roll the findings up here.
Note
The benchmark survey we compared against had a separate engine surveyor aboard and referred all machinery questions to that report. That is the market ESI already sells into — which is why the machinery track ships first.
🔧 Mechanical set — stop here and use the engine survey
There is a purpose-built form for every engine below. Open it, complete it, attach it to this report, and bring only the roll-up findings back. Do not re-derive machinery condition in the C&V.
Engine not listed? Complete the general points below, record what you could not verify, and flag it to the desk so a form gets built.
🔨 Ready-made ESI tools for this section
Runout and scoring to ACCEPT / CAUTION / REJECT against ABYC P-6-2021. The sample survey we benchmarked said only “some sloppiness when upward pressure applied.” This gives you a number instead.
📏 Instrument use and settingsIR temperature gun / pyrometer
Mind the spot-size ratio. At distance you are averaging a much larger area than you think, and the hot spot disappears into it. Get close, or use the imager.
Same emissivity problem as the imager — bare exhaust metal and polished manifolds read low.
Use it comparatively: cylinder to cylinder on the exhaust manifold, riser to riser, bearing to bearing. Record every reading in the set, not just the odd one.
Thermal imager (IR camera)
An IR image without emissivity and reflected temperature is a picture, not data. Record both, every time, or the image is inadmissible as a measurement.
Set emissivity for the material. Painted GRP is around 0.95. Bare or polished metal is low and unreliable — put a tape target or a spot of paint on it and image that.
Record reflected apparent temperature and ambient.
Load the circuit before imaging electrical. A cold panel proves nothing except that nothing was drawing current.
Work in ΔT, not absolute. Compare a component against an identical adjacent one — terminal to terminal, cylinder to cylinder. The difference is the finding.
Sun loading and reflections make false hot spots. Shade it, or image it early.
ESI method observation
No consensus standard governs this point. The finding is still made and cited as an ESI-method observation.
No consensus standard governs this point.
The finding is still made, and cited as a stated ESI-method observation.
Say what the criterion is and why it exists — the reader has never seen it before.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ESI method observation
No consensus standard governs this point. The finding is still made and cited as an ESI-method observation.
No consensus standard governs this point.
The finding is still made, and cited as a stated ESI-method observation.
Say what the criterion is and why it exists — the reader has never seen it before.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC P-4 - Inboard Engines & Transmissions
Engine mounting, guarding of rotating parts, belts, controls.
Engine secured to bearers able to take thrust and torque.
Rotating parts guarded where a person can reach them.
Controls operate ahead, neutral and astern positively, and return to neutral.
Engine can be shut down from the helm.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC P-6-2021 - Propeller Shafting Systems
Shaft, coupling, alignment, stuffing box or seal, cutless bearing.
Shaft material and diameter suited to the power and bearing spacing.
Coupling alignment inside the published tolerance — measured with feeler gauge, not judged by feel.
Cutless bearing play measured against the wear limit, not estimated.
Stuffing box or seal correctly adjusted, hose double clamped, no continuous drip on a dripless.
Shaft supported so there is no visible deflection under load.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
Manufacturer specification
The maker's own service data for this model and year. The factory number is the reference.
The maker's published figure for this model and year is the reference.
Where the OEM publishes a joint spec and a chart gives a different number, the joint spec wins.
Record where the number came from — manual, bulletin, or plate — so it can be checked.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC H-32-2023 - Ventilation, Diesel
Engine compartment ventilation on diesel vessels.
Natural ventilation for diesel engine compartments sized to the compartment.
Air supply adequate for combustion as well as cooling.
Openings positioned so a following sea cannot down-flood them.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC P-1-2025 - Marine Wet Exhaust Systems
Exhaust hose, riser and mixing elbow, water injection, backpressure.
Wet exhaust hose rated for the service and double clamped at each connection.
Riser or injection point high enough above the waterline to keep water out of the cylinders (verify the figure).
No low spots that trap water between the injection point and the transom.
Supported so the hose is not carrying the weight of the muffler or run.
Lagging intact on dry sections — an exposed dry riser is a burn and fire risk.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC P-1-2025 - Marine Wet Exhaust Systems
Exhaust hose, riser and mixing elbow, water injection, backpressure.
Wet exhaust hose rated for the service and double clamped at each connection.
Riser or injection point high enough above the waterline to keep water out of the cylinders (verify the figure).
No low spots that trap water between the injection point and the transom.
Supported so the hose is not carrying the weight of the muffler or run.
Lagging intact on dry sections — an exposed dry riser is a burn and fire risk.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
Manufacturer specification
The maker's own service data for this model and year. The factory number is the reference.
The maker's published figure for this model and year is the reference.
Where the OEM publishes a joint spec and a chart gives a different number, the joint spec wins.
Record where the number came from — manual, bulletin, or plate — so it can be checked.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
Manufacturer specification
The maker's own service data for this model and year. The factory number is the reference.
The maker's published figure for this model and year is the reference.
Where the OEM publishes a joint spec and a chart gives a different number, the joint spec wins.
Record where the number came from — manual, bulletin, or plate — so it can be checked.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
General good marine practice
No single standard governs this one - accepted trade practice and surveyor judgement apply.
No single standard governs this one.
Cite accepted trade practice, a manufacturer figure, or a measurement — and say which.
If you cannot cite anything, the honest classification is UNVERIFIABLE.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC P-4 - Inboard Engines & Transmissions
Engine mounting, guarding of rotating parts, belts, controls.
Engine secured to bearers able to take thrust and torque.
Rotating parts guarded where a person can reach them.
Controls operate ahead, neutral and astern positively, and return to neutral.
Engine can be shut down from the helm.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ESI method observation
No consensus standard governs this point. The finding is still made and cited as an ESI-method observation.
No consensus standard governs this point.
The finding is still made, and cited as a stated ESI-method observation.
Say what the criterion is and why it exists — the reader has never seen it before.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
Transmission
Manufacturer specification
The maker's own service data for this model and year. The factory number is the reference.
The maker's published figure for this model and year is the reference.
Where the OEM publishes a joint spec and a chart gives a different number, the joint spec wins.
Record where the number came from — manual, bulletin, or plate — so it can be checked.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
Manufacturer specification
The maker's own service data for this model and year. The factory number is the reference.
The maker's published figure for this model and year is the reference.
Where the OEM publishes a joint spec and a chart gives a different number, the joint spec wins.
Record where the number came from — manual, bulletin, or plate — so it can be checked.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
Shafting and stern gear
ABYC P-6-2021 - Propeller Shafting Systems
Shaft, coupling, alignment, stuffing box or seal, cutless bearing.
Shaft material and diameter suited to the power and bearing spacing.
Coupling alignment inside the published tolerance — measured with feeler gauge, not judged by feel.
Cutless bearing play measured against the wear limit, not estimated.
Stuffing box or seal correctly adjusted, hose double clamped, no continuous drip on a dripless.
Shaft supported so there is no visible deflection under load.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC P-6-2021 - Propeller Shafting Systems
Shaft, coupling, alignment, stuffing box or seal, cutless bearing.
Shaft material and diameter suited to the power and bearing spacing.
Coupling alignment inside the published tolerance — measured with feeler gauge, not judged by feel.
Cutless bearing play measured against the wear limit, not estimated.
Stuffing box or seal correctly adjusted, hose double clamped, no continuous drip on a dripless.
Shaft supported so there is no visible deflection under load.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC P-6-2021 - Propeller Shafting Systems
Shaft, coupling, alignment, stuffing box or seal, cutless bearing.
Shaft material and diameter suited to the power and bearing spacing.
Coupling alignment inside the published tolerance — measured with feeler gauge, not judged by feel.
Cutless bearing play measured against the wear limit, not estimated.
Stuffing box or seal correctly adjusted, hose double clamped, no continuous drip on a dripless.
Shaft supported so there is no visible deflection under load.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
⛽§5 · Fuel system
Fire and explosion live in this section.
📏 Instrument use and settingsCombustible gas detector / fuel sniffer
Bump-test before use. An un-bumped detector is an unverified instrument, and anything it tells you is UNVERIFIABLE. Record the bump test and the calibration date.
Sniff before you ventilate. Open the boat up first and you have destroyed the evidence. This is the single most common way the test gets wasted.
Sniff low. Gasoline vapour and propane are heavier than air — they sit in the bilge, under the sole, and in the bottom of the LPG locker.
Test the LPG locker drain, the bilge under the tanks, and the engine compartment before the blower runs.
A positive reading is a stop-work. Do not continue the survey, do not run anything electrical, get people off, and tell the desk.
ABYC H-33-2021 - Diesel Fuel Systems
Tanks, lines, filters and separators, connections, leak prevention.
Tanks labelled, supported, and accessible for inspection.
Fuel hose carrying the correct type marking and within its date.
Shut-off valve at the tank, accessible.
Fill and vent arranged so fuel cannot be taken aboard into the bilge.
Filters and separators mounted so they can be serviced without spilling into the bilge.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC H-33-2021 - Diesel Fuel Systems
Tanks, lines, filters and separators, connections, leak prevention.
Tanks labelled, supported, and accessible for inspection.
Fuel hose carrying the correct type marking and within its date.
Shut-off valve at the tank, accessible.
Fill and vent arranged so fuel cannot be taken aboard into the bilge.
Filters and separators mounted so they can be serviced without spilling into the bilge.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC H-33-2021 - Diesel Fuel Systems
Tanks, lines, filters and separators, connections, leak prevention.
Tanks labelled, supported, and accessible for inspection.
Fuel hose carrying the correct type marking and within its date.
Shut-off valve at the tank, accessible.
Fill and vent arranged so fuel cannot be taken aboard into the bilge.
Filters and separators mounted so they can be serviced without spilling into the bilge.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC H-33-2021 - Diesel Fuel Systems
Tanks, lines, filters and separators, connections, leak prevention.
Tanks labelled, supported, and accessible for inspection.
Fuel hose carrying the correct type marking and within its date.
Shut-off valve at the tank, accessible.
Fill and vent arranged so fuel cannot be taken aboard into the bilge.
Filters and separators mounted so they can be serviced without spilling into the bilge.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC H-33-2021 - Diesel Fuel Systems
Tanks, lines, filters and separators, connections, leak prevention.
Tanks labelled, supported, and accessible for inspection.
Fuel hose carrying the correct type marking and within its date.
Shut-off valve at the tank, accessible.
Fill and vent arranged so fuel cannot be taken aboard into the bilge.
Filters and separators mounted so they can be serviced without spilling into the bilge.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC H-33-2021 - Diesel Fuel Systems
Tanks, lines, filters and separators, connections, leak prevention.
Tanks labelled, supported, and accessible for inspection.
Fuel hose carrying the correct type marking and within its date.
Shut-off valve at the tank, accessible.
Fill and vent arranged so fuel cannot be taken aboard into the bilge.
Filters and separators mounted so they can be serviced without spilling into the bilge.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC H-33-2021 - Diesel Fuel Systems
Tanks, lines, filters and separators, connections, leak prevention.
Tanks labelled, supported, and accessible for inspection.
Fuel hose carrying the correct type marking and within its date.
Shut-off valve at the tank, accessible.
Fill and vent arranged so fuel cannot be taken aboard into the bilge.
Filters and separators mounted so they can be serviced without spilling into the bilge.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ESI method observation
No consensus standard governs this point. The finding is still made and cited as an ESI-method observation.
No consensus standard governs this point.
The finding is still made, and cited as a stated ESI-method observation.
Say what the criterion is and why it exists — the reader has never seen it before.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC H-33-2021 - Diesel Fuel Systems
Tanks, lines, filters and separators, connections, leak prevention.
Tanks labelled, supported, and accessible for inspection.
Fuel hose carrying the correct type marking and within its date.
Shut-off valve at the tank, accessible.
Fill and vent arranged so fuel cannot be taken aboard into the bilge.
Filters and separators mounted so they can be serviced without spilling into the bilge.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC H-24-2025 - Gasoline Fuel Systems designation unconfirmed
📏 Instrument use and settingsBattery tester and ripple-current test
Enter the battery’s rated CCA. A conductance tester without the correct rating printed on the battery entered into it returns a meaningless number.
Remove surface charge first — rest the battery, or apply a brief load. Testing straight off a charger reads high and passes bad batteries.
Test at the posts, not at the switch or the bus bar, or you are testing the cable.
Record state of charge and state of health separately. They are different findings: a discharged good battery and a charged dead one look the same on a voltmeter.
Ripple test — this is the one nobody else does. With the engine running at charging rpm, read AC volts across the DC bus. Elevated AC ripple on a DC system means failing alternator diodes. Record the mV reading and the rpm it was taken at.
Record the ripple figure even when it is good. That is a GREEN with a measurement behind it, and it is the kind of verification the incumbent report has none of.
Thermal imager (IR camera)
An IR image without emissivity and reflected temperature is a picture, not data. Record both, every time, or the image is inadmissible as a measurement.
Set emissivity for the material. Painted GRP is around 0.95. Bare or polished metal is low and unreliable — put a tape target or a spot of paint on it and image that.
Record reflected apparent temperature and ambient.
Load the circuit before imaging electrical. A cold panel proves nothing except that nothing was drawing current.
Work in ΔT, not absolute. Compare a component against an identical adjacent one — terminal to terminal, cylinder to cylinder. The difference is the finding.
Sun loading and reflections make false hot spots. Shade it, or image it early.
6.1 DC system
ABYC E-11-2025 - AC & DC Electrical Systems
Conductor size and routing, over-current protection, grounds, connections, charging.
Conductors sized for BOTH ampacity and voltage drop — 3% for critical circuits, 10% non-critical (verify).
Over-current protection close to the source of power (verify the distance allowance).
No wire nuts or twist-on connectors. Ring or captive spade terminals.
Conductors supported at intervals and protected from chafe where they pass through structure.
AC and DC conductors not run in the same bundle without separation.
Batteries secured against tilt; positive terminals insulated against accidental shorting.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC E-11-2025 - AC & DC Electrical Systems
Conductor size and routing, over-current protection, grounds, connections, charging.
Conductors sized for BOTH ampacity and voltage drop — 3% for critical circuits, 10% non-critical (verify).
Over-current protection close to the source of power (verify the distance allowance).
No wire nuts or twist-on connectors. Ring or captive spade terminals.
Conductors supported at intervals and protected from chafe where they pass through structure.
AC and DC conductors not run in the same bundle without separation.
Batteries secured against tilt; positive terminals insulated against accidental shorting.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC E-11-2025 - AC & DC Electrical Systems
Conductor size and routing, over-current protection, grounds, connections, charging.
Conductors sized for BOTH ampacity and voltage drop — 3% for critical circuits, 10% non-critical (verify).
Over-current protection close to the source of power (verify the distance allowance).
No wire nuts or twist-on connectors. Ring or captive spade terminals.
Conductors supported at intervals and protected from chafe where they pass through structure.
AC and DC conductors not run in the same bundle without separation.
Batteries secured against tilt; positive terminals insulated against accidental shorting.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC E-11-2025 - AC & DC Electrical Systems for this point
Conductor size and routing, over-current protection, grounds, connections, charging.
Meter on AC volts, probes across the DC bus, engine running at charging rpm.
A healthy alternator gives a low AC reading on the DC bus. A high reading means one or more diodes have failed.
Record the millivolt figure AND the rpm it was read at — a number without the rpm is not repeatable.
Confirm the acceptance threshold against the alternator maker's data before calling it a finding (confirm).
Record the figure even when it passes. That is a GREEN with a measurement behind it, and almost no incumbent report has one.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC E-13-2025 - Lithium Ion Batteries
Lithium house banks: BMS, protection, installation, charge control.
Lithium banks require a BMS able to disconnect on over-voltage, under-voltage, over-current and temperature.
Charging sources must be controlled so the BMS is not the routine disconnect.
Installation location, ventilation and mounting per the maker's instructions.
Confirm the vessel's charging system was reconfigured when the bank was converted — a drop-in swap is a finding.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC E-11-2025 - AC & DC Electrical Systems
Conductor size and routing, over-current protection, grounds, connections, charging.
Conductors sized for BOTH ampacity and voltage drop — 3% for critical circuits, 10% non-critical (verify).
Over-current protection close to the source of power (verify the distance allowance).
No wire nuts or twist-on connectors. Ring or captive spade terminals.
Conductors supported at intervals and protected from chafe where they pass through structure.
AC and DC conductors not run in the same bundle without separation.
Batteries secured against tilt; positive terminals insulated against accidental shorting.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC E-11-2025 - AC & DC Electrical Systems for this point
Conductor size and routing, over-current protection, grounds, connections, charging.
The fuse protects the CONDUCTOR, not the device. Size it to the wire, then check the device is separately protected.
Over-current protection within 7 in of the connection to the source of power (confirm against current edition).
Up to 40 in if the conductor is contained throughout its length in a sheath or enclosure (confirm).
Longer allowance for cranking-motor conductors, and engine-cranking circuits carry their own exceptions (confirm).
AIC rating must exceed the bank's available short-circuit current. This is the one people miss on lithium and large AGM banks — a 5,000 A fuse on a bank that can deliver more is not protection.
A battery switch is NOT over-current protection. If the only thing between the bank and the boat is a switch, the mode is ABSENT.
Protection goes on the positive conductor, as close to the battery as practicable.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC E-11-2025 - AC & DC Electrical Systems for this point
Conductor size and routing, over-current protection, grounds, connections, charging.
Size for BOTH ampacity and voltage drop, then take the larger wire. Ampacity alone passes wire that browns out the load.
3% voltage drop for panelboard feeds, navigation lights, electronics and other critical circuits (confirm).
10% for non-critical loads (confirm).
Length is the round trip — positive plus return, not one-way. Halving it is the most common error in the field.
Derate for engine-space temperature and for bundling. A conductor correct on the chart can be undersized in a hot engine room.
Use the ESI Wire Calculator and put the resulting AWG and the drop figure in the measurement field.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC E-11-2025 - AC & DC Electrical Systems
Conductor size and routing, over-current protection, grounds, connections, charging.
Conductors sized for BOTH ampacity and voltage drop — 3% for critical circuits, 10% non-critical (verify).
Over-current protection close to the source of power (verify the distance allowance).
No wire nuts or twist-on connectors. Ring or captive spade terminals.
Conductors supported at intervals and protected from chafe where they pass through structure.
AC and DC conductors not run in the same bundle without separation.
Batteries secured against tilt; positive terminals insulated against accidental shorting.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC E-11-2025 - AC & DC Electrical Systems
Conductor size and routing, over-current protection, grounds, connections, charging.
Conductors sized for BOTH ampacity and voltage drop — 3% for critical circuits, 10% non-critical (verify).
Over-current protection close to the source of power (verify the distance allowance).
No wire nuts or twist-on connectors. Ring or captive spade terminals.
Conductors supported at intervals and protected from chafe where they pass through structure.
AC and DC conductors not run in the same bundle without separation.
Batteries secured against tilt; positive terminals insulated against accidental shorting.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC E-11-2025 - AC & DC Electrical Systems
Conductor size and routing, over-current protection, grounds, connections, charging.
Conductors sized for BOTH ampacity and voltage drop — 3% for critical circuits, 10% non-critical (verify).
Over-current protection close to the source of power (verify the distance allowance).
No wire nuts or twist-on connectors. Ring or captive spade terminals.
Conductors supported at intervals and protected from chafe where they pass through structure.
AC and DC conductors not run in the same bundle without separation.
Batteries secured against tilt; positive terminals insulated against accidental shorting.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC E-11-2025 - AC & DC Electrical Systems
Conductor size and routing, over-current protection, grounds, connections, charging.
Conductors sized for BOTH ampacity and voltage drop — 3% for critical circuits, 10% non-critical (verify).
Over-current protection close to the source of power (verify the distance allowance).
No wire nuts or twist-on connectors. Ring or captive spade terminals.
Conductors supported at intervals and protected from chafe where they pass through structure.
AC and DC conductors not run in the same bundle without separation.
Batteries secured against tilt; positive terminals insulated against accidental shorting.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC E-11-2025 - AC & DC Electrical Systems
Conductor size and routing, over-current protection, grounds, connections, charging.
Conductors sized for BOTH ampacity and voltage drop — 3% for critical circuits, 10% non-critical (verify).
Over-current protection close to the source of power (verify the distance allowance).
No wire nuts or twist-on connectors. Ring or captive spade terminals.
Conductors supported at intervals and protected from chafe where they pass through structure.
AC and DC conductors not run in the same bundle without separation.
Batteries secured against tilt; positive terminals insulated against accidental shorting.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
6.2 AC system
ABYC E-11-2025 - AC & DC Electrical Systems
Conductor size and routing, over-current protection, grounds, connections, charging.
Conductors sized for BOTH ampacity and voltage drop — 3% for critical circuits, 10% non-critical (verify).
Over-current protection close to the source of power (verify the distance allowance).
No wire nuts or twist-on connectors. Ring or captive spade terminals.
Conductors supported at intervals and protected from chafe where they pass through structure.
AC and DC conductors not run in the same bundle without separation.
Batteries secured against tilt; positive terminals insulated against accidental shorting.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC E-11-2025 - AC & DC Electrical Systems
Conductor size and routing, over-current protection, grounds, connections, charging.
Conductors sized for BOTH ampacity and voltage drop — 3% for critical circuits, 10% non-critical (verify).
Over-current protection close to the source of power (verify the distance allowance).
No wire nuts or twist-on connectors. Ring or captive spade terminals.
Conductors supported at intervals and protected from chafe where they pass through structure.
AC and DC conductors not run in the same bundle without separation.
Batteries secured against tilt; positive terminals insulated against accidental shorting.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC E-11-2025 - AC & DC Electrical Systems
Conductor size and routing, over-current protection, grounds, connections, charging.
Conductors sized for BOTH ampacity and voltage drop — 3% for critical circuits, 10% non-critical (verify).
Over-current protection close to the source of power (verify the distance allowance).
No wire nuts or twist-on connectors. Ring or captive spade terminals.
Conductors supported at intervals and protected from chafe where they pass through structure.
AC and DC conductors not run in the same bundle without separation.
Batteries secured against tilt; positive terminals insulated against accidental shorting.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC E-11-2025 - AC & DC Electrical Systems
Conductor size and routing, over-current protection, grounds, connections, charging.
Conductors sized for BOTH ampacity and voltage drop — 3% for critical circuits, 10% non-critical (verify).
Over-current protection close to the source of power (verify the distance allowance).
No wire nuts or twist-on connectors. Ring or captive spade terminals.
Conductors supported at intervals and protected from chafe where they pass through structure.
AC and DC conductors not run in the same bundle without separation.
Batteries secured against tilt; positive terminals insulated against accidental shorting.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC E-11-2025 - AC & DC Electrical Systems
Conductor size and routing, over-current protection, grounds, connections, charging.
Conductors sized for BOTH ampacity and voltage drop — 3% for critical circuits, 10% non-critical (verify).
Over-current protection close to the source of power (verify the distance allowance).
No wire nuts or twist-on connectors. Ring or captive spade terminals.
Conductors supported at intervals and protected from chafe where they pass through structure.
AC and DC conductors not run in the same bundle without separation.
Batteries secured against tilt; positive terminals insulated against accidental shorting.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC E-11-2025 - AC & DC Electrical Systems
Conductor size and routing, over-current protection, grounds, connections, charging.
Conductors sized for BOTH ampacity and voltage drop — 3% for critical circuits, 10% non-critical (verify).
Over-current protection close to the source of power (verify the distance allowance).
No wire nuts or twist-on connectors. Ring or captive spade terminals.
Conductors supported at intervals and protected from chafe where they pass through structure.
AC and DC conductors not run in the same bundle without separation.
Batteries secured against tilt; positive terminals insulated against accidental shorting.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC E-11-2025 - AC & DC Electrical Systems
Conductor size and routing, over-current protection, grounds, connections, charging.
Conductors sized for BOTH ampacity and voltage drop — 3% for critical circuits, 10% non-critical (verify).
Over-current protection close to the source of power (verify the distance allowance).
No wire nuts or twist-on connectors. Ring or captive spade terminals.
Conductors supported at intervals and protected from chafe where they pass through structure.
AC and DC conductors not run in the same bundle without separation.
Batteries secured against tilt; positive terminals insulated against accidental shorting.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC E-11-2025 - AC & DC Electrical Systems
Conductor size and routing, over-current protection, grounds, connections, charging.
Conductors sized for BOTH ampacity and voltage drop — 3% for critical circuits, 10% non-critical (verify).
Over-current protection close to the source of power (verify the distance allowance).
No wire nuts or twist-on connectors. Ring or captive spade terminals.
Conductors supported at intervals and protected from chafe where they pass through structure.
AC and DC conductors not run in the same bundle without separation.
Batteries secured against tilt; positive terminals insulated against accidental shorting.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC E-11-2025 - AC & DC Electrical Systems
Conductor size and routing, over-current protection, grounds, connections, charging.
Conductors sized for BOTH ampacity and voltage drop — 3% for critical circuits, 10% non-critical (verify).
Over-current protection close to the source of power (verify the distance allowance).
No wire nuts or twist-on connectors. Ring or captive spade terminals.
Conductors supported at intervals and protected from chafe where they pass through structure.
AC and DC conductors not run in the same bundle without separation.
Batteries secured against tilt; positive terminals insulated against accidental shorting.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC E-11-2025 - AC & DC Electrical Systems
Conductor size and routing, over-current protection, grounds, connections, charging.
Conductors sized for BOTH ampacity and voltage drop — 3% for critical circuits, 10% non-critical (verify).
Over-current protection close to the source of power (verify the distance allowance).
No wire nuts or twist-on connectors. Ring or captive spade terminals.
Conductors supported at intervals and protected from chafe where they pass through structure.
AC and DC conductors not run in the same bundle without separation.
Batteries secured against tilt; positive terminals insulated against accidental shorting.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
6.3 Generator and inverter
ABYC P-1-2025 - Marine Wet Exhaust Systems
Exhaust hose, riser and mixing elbow, water injection, backpressure.
Wet exhaust hose rated for the service and double clamped at each connection.
Riser or injection point high enough above the waterline to keep water out of the cylinders (verify the figure).
No low spots that trap water between the injection point and the transom.
Supported so the hose is not carrying the weight of the muffler or run.
Lagging intact on dry sections — an exposed dry riser is a burn and fire risk.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
Manufacturer specification
The maker's own service data for this model and year. The factory number is the reference.
The maker's published figure for this model and year is the reference.
Where the OEM publishes a joint spec and a chart gives a different number, the joint spec wins.
Record where the number came from — manual, bulletin, or plate — so it can be checked.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC E-11-2025 - AC & DC Electrical Systems
Conductor size and routing, over-current protection, grounds, connections, charging.
Conductors sized for BOTH ampacity and voltage drop — 3% for critical circuits, 10% non-critical (verify).
Over-current protection close to the source of power (verify the distance allowance).
No wire nuts or twist-on connectors. Ring or captive spade terminals.
Conductors supported at intervals and protected from chafe where they pass through structure.
AC and DC conductors not run in the same bundle without separation.
Batteries secured against tilt; positive terminals insulated against accidental shorting.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
🚿§7 · Fresh water system
General good marine practice
No single standard governs this one - accepted trade practice and surveyor judgement apply.
No single standard governs this one.
Cite accepted trade practice, a manufacturer figure, or a measurement — and say which.
If you cannot cite anything, the honest classification is UNVERIFIABLE.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
Manufacturer specification
The maker's own service data for this model and year. The factory number is the reference.
The maker's published figure for this model and year is the reference.
Where the OEM publishes a joint spec and a chart gives a different number, the joint spec wins.
Record where the number came from — manual, bulletin, or plate — so it can be checked.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
Manufacturer specification
The maker's own service data for this model and year. The factory number is the reference.
The maker's published figure for this model and year is the reference.
Where the OEM publishes a joint spec and a chart gives a different number, the joint spec wins.
Record where the number came from — manual, bulletin, or plate — so it can be checked.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
General good marine practice
No single standard governs this one - accepted trade practice and surveyor judgement apply.
No single standard governs this one.
Cite accepted trade practice, a manufacturer figure, or a measurement — and say which.
If you cannot cite anything, the honest classification is UNVERIFIABLE.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
General good marine practice
No single standard governs this one - accepted trade practice and surveyor judgement apply.
No single standard governs this one.
Cite accepted trade practice, a manufacturer figure, or a measurement — and say which.
If you cannot cite anything, the honest classification is UNVERIFIABLE.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
🚽§8 · Sanitation — black and grey water
Federal requirements live here.
33 / 46 CFR - Federal requirement designation unconfirmed
Mandatory federal regulation. Non-compliance is unlawful, not merely substandard.
HIN permanently affixed and matching the documentation.
Capacity and certification plate present where required.
PFDs, throwable, extinguishers, visual distress signals and sound device to the carriage requirements.
Navigation lights of the correct type showing the correct arcs.
MSD of a certified type, with the Y-valve secured where required.
Backfire flame arrestor and ventilation on gasoline installations.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
33 / 46 CFR - Federal requirement designation unconfirmed
Mandatory federal regulation. Non-compliance is unlawful, not merely substandard.
HIN permanently affixed and matching the documentation.
Capacity and certification plate present where required.
PFDs, throwable, extinguishers, visual distress signals and sound device to the carriage requirements.
Navigation lights of the correct type showing the correct arcs.
MSD of a certified type, with the Y-valve secured where required.
Backfire flame arrestor and ventilation on gasoline installations.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
General good marine practice
No single standard governs this one - accepted trade practice and surveyor judgement apply.
No single standard governs this one.
Cite accepted trade practice, a manufacturer figure, or a measurement — and say which.
If you cannot cite anything, the honest classification is UNVERIFIABLE.
Below-waterline penetrations: seacock strength and operation, hose, double clamping.
Below-waterline seacocks must operate through full travel without tools.
Two clamps at each below-waterline hose connection where the hose end allows.
Corrosion-resistant clamps, all-metal band and screw. Perforated-band clamps are not acceptable.
Materials compatible below the waterline — plain brass dezincifies and is a finding.
Seacock able to take a static load applied at the inboard end (verify the figure).
Accessible for operation and service without dismantling joinery.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
General good marine practice
No single standard governs this one - accepted trade practice and surveyor judgement apply.
No single standard governs this one.
Cite accepted trade practice, a manufacturer figure, or a measurement — and say which.
If you cannot cite anything, the honest classification is UNVERIFIABLE.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
General good marine practice
No single standard governs this one - accepted trade practice and surveyor judgement apply.
No single standard governs this one.
Cite accepted trade practice, a manufacturer figure, or a measurement — and say which.
If you cannot cite anything, the honest classification is UNVERIFIABLE.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
⚡§13 · Bonding and cathodic protection
This is the section the benchmark survey admitted it did not measure.
📏 Instrument use and settingsDigital multimeter and corrosion reference
Record make and model. It goes in the instrumentation manifest like everything else.
Silver / silver-chloride half-cell for corrosion potential. The benchmark survey we compared against states plainly that a corrosion meter was not used — and then gives an opinion on the bonding system anyway. If you do not run the reference cell, the bonding system is UNVERIFIABLE and it is recorded as such.
Record the reference electrode type and the reading location. Readings are not comparable between electrode types.
ABYC E-2-2025 - Cathodic Protection
Bonding and sacrificial anodes on underwater metals.
Underwater metals bonded to a common conductor with continuity you can measure.
Anode material matched to the water — magnesium fresh, aluminium brackish, zinc salt.
Anodes mounted on clean bright metal with a confirmed electrical path.
Corrosion potential measured with a silver/silver-chloride reference cell — without it, the system is UNVERIFIABLE.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC E-2-2025 - Cathodic Protection
Bonding and sacrificial anodes on underwater metals.
Underwater metals bonded to a common conductor with continuity you can measure.
Anode material matched to the water — magnesium fresh, aluminium brackish, zinc salt.
Anodes mounted on clean bright metal with a confirmed electrical path.
Corrosion potential measured with a silver/silver-chloride reference cell — without it, the system is UNVERIFIABLE.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC E-2-2025 - Cathodic Protection
Bonding and sacrificial anodes on underwater metals.
Underwater metals bonded to a common conductor with continuity you can measure.
Anode material matched to the water — magnesium fresh, aluminium brackish, zinc salt.
Anodes mounted on clean bright metal with a confirmed electrical path.
Corrosion potential measured with a silver/silver-chloride reference cell — without it, the system is UNVERIFIABLE.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC E-2-2025 - Cathodic Protection for this point
Bonding and sacrificial anodes on underwater metals.
Silver / silver-chloride reference cell in the water, meter negative to the cell, positive to the bonding system.
Record every reading location and the electrode type — readings from different electrode types are not comparable.
Protected potential ranges differ by metal. Confirm the target band for the metal you are measuring (confirm).
Over-protection is also a finding on aluminium drives — it lifts paint and generates hydrogen.
If you did not carry the cell, this point is GREY with that reason. Do not give an opinion on the bonding system without it.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC E-2-2025 - Cathodic Protection for this point
Bonding and sacrificial anodes on underwater metals.
Zinc for salt, aluminium for brackish, magnesium for fresh.
Magnesium on a salt-water boat depletes very fast and can over-protect and blister paint. That is NON-COMPLIANT INSTALLATION, not wear.
Aluminium is the general-purpose choice and is acceptable in salt as well as brackish.
Read the casting mark rather than guessing from colour.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC E-2-2025 - Cathodic Protection
Bonding and sacrificial anodes on underwater metals.
Underwater metals bonded to a common conductor with continuity you can measure.
Anode material matched to the water — magnesium fresh, aluminium brackish, zinc salt.
Anodes mounted on clean bright metal with a confirmed electrical path.
Corrosion potential measured with a silver/silver-chloride reference cell — without it, the system is UNVERIFIABLE.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC E-2-2025 - Cathodic Protection
Bonding and sacrificial anodes on underwater metals.
Underwater metals bonded to a common conductor with continuity you can measure.
Anode material matched to the water — magnesium fresh, aluminium brackish, zinc salt.
Anodes mounted on clean bright metal with a confirmed electrical path.
Corrosion potential measured with a silver/silver-chloride reference cell — without it, the system is UNVERIFIABLE.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC E-11-2025 - AC & DC Electrical Systems
Conductor size and routing, over-current protection, grounds, connections, charging.
Conductors sized for BOTH ampacity and voltage drop — 3% for critical circuits, 10% non-critical (verify).
Over-current protection close to the source of power (verify the distance allowance).
No wire nuts or twist-on connectors. Ring or captive spade terminals.
Conductors supported at intervals and protected from chafe where they pass through structure.
AC and DC conductors not run in the same bundle without separation.
Batteries secured against tilt; positive terminals insulated against accidental shorting.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
🧯§14 · Safety equipment
33 / 46 CFR - Federal requirement designation unconfirmed
Mandatory federal regulation. Non-compliance is unlawful, not merely substandard.
HIN permanently affixed and matching the documentation.
Capacity and certification plate present where required.
PFDs, throwable, extinguishers, visual distress signals and sound device to the carriage requirements.
Navigation lights of the correct type showing the correct arcs.
MSD of a certified type, with the Y-valve secured where required.
Backfire flame arrestor and ventilation on gasoline installations.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
33 / 46 CFR - Federal requirement designation unconfirmed
Mandatory federal regulation. Non-compliance is unlawful, not merely substandard.
HIN permanently affixed and matching the documentation.
Capacity and certification plate present where required.
PFDs, throwable, extinguishers, visual distress signals and sound device to the carriage requirements.
Navigation lights of the correct type showing the correct arcs.
MSD of a certified type, with the Y-valve secured where required.
Backfire flame arrestor and ventilation on gasoline installations.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
33 / 46 CFR - Federal requirement designation unconfirmed
Mandatory federal regulation. Non-compliance is unlawful, not merely substandard.
HIN permanently affixed and matching the documentation.
Capacity and certification plate present where required.
PFDs, throwable, extinguishers, visual distress signals and sound device to the carriage requirements.
Navigation lights of the correct type showing the correct arcs.
MSD of a certified type, with the Y-valve secured where required.
Backfire flame arrestor and ventilation on gasoline installations.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
Manufacturer specification
The maker's own service data for this model and year. The factory number is the reference.
The maker's published figure for this model and year is the reference.
Where the OEM publishes a joint spec and a chart gives a different number, the joint spec wins.
Record where the number came from — manual, bulletin, or plate — so it can be checked.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
Manufacturer specification
The maker's own service data for this model and year. The factory number is the reference.
The maker's published figure for this model and year is the reference.
Where the OEM publishes a joint spec and a chart gives a different number, the joint spec wins.
Record where the number came from — manual, bulletin, or plate — so it can be checked.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
Manufacturer specification
The maker's own service data for this model and year. The factory number is the reference.
The maker's published figure for this model and year is the reference.
Where the OEM publishes a joint spec and a chart gives a different number, the joint spec wins.
Record where the number came from — manual, bulletin, or plate — so it can be checked.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC A-24-2025 - Carbon Monoxide Detection for this point
CO alarms in accommodation spaces.
One in each accommodation space with a sleeping berth.
Listed for marine use. A household smoke-and-CO unit from a hardware store is a finding.
Within its service life — CO sensors expire, typically 5-7 years from manufacture (confirm on the unit).
Press to test. Present but silent is NON-FUNCTIONAL, which at class B derives to RED.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
NFPA - fire protection designation unconfirmed
Referenced alongside ABYC in survey conduct statements. Confirm the applicable document and edition.
Referenced alongside ABYC in the conduct-of-survey statement.
Confirm which NFPA document and edition applies before citing it.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
33 / 46 CFR - Federal requirement designation unconfirmed
Mandatory federal regulation. Non-compliance is unlawful, not merely substandard.
HIN permanently affixed and matching the documentation.
Capacity and certification plate present where required.
PFDs, throwable, extinguishers, visual distress signals and sound device to the carriage requirements.
Navigation lights of the correct type showing the correct arcs.
MSD of a certified type, with the Y-valve secured where required.
Backfire flame arrestor and ventilation on gasoline installations.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
33 / 46 CFR - Federal requirement designation unconfirmed
Mandatory federal regulation. Non-compliance is unlawful, not merely substandard.
HIN permanently affixed and matching the documentation.
Capacity and certification plate present where required.
PFDs, throwable, extinguishers, visual distress signals and sound device to the carriage requirements.
Navigation lights of the correct type showing the correct arcs.
MSD of a certified type, with the Y-valve secured where required.
Backfire flame arrestor and ventilation on gasoline installations.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
Manufacturer specification
The maker's own service data for this model and year. The factory number is the reference.
The maker's published figure for this model and year is the reference.
Where the OEM publishes a joint spec and a chart gives a different number, the joint spec wins.
Record where the number came from — manual, bulletin, or plate — so it can be checked.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
General good marine practice
No single standard governs this one - accepted trade practice and surveyor judgement apply.
No single standard governs this one.
Cite accepted trade practice, a manufacturer figure, or a measurement — and say which.
If you cannot cite anything, the honest classification is UNVERIFIABLE.
Dewatering capacity appropriate to the vessel — capacity you cannot determine is UNVERIFIABLE, not green.
Automatic operation with a float or equivalent, independent of the panel switch.
Discharge above the waterline with anti-siphon protection.
Wiring and over-current protection to E-11, and powered independently of the main switch.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
🔥§16 · LPG / CNG system
📏 Instrument use and settingsCombustible gas detector / fuel sniffer
Bump-test before use. An un-bumped detector is an unverified instrument, and anything it tells you is UNVERIFIABLE. Record the bump test and the calibration date.
Sniff before you ventilate. Open the boat up first and you have destroyed the evidence. This is the single most common way the test gets wasted.
Sniff low. Gasoline vapour and propane are heavier than air — they sit in the bilge, under the sole, and in the bottom of the LPG locker.
Test the LPG locker drain, the bilge under the tanks, and the engine compartment before the blower runs.
A positive reading is a stop-work. Do not continue the survey, do not run anything electrical, get people off, and tell the desk.
ABYC A-1-2023 - LPG (Propane) Systems for this pointdesignation unconfirmed
Bottle locker vapour-tight to the interior of the boat, opening only to the atmosphere.
Drain at the bottom of the locker, discharging overboard above the waterline.
Solenoid at the bottle, with a remote switch and indicator at the appliance.
Continuous tubing with no joints inside accommodation spaces.
Pressure-drop leak test is the acceptance test — not a soap check.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
⚓§17 · Out-of-water inspection
Bow to stern along the bottom, then the running gear.
🔨 Ready-made ESI tools for this section
Runout and scoring to ACCEPT / CAUTION / REJECT against ABYC P-6-2021. The sample survey we benchmarked said only “some sloppiness when upward pressure applied.” This gives you a number instead.
📏 Instrument use and settingsMoisture meter — contact
It is comparative, not absolute. A number on its own is not a finding. Establish a baseline on a known-dry area of the same laminate, record it, and report every reading against that baseline.
Record the scale. Meters do not share a scale. “22” means nothing without the make, model and scale it was read on.
Record time since haul. A bottom straight out of the water reads high everywhere. Note the hours since haul-out and the weather — without it the reading is not defensible.
Surface must be clean and dry. Wet paint, growth and a damp rag all read as wet laminate.
Temperature shifts readings. Record ambient and surface temperature if either is unusual.
Moisture meter — non-contact / capacitance
Record the depth setting. Shallow mode reads the skin and gelcoat; deep mode reads into the laminate and core. They answer different questions and they disagree — a report that does not say which mode was used cannot be repeated.
Record the sensitivity / range setting as well as the depth mode.
Zero it on air, then on a known-dry reference of the same construction before you take a single reading that goes in the report.
It must sit flat. Curvature, voids and a gap under the pad all produce false highs.
It cannot tell water from metal. Backing plates, foil-faced insulation, tank walls and wiring behind the laminate all read wet. Confirm with a second method — sounding, or a contact meter — before you flag it.
Confirm before flagging. A single non-contact high reading is UNVERIFIABLE, not DEGRADED. It becomes degraded when a second method agrees or you cite a limit.
Sounding hammer / percussion
Plastic or phenolic head only. Never steel on gelcoat — you will make the defect you are looking for.
Listen for a change in tone, not an absolute tone. Sharp and ringing means attached; dull and flat means disbond, void or wet core.
Consistent grid, consistent force, consistent drop height. Inconsistent technique produces inconsistent tone and a finding you cannot defend.
Mark, photograph and record the extent. “Some softness” is not a finding. A marked and photographed area with dimensions is.
Sound and moisture-meter together. Either one alone is weak; agreement between them is what makes DEGRADED defensible.
Wetted surface
General good marine practice
No single standard governs this one - accepted trade practice and surveyor judgement apply.
No single standard governs this one.
Cite accepted trade practice, a manufacturer figure, or a measurement — and say which.
If you cannot cite anything, the honest classification is UNVERIFIABLE.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
Manufacturer specification
The maker's own service data for this model and year. The factory number is the reference.
The maker's published figure for this model and year is the reference.
Where the OEM publishes a joint spec and a chart gives a different number, the joint spec wins.
Record where the number came from — manual, bulletin, or plate — so it can be checked.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
General good marine practice
No single standard governs this one - accepted trade practice and surveyor judgement apply.
No single standard governs this one.
Cite accepted trade practice, a manufacturer figure, or a measurement — and say which.
If you cannot cite anything, the honest classification is UNVERIFIABLE.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ESI method observation
No consensus standard governs this point. The finding is still made and cited as an ESI-method observation.
No consensus standard governs this point.
The finding is still made, and cited as a stated ESI-method observation.
Say what the criterion is and why it exists — the reader has never seen it before.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
Manufacturer specification
The maker's own service data for this model and year. The factory number is the reference.
The maker's published figure for this model and year is the reference.
Where the OEM publishes a joint spec and a chart gives a different number, the joint spec wins.
Record where the number came from — manual, bulletin, or plate — so it can be checked.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
General good marine practice
No single standard governs this one - accepted trade practice and surveyor judgement apply.
No single standard governs this one.
Cite accepted trade practice, a manufacturer figure, or a measurement — and say which.
If you cannot cite anything, the honest classification is UNVERIFIABLE.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
Below-waterline machinery
ABYC P-6-2021 - Propeller Shafting Systems
Shaft, coupling, alignment, stuffing box or seal, cutless bearing.
Shaft material and diameter suited to the power and bearing spacing.
Coupling alignment inside the published tolerance — measured with feeler gauge, not judged by feel.
Cutless bearing play measured against the wear limit, not estimated.
Stuffing box or seal correctly adjusted, hose double clamped, no continuous drip on a dripless.
Shaft supported so there is no visible deflection under load.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC P-6-2021 - Propeller Shafting Systems
Shaft, coupling, alignment, stuffing box or seal, cutless bearing.
Shaft material and diameter suited to the power and bearing spacing.
Coupling alignment inside the published tolerance — measured with feeler gauge, not judged by feel.
Cutless bearing play measured against the wear limit, not estimated.
Stuffing box or seal correctly adjusted, hose double clamped, no continuous drip on a dripless.
Shaft supported so there is no visible deflection under load.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC P-6-2021 - Propeller Shafting Systems
Shaft, coupling, alignment, stuffing box or seal, cutless bearing.
Shaft material and diameter suited to the power and bearing spacing.
Coupling alignment inside the published tolerance — measured with feeler gauge, not judged by feel.
Cutless bearing play measured against the wear limit, not estimated.
Stuffing box or seal correctly adjusted, hose double clamped, no continuous drip on a dripless.
Shaft supported so there is no visible deflection under load.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC P-6-2021 - Propeller Shafting Systems
Shaft, coupling, alignment, stuffing box or seal, cutless bearing.
Shaft material and diameter suited to the power and bearing spacing.
Coupling alignment inside the published tolerance — measured with feeler gauge, not judged by feel.
Cutless bearing play measured against the wear limit, not estimated.
Stuffing box or seal correctly adjusted, hose double clamped, no continuous drip on a dripless.
Shaft supported so there is no visible deflection under load.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
General good marine practice
No single standard governs this one - accepted trade practice and surveyor judgement apply.
No single standard governs this one.
Cite accepted trade practice, a manufacturer figure, or a measurement — and say which.
If you cannot cite anything, the honest classification is UNVERIFIABLE.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
General good marine practice
No single standard governs this one - accepted trade practice and surveyor judgement apply.
No single standard governs this one.
Cite accepted trade practice, a manufacturer figure, or a measurement — and say which.
If you cannot cite anything, the honest classification is UNVERIFIABLE.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
General good marine practice
No single standard governs this one - accepted trade practice and surveyor judgement apply.
No single standard governs this one.
Cite accepted trade practice, a manufacturer figure, or a measurement — and say which.
If you cannot cite anything, the honest classification is UNVERIFIABLE.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
Manufacturer specification
The maker's own service data for this model and year. The factory number is the reference.
The maker's published figure for this model and year is the reference.
Where the OEM publishes a joint spec and a chart gives a different number, the joint spec wins.
Record where the number came from — manual, bulletin, or plate — so it can be checked.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
General good marine practice
No single standard governs this one - accepted trade practice and surveyor judgement apply.
No single standard governs this one.
Cite accepted trade practice, a manufacturer figure, or a measurement — and say which.
If you cannot cite anything, the honest classification is UNVERIFIABLE.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ABYC E-2-2025 - Cathodic Protection
Bonding and sacrificial anodes on underwater metals.
Underwater metals bonded to a common conductor with continuity you can measure.
Anode material matched to the water — magnesium fresh, aluminium brackish, zinc salt.
Anodes mounted on clean bright metal with a confirmed electrical path.
Corrosion potential measured with a silver/silver-chloride reference cell — without it, the system is UNVERIFIABLE.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
⛵§18 · Rig and standing rigging — sail only
Hidden automatically on a power vessel.
Note
No ESI course covers rigging yet. Findings here rest on surveyor judgement until that gap is closed — flag anything you are unsure of rather than guessing a classification.
General good marine practice
No single standard governs this one - accepted trade practice and surveyor judgement apply.
No single standard governs this one.
Cite accepted trade practice, a manufacturer figure, or a measurement — and say which.
If you cannot cite anything, the honest classification is UNVERIFIABLE.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
General good marine practice
No single standard governs this one - accepted trade practice and surveyor judgement apply.
No single standard governs this one.
Cite accepted trade practice, a manufacturer figure, or a measurement — and say which.
If you cannot cite anything, the honest classification is UNVERIFIABLE.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
Manufacturer specification
The maker's own service data for this model and year. The factory number is the reference.
The maker's published figure for this model and year is the reference.
Where the OEM publishes a joint spec and a chart gives a different number, the joint spec wins.
Record where the number came from — manual, bulletin, or plate — so it can be checked.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
General good marine practice
No single standard governs this one - accepted trade practice and surveyor judgement apply.
No single standard governs this one.
Cite accepted trade practice, a manufacturer figure, or a measurement — and say which.
If you cannot cite anything, the honest classification is UNVERIFIABLE.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
General good marine practice
No single standard governs this one - accepted trade practice and surveyor judgement apply.
No single standard governs this one.
Cite accepted trade practice, a manufacturer figure, or a measurement — and say which.
If you cannot cite anything, the honest classification is UNVERIFIABLE.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
Manufacturer specification
The maker's own service data for this model and year. The factory number is the reference.
The maker's published figure for this model and year is the reference.
Where the OEM publishes a joint spec and a chart gives a different number, the joint spec wins.
Record where the number came from — manual, bulletin, or plate — so it can be checked.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
General good marine practice
No single standard governs this one - accepted trade practice and surveyor judgement apply.
No single standard governs this one.
Cite accepted trade practice, a manufacturer figure, or a measurement — and say which.
If you cannot cite anything, the honest classification is UNVERIFIABLE.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
General good marine practice
No single standard governs this one - accepted trade practice and surveyor judgement apply.
No single standard governs this one.
Cite accepted trade practice, a manufacturer figure, or a measurement — and say which.
If you cannot cite anything, the honest classification is UNVERIFIABLE.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
General good marine practice
No single standard governs this one - accepted trade practice and surveyor judgement apply.
No single standard governs this one.
Cite accepted trade practice, a manufacturer figure, or a measurement — and say which.
If you cannot cite anything, the honest classification is UNVERIFIABLE.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
⚓Standing rigging — construction & rod limitation
Rod and stranded wire fail differently and are inspected differently. Select the construction — rod carries a mandatory visual-limitation disclosure.
Rod rigging — visual inspection is not conclusive. Rod fails at the cold-worked heads / terminals (the primary failure point), where cracks are hidden and frequently underlie surface corrosion. Visual and magnifier checks find cracks only on cleaned, polished metal; full evaluation requires dye-penetrant or NDT (X-ray, eddy-current, ultrasonic). Navtec recommends a complete rod inspection by 6 years — for nearly every boat that is the trigger, since the alternate 40,000–60,000-mile cap only applies to high-mileage offshore or racing use. Any rating recorded here reflects visible condition only and does not certify rod integrity or remaining life.
Source: Navtec rod-rigging service & lifespan guidance; Brion Toss, The Complete Rigger’s Apprentice.
⛵Sail & running rigging condition — 1 to 10
10 = new/unused, dropping by remaining cloth-life. Anchored to sailmaker condition ratings; rate each item aboard and mark “Not aboard” for anything not carried.
1–10 — anchored to observable condition, not a guess at “% left”
What sets the score (North Sails; Sailing Totem): UV degradation — thread fails before the cloth, so broken/powdery stitching is the first tell; cloth strength & hand — crisp vs. soft, limp or paper-like; shape — draft crept aft, blown-out or fluttering leech; delamination on laminate sails; chafe at spreaders, patches and reinforcements.
10 New, unused
9 Near-new — crisp cloth, stitching tight, designed shape
8 Light use — minor UV sheen, stitching sound, shape holds
7 Sound working sail — some softening, isolated restitch, good upwind shape
1 Unserviceable — cloth/laminate failed, not safely usable
Sails
Item
Condition (1–10)
Notes
Mainsail
Jib
Genoa
Mizzen
Cutter / staysail
Storm jib / trysail
Running rigging
Item
Condition (1–10)
Notes
Halyards
Sheets & control lines
Furling gear
Winches
Sources — sail condition bands: Masthead Sailing Gear & Second Wind Sails remaining-life ratings. Rig inspection & standing-rigging replacement (8–10 yr; professional inspection 3–5 yr): Practical Sailor DIY rig survey; Brion Toss, The Complete Rigger’s Apprentice. Ratings are surveyor judgement — never auto-filled.
🌊§19 · Sea trial
Instrumented. Numbers, not impressions.
Manufacturer specification
The maker's own service data for this model and year. The factory number is the reference.
The maker's published figure for this model and year is the reference.
Where the OEM publishes a joint spec and a chart gives a different number, the joint spec wins.
Record where the number came from — manual, bulletin, or plate — so it can be checked.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
Manufacturer specification
The maker's own service data for this model and year. The factory number is the reference.
The maker's published figure for this model and year is the reference.
Where the OEM publishes a joint spec and a chart gives a different number, the joint spec wins.
Record where the number came from — manual, bulletin, or plate — so it can be checked.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
Manufacturer specification
The maker's own service data for this model and year. The factory number is the reference.
The maker's published figure for this model and year is the reference.
Where the OEM publishes a joint spec and a chart gives a different number, the joint spec wins.
Record where the number came from — manual, bulletin, or plate — so it can be checked.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
Manufacturer specification
The maker's own service data for this model and year. The factory number is the reference.
The maker's published figure for this model and year is the reference.
Where the OEM publishes a joint spec and a chart gives a different number, the joint spec wins.
Record where the number came from — manual, bulletin, or plate — so it can be checked.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
Manufacturer specification
The maker's own service data for this model and year. The factory number is the reference.
The maker's published figure for this model and year is the reference.
Where the OEM publishes a joint spec and a chart gives a different number, the joint spec wins.
Record where the number came from — manual, bulletin, or plate — so it can be checked.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
Manufacturer specification
The maker's own service data for this model and year. The factory number is the reference.
The maker's published figure for this model and year is the reference.
Where the OEM publishes a joint spec and a chart gives a different number, the joint spec wins.
Record where the number came from — manual, bulletin, or plate — so it can be checked.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
Manufacturer specification
The maker's own service data for this model and year. The factory number is the reference.
The maker's published figure for this model and year is the reference.
Where the OEM publishes a joint spec and a chart gives a different number, the joint spec wins.
Record where the number came from — manual, bulletin, or plate — so it can be checked.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
General good marine practice
No single standard governs this one - accepted trade practice and surveyor judgement apply.
No single standard governs this one.
Cite accepted trade practice, a manufacturer figure, or a measurement — and say which.
If you cannot cite anything, the honest classification is UNVERIFIABLE.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
General good marine practice
No single standard governs this one - accepted trade practice and surveyor judgement apply.
No single standard governs this one.
Cite accepted trade practice, a manufacturer figure, or a measurement — and say which.
If you cannot cite anything, the honest classification is UNVERIFIABLE.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
General good marine practice
No single standard governs this one - accepted trade practice and surveyor judgement apply.
No single standard governs this one.
Cite accepted trade practice, a manufacturer figure, or a measurement — and say which.
If you cannot cite anything, the honest classification is UNVERIFIABLE.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
Manufacturer specification
The maker's own service data for this model and year. The factory number is the reference.
The maker's published figure for this model and year is the reference.
Where the OEM publishes a joint spec and a chart gives a different number, the joint spec wins.
Record where the number came from — manual, bulletin, or plate — so it can be checked.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
Manufacturer specification
The maker's own service data for this model and year. The factory number is the reference.
The maker's published figure for this model and year is the reference.
Where the OEM publishes a joint spec and a chart gives a different number, the joint spec wins.
Record where the number came from — manual, bulletin, or plate — so it can be checked.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
Manufacturer specification
The maker's own service data for this model and year. The factory number is the reference.
The maker's published figure for this model and year is the reference.
Where the OEM publishes a joint spec and a chart gives a different number, the joint spec wins.
Record where the number came from — manual, bulletin, or plate — so it can be checked.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ESI method observation
No consensus standard governs this point. The finding is still made and cited as an ESI-method observation.
No consensus standard governs this point.
The finding is still made, and cited as a stated ESI-method observation.
Say what the criterion is and why it exists — the reader has never seen it before.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
💷§20 · Summary and valuation
Opinion, clearly labelled as opinion.
Note
This section is opinion and must read as opinion — it is the part of a C&V most exposed to liability. ESI comparables rule: BUC Used Boat Price Guide as the baseline, then SOLD boats rather than asking prices, FIVE comparables preferred, and LOCAL to this market wherever they can be obtained. Record date, location, price and sold-or-asking for every one — a list without those is not evidence. Where you have fewer than five, or had to go outside the region, or could only get asking prices, say so and say what you adjusted for.
ESI method observation
No consensus standard governs this point. The finding is still made and cited as an ESI-method observation.
No consensus standard governs this point.
The finding is still made, and cited as a stated ESI-method observation.
Say what the criterion is and why it exists — the reader has never seen it before.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ESI method observation
No consensus standard governs this point. The finding is still made and cited as an ESI-method observation.
No consensus standard governs this point.
The finding is still made, and cited as a stated ESI-method observation.
Say what the criterion is and why it exists — the reader has never seen it before.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
✍️§21 · Closing and certification
Finish as you go — this should be nearly written by the time you step off the boat.
Society report element designation unconfirmed
Element the societies expect in a survey report. Confirm wording against the SAMS Recommended Survey Report Content.
Element the societies expect to see in a survey report.
Confirm the wording against the SAMS Recommended Survey Report Content once membership grants access.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
Society report element designation unconfirmed
Element the societies expect in a survey report. Confirm wording against the SAMS Recommended Survey Report Content.
Element the societies expect to see in a survey report.
Confirm the wording against the SAMS Recommended Survey Report Content once membership grants access.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
Society report element designation unconfirmed
Element the societies expect in a survey report. Confirm wording against the SAMS Recommended Survey Report Content.
Element the societies expect to see in a survey report.
Confirm the wording against the SAMS Recommended Survey Report Content once membership grants access.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
Society report element designation unconfirmed
Element the societies expect in a survey report. Confirm wording against the SAMS Recommended Survey Report Content.
Element the societies expect to see in a survey report.
Confirm the wording against the SAMS Recommended Survey Report Content once membership grants access.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
ESI method observation
No consensus standard governs this point. The finding is still made and cited as an ESI-method observation.
No consensus standard governs this point.
The finding is still made, and cited as a stated ESI-method observation.
Say what the criterion is and why it exists — the reader has never seen it before.
Failure mode — the flag derives from this
Flag: pick a mode
Reason not inspected — mandatory
📊§22 · Findings, recommendations and rollups
Generated from the register. Nothing here is typed by hand.
Overall: —
A · Safety deficiencies — red
B · Other deficiencies needing attention — orange and yellow
C · Surveyor notes and observations — blue
System matrix — worst flag per section
Compliance matrix — verified against a cited standard
Scope gaps — every point not inspected, with its reason
Why A / B / C as well as the flags
Underwriters and lenders already read survey reports in the A / B / C shape. The six-flag taxonomy is what makes ESI repeatable;
the A/B/C rollup is what makes the report readable by the people who already receive them. Same register, two views, no retyping.
📨Issue the report
Build the client report, check it, then send it to the desk.
What goes wherePrint / Save as PDF produces the client's document — cover, findings, recommendations, compliance matrix and certification.
Send to desk files the same survey with the yard as a text record so the desk can track it, chase the outstanding items and issue the PDF.
