Pre-Purchase Survey
A condition-focused inspection to help a buyer understand observed defects, priorities and further investigation before committing to purchase.
Yacht Services
Independent Yacht Surveyor in Spain
Pre-purchase, condition, insurance, valuation and damage surveys for sailing yachts, motor yachts and catamarans. Based in Altea, with Spain and Mediterranean assignments by agreement.
Meet your qualified marine surveyor
Aleksandrs Tolkacovs
Yacht & Small Craft Marine Surveyor
Qualified in Yacht & Small Craft Marine Surveying through the International Institute of Marine Surveying (IIMS).
Premium Yachts Spain provides survey services through Aleksandrs Tolkacovs. The certificate records his professional qualification; it does not imply that IIMS performs, approves or guarantees individual surveys.
Choose the survey for your decision
Pre-purchase inspection is our core survey journey. Agree the purpose, scope, access and intended report use before instructing us. Sailing yachts, motor yachts, catamarans, multihulls and small craft are covered.
Condition Survey
A documented picture of the yacht’s accessible structure and systems to inform ownership, maintenance and refit decisions.
Insurance Survey
A survey for an insurance-related purpose, with the intended insurer’s requirements checked before instruction. Acceptance remains the insurer’s decision.
Valuation Survey
A valuation within an expressly agreed instruction, considering the vessel, observed condition and relevant market evidence.
Damage Survey
Documenting visible damage after an incident and identifying areas that need further investigation, specialist input or repair assessment.
Sea Trial
Agreed observations while underway, subject to safe conditions, access and a suitable operator. It is not automatically included in every instruction.
Haul-Out Inspection
Out-of-water examination of accessible underwater hull and gear. Yard bookings, lifting arrangements and charges are agreed separately.
Damage surveys after a storm or incident
An organised inspection helps separate visible damage from questions that need further investigation. We document the accessible condition and agree the intended use of the report with the instructing client.
- Record visible hull, deck and equipment damage with photographs and location notes.
- Identify inspection limits and areas requiring specialist assessment or opening up by agreement.
- Clarify the next technical steps; a survey does not itself determine insurance cover or guarantee a repair outcome.
What a yacht survey can include
The following is a typical scope, not a promise that every item can be fully inspected. Access, condition, vessel type and the written instruction determine the checks performed.
Hull & structure
Hull surfaces, accessible structure, bulkheads, bonding, visible damage and signs of repairs; moisture or delamination indications where applicable.
Deck & superstructure
Decks, fittings, hatches, windows, rails and stanchions; visible leaks and relevant moisture or delamination indications.
Underwater gear
Underwater hull, keel, rudder, propellers, shaft or saildrive, anodes, seacocks and through-hulls, subject to access and agreed haul-out.
Machinery
Engine installation and space, hoses, belts, visible leaks, cooling, fuel and exhaust installations and mounts. Specialist engine diagnostics are separate where required.
Electrical systems
Accessible batteries, chargers, shore power, distribution, visible wiring and protective devices.
Plumbing
Fresh water, sanitation, bilge systems, pumps and tanks where reasonably accessible.
Navigation & communication
Agreed checks of chartplotter, GPS, VHF, AIS, radar, autopilot and instruments where fitted and available.
Rig & sails
For sailing yachts: mast and boom, visual standing-rigging assessment, accessible chainplates, running rigging and available sails.
Interior & safety
Accommodation, joinery, visible leaks, accessible structural areas and onboard systems; safety-equipment dates and visible condition within scope.
Documentation
Vessel, equipment and service documents supplied for review. Missing records and limitations are identified rather than assumed complete.
A clear scope, with professional limits
A normal survey is generally non-destructive and reports the condition observed at the time of inspection. Clear limits make the findings useful without suggesting certainty where access is restricted.
- Inspection is limited to reasonably accessible areas; destructive dismantling is not normally undertaken.
- Hidden or internal defects cannot be guaranteed against. Findings may require further investigation.
- Compression tests, ECU diagnostics, oil or laboratory analysis, dismantling and internal engine diagnostics are additional specialist work.
- Rig non-destructive testing may require a rigging specialist; access aloft and detailed rig examinations must be agreed.
Written report normally within 48 hours
Your written survey report is normally issued within 48 hours after completion of the inspection, subject to receiving any outstanding information required to complete the report.
- Professional PDF with yacht identification and specification summary.
- Executive summary, inspection findings, photographic evidence and observed defects.
- Condition comments, priority classification, recommendations and further specialist investigations.
- Valuation where included in the agreed instruction, with scope and limitations clearly recorded.
FICTIONAL EXAMPLE - FOR ILLUSTRATION ONLY. This is not a real client report or an official IIMS report template. All findings and satisfactory observations below are fictional.
Sample Yacht Survey Report
S/Y AURORA
2018 · 42 ft sailing yacht · Alicante, Spain
Pre-Purchase Survey
Illustrative summary: one major concern, two recommended investigations and one maintenance item. The examples show how findings and recommendations can be separated.
Priority 1 - Urgent / major
Through-hull fitting
Finding: Visible corrosion/deterioration around a fitting.
Recommendation: Further investigation and replacement if confirmed defective before continued operation.
Priority 2 - Recommended
Deck moisture
Finding: Elevated moisture around one deck fitting.
Recommendation: Remove/reseal the fitting and inspect the surrounding core as required.
Priority 2 - Recommended
Standing rigging
Finding: Age and documentation not fully confirmed.
Recommendation: Specialist rigging inspection before extended offshore use.
Priority 3 - Maintenance / monitor
Battery terminal
Finding: Minor visible corrosion.
Recommendation: Clean, protect and monitor.
Illustrative satisfactory observations
- Bilges visually dry at inspection.
- Steering operated normally.
- Navigation electronics powered up.
- Interior generally well maintained.
From enquiry to informed decisions
A practical sequence, with responsibilities and access agreed before inspection.
- Initial enquiry - identify yacht, location, purpose and timetable.
- Scope & quotation - agree checks, exclusions, report use and fees.
- Access & arrangements - coordinate keys, documents, owner/yard permissions and safe access.
- Survey - inspect and record accessible structure, equipment and systems within scope.
- Haul-out / sea trial - complete these elements if agreed and conditions allow.
- Report - normally within 48 hours after the inspection is complete, subject to outstanding information.
- Client follow-up - discuss priorities, limitations and recommended next steps.
Your instruction. Disclosed conflicts.
Survey work is undertaken for the instructing client. Where Premium Yachts Spain has a brokerage or other commercial relationship connected with a yacht, any relevant conflict is disclosed before the survey instruction is accepted.
- The purpose, responsibilities and intended use of the report are agreed in advance.
- A brokerage relationship is not concealed behind an unconditional claim of independence.
- Specialist investigations and any subsequent refit or delivery work have their own scope.
Plan with an indicative survey price
Use our existing survey calculator for an initial estimate. It is not a binding quotation, and the service page does not duplicate its pricing formulas.
- Final quotation depends on yacht size, type, complexity and requested scope.
- Location, access, haul-out, sea trial and travel requirements can affect the final arrangements and cost.
Altea, Costa Blanca, Spain and beyond
Premium Yachts Spain S.L. is based at Marina Greenwich / Puerto Campomanes, Altea, Alicante, Spain. Local assignments include Altea, Calpe, Moraira, Jávea / Xàbia, Dénia, Alicante and Valencia.
- Surveys across Spain, the Balearic Islands and wider Mediterranean are arranged by agreement.
- Travel outside the normal local operating area may involve transport, flights/ferries, accommodation, local transport and a reasonable daily allowance where applicable.
- Travel scope and expenses are discussed in advance; no permanent offices outside Altea are implied.
Technical reporting with practical yacht experience
Work with a named IIMS-qualified surveyor and a local Marina Greenwich office, with practical yacht-operation, delivery, brokerage and refit/project experience.
- Qualification is visible through the supplied certificate, without unsupported membership grades or endorsements.
- International buyer and owner communication, with a defined instruction and clear follow-up.
- Reports normally within 48 hours, subject to the stated completion and information conditions.
Yacht survey questions
What does a pre-purchase yacht survey include?
The agreed inspection assesses accessible structure, equipment and systems and reports observed defects, priorities and recommendations. Haul-out, sea trial and specialist checks are included only where agreed.
How much does a yacht survey cost in Spain?
Use the survey calculator for an indicative price. A final quotation depends on yacht size, type, complexity, location, access, scope, haul-out, sea trial and travel.
How long does a survey take?
It depends on the vessel, scope, access and any haul-out or sea trial. We agree a practical timetable when confirming the instruction rather than promising a universal inspection duration.
When will I receive the report?
Normally within 48 hours after completion of the inspection, subject to receiving outstanding information needed to complete the report.
Do I need a haul-out?
A haul-out allows inspection of underwater surfaces and gear that cannot be adequately assessed afloat. Its need, yard access, lifting and charges are agreed for the instruction.
Is a sea trial included?
Only if it is agreed in the scope and suitable conditions, access and an operator are available. The quotation identifies the arrangements and limits.
Are engines inspected?
The normal scope may include visual and operational observations of machinery. Compression tests, ECU diagnostics, oil analysis, dismantling and internal diagnostics require separately agreed specialist work.
Is the rig inspected?
An agreed visual assessment covers reasonably accessible rig elements. Detailed inspection aloft or rig non-destructive testing may require a rigging specialist and separate arrangements.
Can you survey catamarans?
Yes. Sailing and motor yachts, catamarans, other multihulls and small craft can be surveyed, with scope and access adapted to the vessel.
Do you carry out insurance surveys?
Yes, with the purpose and intended insurer’s requirements discussed before instruction. An insurer decides whether a report meets its own requirements.
Can you provide valuations?
Valuation can be included when expressly agreed, with the purpose, basis, available evidence and limitations identified in the report.
Do you work outside Costa Blanca?
Yes, throughout Spain, the Balearic Islands and the wider Mediterranean by agreement. Travel requirements and applicable expenses are agreed in advance.
Can I arrange the survey remotely before travelling to Spain?
Yes. Send the yacht details, location, purpose and timing. Access, documents and permissions can be coordinated with the relevant owner, representative or yard.
What happens if major defects are found?
The report identifies observed concerns, their priority and recommended further action. We discuss the findings so you can decide whether further investigation, repairs or a change to your purchase plans is appropriate.
Start a conversation
Request a Yacht Survey
Tell us the yacht type, length, location, survey purpose and preferred dates. Include available access, haul-out or sea-trial arrangements and any particular concerns.