Pre-purchase inspections and condition surveys for sailboats and powerboats. Based on the San Francisco Bay. Available by inquiry.
A marine survey is a comprehensive condition assessment of a vessel — structural, mechanical, electrical, and safety-related.
It is not a pass/fail. It is not a guarantee of perfection. It is not a substitute for sound judgment.
What a proper survey does is give you real, documented information about a vessel's actual condition — so you can negotiate from facts, not hope.
Most buyers overpay, overlook critical deficiencies, or walk into costly problems because they skipped independent inspection or relied on the word of someone motivated to close the deal.
A good survey changes the dynamic entirely.
Scope varies by vessel type, size, and purpose of survey. Contact for details.
Dustin Allen is a working marine technician and independent vessel inspector based on the San Francisco Bay.
He has spent over a decade with his hands on real boats — diagnosing diesel, tracing electrical faults, inspecting hulls, and evaluating vessels for buyers across the country.
He is a former Lead Technician at OCSC and Modern Sailing and an ABYC member. His inspection methodology comes from years of working on and buying real vessels — not from a certification course alone.
A thorough condition review before you commit to buying. Covers structure, systems, mechanical, electrical, and safety. Helps buyers negotiate hard or walk away with confidence.
Full documentation of vessel condition for insurance, financing, or ownership records. Required by most lenders and insurers.
Condition review for insurance underwriting purposes. Documents the vessel's current state and identifies safety-relevant deficiencies.
Survey availability is limited. In-person surveys currently available in the San Francisco Bay Area. Inquire for scheduling.
A formal survey is an in-person, credentialed condition assessment — often required by lenders and insurers, and typically documented for financing or insurance purposes. The Vessel Inspection (Pre-Purchase) is a lower-cost virtual walkthrough used earlier in a search, before committing to travel or a formal survey.
No. A survey isn't a pass/fail grade — it's documented, factual information about the vessel's actual condition, so you can negotiate or decide with real data instead of hope.
Currently in the San Francisco Bay Area. Inquire directly for scheduling and availability outside that region.
Most lenders and insurers require a documented condition and value survey before approving financing or coverage. A Condition & Value Survey or Insurance Survey covers that requirement.
Marine Surveys by Dustin Allen is a separate professional surveying practice, built on the same standards and led by the same person behind Shipshape Society.
Marine Surveys by Dustin Allen is a separate professional practice built on the same standards as everything at Shipshape Society. Visit the survey site to learn more, review services, or reach out directly to book an inspection.