Should the boat be afloat or ashore for the survey?
Ideally, the surveyor should get to inspect the boat when it is ashore, to get moisture readings from the hull and to examine all the fittings below the waterline. However, surveyors also like to have an opportunity to evaluate the boat while it is operating in the water, particularly to evaluate the functioning of the engine and the running rigging of a sailboat. Most marine surveyors consider a survey incomplete if they are unable to evaluate the boat both in and out of the water.