Buying a used yacht in Malta: the checks that matter before you sign

We do not sell boats. We do look after them once they are bought, which means we see the surprises that turn up in the first season: the osmosis nobody mentioned, the engine mounts that were “fine”, the seacock that had not been turned in years. Most of them would have shown up in a proper survey. This is what to insist on.

In short

• Get an independent surveyor, out of the water, and be there for the sea trial.
• In Malta, pay special attention to osmosis, anodes, cooling systems and sun damage to canvas, teak and electronics.
• Budget the first haul-out and a full service into the purchase price, not after it.

Before the survey

Ask for the paperwork first: registration, proof of ownership, VAT status, the last insurance survey, and any invoices from the last few years. A thick folder of invoices is a good sign. No invoices at all is a question.

Ask when the boat was last out of the water and what was done. If it was more than 18 months ago, plan on a haul-out as part of the survey rather than a diver’s look.

What the survey should cover

A pre-purchase survey out of the water, by a surveyor you appoint and pay, not one suggested by the seller. In Maltese conditions, make sure it covers:

• Hull and osmosis. Moisture readings across the underwater hull, with the antifouling removed in a few test patches if the readings are high.
• Keel, rudder and stern gear. Keel bolts and the keel joint, rudder bearings, cutless bearing (the rubber-lined bearing that supports the shaft), prop and shaft, and the anodes. Anodes eaten to nothing tell you about the marina’s electrics as much as the boat’s.
• Engine and cooling. Compression or a proper running check, the raw water circuit (the sea water that cools the engine), heat exchanger (where sea water cools the engine coolant), mounts, hoses and belts. Overheating engines are the commonest problem we see on boats that were “just serviced”.
• Seacocks and hoses. Every one opened and closed. Seized seacocks are a bill waiting to happen.
• Electrics and batteries. Age of the bank, charger settings, wiring condition behind the panel, and any corrosion at the terminals. Summer on shore power in Malta is hard on batteries.
• Deck, teak and canvas. Teak thickness, seam condition, deck hardware bedding, and the state of covers, sprayhood and cushions after years of sun.
• Rig and sails on a sailing boat. Standing rigging age matters to insurers as much as to you.

Be on board for the sea trial. Watch the temperature gauges under load, listen for vibration, and try every system, including the ones that are boring.

The first month of ownership

Three things pay for themselves every time.

1. A full service and a haul-out, even if the seller says it was done. Fresh antifouling, new anodes, oil and filters, and a photographed check of every seacock gives you a known starting point.
2. Registration and insurance sorted before you use the boat. Malta’s flag has advantages; our flag registration guide covers the process, and yacht insurance in Malta covers the survey most insurers will want.
3. Someone checking on it. If you are not on the island, a monthly care visit with a photo report catches the small things before they become claims.

Where the money hides

Budget for the survey, the haul-out, the first service, insurance, registration and a berth. On a typical 10 to 14 m boat, the first year of ownership costs materially more than the second. Knowing that up front is the difference between a good purchase and a resentful one.