Initial survey list for 53MY and 58YF

here is a list that Doug Shuman (thanks Doug) put together for me in another thread. I feel this list is a good resource that should be placed in the "frequently asked service questions" section. if anyone else with 53MY or 58YF initial survey experience would like to contribute to this list, please do so. maybe give it a few days then move to the service section.



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See Genesis "cold start" test for engines and smoke.

Look for soft spots in the deck around the windlass and flybridge decks. If any are found, these are really expensive (or really a PITA) to fix. Water seeps in from bad sealing and destroys the core between the fiberglass sheets. If a foot sinks down some in one spot but not others, that's a soft spot.

Run the genny with at least 4 A/Cs running, or 2 A/Cs and the stove. Do this for half an hour to stress the genny. Both sides of the 110V circuits should be pulling 20 amps or more on the meters in the panel to the left of the lower helm station wheel. See if the genny overheats or stops.

Ask that the heads be pumped out before your sea trial. Flush them all for 5 seconds each and do this 10 times in each head (after 3 flushes in one go the the next so you don't overheat the motors). This should NOT fill up the holding tanks so you get a 3/4 light or overflowing heads or overflowing vent pipes outside. If it does, the pumpout pipes have rotted off in the holding tanks (another PITA to fix).

Check the propshaft packing glands for leaks or running hot. They should stay cool and only drip 2 or 3 times per minute underway. If they drip too much, it's no big deal to fix but if they run warm (lay your hand on the big gland body while running at least 5 minutes at 1800 RPM or more) then the shaft could be scored.

If it has 8V71TIs, the boat should plane. You have to run it up above 2000 RPM for a minute before the bow comes down and the speed picks up. If it won't plane, the engines are not producing the full 435HP or the boat's overloaded, mis-propped, fouled bottom, etc.

When it's hauled, look for blisters on the bottom (almost like popcorn under the bottom paint. Hatteras is famous for these. Expensive to strip, peel and resurface the bottom. Some people just live with them, but mine is clean on the bottom. Blisters affect speed too.

Look for water stains on the interior paneling around and under the portholes. If found, it indicates bad portholes and it's difficult to get rid of these stains.

Look for water stains on the headliners. This can mean water got into the cored deck above too.

Ask if the water gauge, fuel gauge, etc. all work. Does it look like they do?

Check for differences between the flybridge gauges anf lower helm gauges while underway. They should be reasonably close to each other.

Check the oil on the engines dipsticks. Engine oil should be almost black (unless it was just changed) but NEVER have a grey scum on the dipstick (which would indicate water getting into the oil and double digit thousands to overhaul engines).

Check the oil on the marine gear dipsticks. It should be perfect, clear and clean like new, no matter how long it has been in there. It should not be black (engine oil transfer) or red (dumb mistake of putting ATF in a marine gear instead of engine oil).

Look in the bilges. How much oil is there in the engine room bilges? There's a water bilge infront and behind each engine and a separate oil bilge under each engine.

Lift the lower helm station locking tabs and swing the helm station back so you can look at the wiring insiode. Original Hatteras wiring was all neat, marked with numbers and routed along the boards with square corner turns and held by wire clamps. If you see a rat's nest of wires, count on having to sort it out and get if up to safety standards.

Check to see if the Crozier alarm is operable. It's the panel with lights on the lower helm station front underneath the steering wheel. Turn the test switch and the alarm should sound and light glow at all 4 positions. If it has been disconnected, count on a number of the circuits not working. You could test the high water alarms by shorting across the two contact point wires on a black rubber stopper hanging on the side of each forward engine bilge (hard to reach but just stick a screwdriver to touch both and the alarm should sound. You could test the fire alarm by pulling up on the alarm reset switch on the CO2 delivery pipe in the starboard engine room, but be careful, don't go pulling on other fire extinguisher buttons or pulls. If the owner can't show you this test, don't do it. You can test the low oil pressure alarm by turning on the oil pressure alarm before the engines are started (it's a toggle switch on the Crozier alarm panel). The alarm should sound when the engines are off and it should not sound when the engines are running.

Operate the searchlight from the remote on the helm and bridge. They should both work.

Operate the glendinning synchronizer. Watch the tachs to see if it's running OK.

Operate the marine gears from the helm and the bridge. They should work the same and feel the same.

Operate the throttles from the helm and the bridge. They should operate and feel the same.

Oh yeah.........Have fun!

Doug Shuman
1978 53MY