Run your engines. Make sure your engines start easily, are not overheating, and are not producing excessive smoke. Open up the engines to check if they can run at top speed.

Clean and degrease your engine room. Vacuum any standing water. Can the engines be touched up with paint, corrosion cleaned, hoses replaced, diapers under the engines, etc.?

Do you have enough fuel? How old is the fuel? The fuel and the filters should be clean. Fuel should be replaced after 1 year or 100 hours. Install new 30 micron elements to filters prior to survey; this will help achieve maximum RPM.

Make sure you have enough oil, transmission, and coolant. Levels should be at operating specs for the engines, generators, heat exchangers, transmissions, and batteries. Note that black transmission oil indicates a leak in the rear main seal between the engine and the transmission.

Check to make sure you don’t have broken bonding wires. While they are easy to fix, when they are broken, they raise electrolysis questions.

Replace your hoses if they feel brittle and crackle when squeezed or have surface cracks. Every fitting below the water line should have double hose clamps. Replace all rusty clamps.

Stuffing boxes and rudder boxes should only be dripping, not weeping excessively. Stuffing box hose clamps should be replaced if they are rusty.

Make sure your batteries are charged up, enclosed in a battery box or at least have boots over the positive and negative posts. Check your battery box or at least have boots over the positive and negative posts. Check your battery water level. Clean up corrosion around the terminals, and use distilled water.

Prior to the survey, run the boat away from the dock for at least an hour at top speed to check for leaks, overheating, and vibration.

Check your battery chargers, inverters, etc. to make sure they are working, with correct polarity, install ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI’s) outlets in wet areas - heads, exterior outlets, etc.

Make sure your generator starts smoothly, runs up to temp, and can take a load. Check the oil and water levels.

Make sure your flares and within their expiration date. Have necessary life jackets, life ring, and bell aboard to comply with USCG rules. Also, make sure that all fire extinguishers and Halon systems are in the current certifications. Insurance companies will not bind a new buyer unless these items are completed.

Check engine alarms/systems monitors/high water alarms for proper operation.

Flush all heads, sinks, showers, and toilet systems if not used regularly, and make sure they are working properly.

Make sure your air conditioning systems are pumping cooling water and that temp is accurate, usually around 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Clean intake filters and survey if necessary. Charge the system and have the AC on during the sea trial/survey.

Do your best to keep your boat free from strong odors - no smells of fuel, dirty bilge water, mildew, must, etc.

Turn on and test all electronics to make sure they are working properly - electric spotlight, searchlights, nav lights, anchor lights, running light, streaming light, spreader light, etc. replace bulbs if necessary. Also, check remote control searchlights for side to side and up and down movement - lubricate.

Check to make sure all interior and exterior lights are working properly - electric spotlight, searchlights, nav lights, anchor lights, running light, streaming light, spreader light, etc. replace bulbs if necessary. Also, check remote control searchlights for side to side and up and down movement - lubricate.

Have your underbody and running gear cleaned before the sea trial to remove excessive fouling. It’s important that the bottom below the water line is clean as well as the prop and rudders.

Are your transmission and throttle cables smooth? To check, shift gears forward and reverse.

Have you used your windglass lately? Check the foot switches because if not used regularly, the windless can seize up, or the foot switches can fail. Install a safety lanyard to the anchor so inadvertent windglass operation will not drop the anchor.

Make sure all household items operate properly - oven, stove, microwave, refrigerator, freezer, ice maker, washer/dryer, sump boxes, etc.

Check the system and test pressure pump. Make note if membrane is pickled.

Is your steering loose? Does it need fluid?

Have you tried your seacocks lately? Surveyors will always check and insurance companies require working seacocks. Make sure they are lubricated, and free up stuck seacock valves on thru hulls. Replace rusty hoses and hose clamps.

Clean site glass on sea strainers.

If your oil is over 1 year old or over 100 hours, change it; then make sure you put some hours of use on it. Never change your oil the day before a survey, as surveyors do not like to see fresh oil. Brand new oil raises suspicions.

Do your bilge pumps work? Test electric and manual as well as the float switches. Clean and flush oily bilges.

Have waste, trash, and discharge oil plaques aboard for the surveyor to see.

Have you replaced your zincs lately? Missing zincs present unanswered questions about electrolysis.

Have a copy of your Coast Guard documentation and/or state title aboard and available for the surveyor. Keep manuals and a logbook aboard your boat. The logbook should detail all movements of the boat, repairs, servicing, fuel ups, etc.