Marine Surveyor Devon & Cornwall — Pre-Purchase Boat Surveys, Boat Insurance Surveys, Condition Reports & Yacht Valuation Surveys

MCA-Qualified Deck Officer · Devon & Cornwall
Marine surveys backed by 20+ years in the marine industry.
Murphy Marine Surveys Ltd — Sound Surveys, Sound Advice.

Pre-purchase boat surveys, boat insurance surveys and condition reports for motor and sailing vessels.

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20+Years in the Marine Industry
Degree - BSc (Hons)Yacht Manufacturing & Surveying
QualificationsCoC Master 200gt, Chief Mate 3000gt
Coverage AreaSouthwest
Services

Survey Types — Boat & Yacht Surveys, Devon & Cornwall

Marine survey — Murphy Marine Surveys Ltd
01 — Pre-Purchase

Pre-Purchase Survey

Full structural, mechanical and safety assessment before you commit. Out-of-water inspection, engine hours and history check, and a plain-English report you can actually use to negotiate.

Storm-damaged yacht
02 — Insurance

Insurance Survey

Condition reports formatted to what underwriters actually ask for — valuation, seaworthiness, and any remedial work required to keep cover in place.

Marine survey — Murphy Marine Surveys Ltd
03 — Condition

Condition & Valuation

Ongoing condition monitoring for owners and brokers — useful ahead of a sale, after storage lay-up, or simply for peace of mind between seasons.

Crane recovery of storm-damaged yacht
04 — Damage

Damage Inspection

Post-incident assessment for insurance claims — cause and extent of damage, repair scope, and a report formatted for your claims adjuster.

Marine survey — Murphy Marine Surveys Ltd
05 — MCA Coding

Coding Survey

Compliance examinations for small commercial vessels under the MCA Code of Practice — for charter, sail training, or commercial passenger use.

Marine survey — Murphy Marine Surveys Ltd
06 — Sea Trial

Sea Trial

Handling and performance assessment underway — sail trim, engine under load, and systems checked in seagoing conditions.

Paul Murphy — Murphy Marine Surveys Ltd
About

Surveying from the deck, not the desk.

I'm Paul Murphy, an MCA-qualified Deck Officer with 20+ years in the marine industry, working across a wide range of motor and sailing yachts. Every survey I write is shaped by years of being personally accountable for a vessel's compliance and condition — not just observing it.

I also hold a BSc (Hons) in Yacht Manufacturing & Surveying, and have handled Flag and Class survey responsibility directly onboard — so this isn't a career change, it's a natural extension of what I already do.

  • BSc (Hons) Yacht Manufacturing & Surveying
  • MCA Chief Mate 3000gt (Master 3000gt in progress)
  • Flag & Class survey experience onboard
  • Working across Devon & Cornwall
Specialisations
RCD consultancyProject management & refit supervisionInsurance damage assessmentYDSA Large Yacht Group — planned
Process

What happens after you get in touch.

STAGE 01

Enquiry & scope

A short call to understand the vessel, your timeline, and what the survey needs to achieve — purchase, insurance, or valuation.

STAGE 02

On-site inspection

Full hull, deck, mechanical and safety inspection, in and out of the water where required, with photographic evidence throughout.

STAGE 03

Report & findings

A clear written report — condition, defects, valuation guidance — delivered within an agreed turnaround, not weeks later.

STAGE 04

Follow-up

Available afterwards to talk through findings with you, your broker, or your insurer directly.

Pricing

Clear, published pricing.

Condition & Valuation

Condition Survey

£50/m
Minimum fee £420
  • Hull & structure condition
  • Deck fittings & equipment
  • Valuation for owners/brokers
  • Written report, digital delivery
Most Requested

Pre-Purchase Survey

£75/m
Minimum fee £600
  • Full structural & mechanical inspection
  • Out-of-water inspection where possible
  • Engine hours & history check
  • Sea trial observation
  • Negotiation-ready written report
Underwriter-Ready

Insurance Survey

£65/m
Minimum fee £550
  • Condition & seaworthiness assessment
  • Valuation for cover purposes
  • Remedial work identified
  • Formatted for underwriter submission
Insurance Claims

Damage Inspection

£450 min
Quoted on scope of damage
  • Post-incident condition assessment
  • Cause & extent of damage
  • Repair scope & cost estimate
  • Report formatted for claims use
MCA Compliance

Coding Survey

£85/m
Plus Certifying Authority fee
  • Compliance examination to MCA Code
  • Categories 0–6, up to 24m
  • Stability & safety equipment check
  • Certifying Authority liaison

No VAT charged. Free travel within South Devon; thereafter 55p per mile. Rates above apply to vessels up to 15m. Vessels over 15m: +£7/m. Steel or aluminium hulls: +£12/m. Multihulls quoted individually, as inspection time roughly doubles per hull. Coding survey fees are charged separately from the Certifying Authority's own administration fees.

Contact

Ready to book a survey?

Based in Devon, covering the South West. Fill in the vessel details and I'll come back to you with availability and a quote.

Coverage
Devon & Cornwall

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RINA membership  ·  YDSA (Yacht Designers & Surveyors Association)  ·  Professional Indemnity Insurance