?when buying used ship what to look for?

Answer 1

Sandy is right, when you buy a major asset you want to have a professional assess it. You'd get a surveyor to look at a home before you made a bid, you'd take a used car to your mechanic before putting money down; get a professional surveyor to take a look at a ship before entering negotiations!

The surveyor will look at the structural integrity of the ship. This will include looking for holes in the bottom, as well as checking for "thin" steel in the frames, tanks and hull plating. He'll also look for signs of fatigue (typically these signs are cracks or indications that a crack may be forming.)
He'll also evaluate the machinery onboard; what kind of shape is the main engine(s) in, how are the pumps working, has maintenance been performed on schedule (check the logs) etc.
The surveyor will check out the accommodations and bridge.

He'll pretty much give the ship a full inspection and let you know what to expect. Don't forget to ask about the fire control system(s) and get a report about hazardous materials onboard - especially asbestos (used as an insulation and in wall boards quite a bit), halon (used in some fire fighting systems - especially in electrical spaces) and old refrigeration liquids (like freon).

Don't try this alone, unless you've got a lot of marine experience you won't really be able to tell what you're looking at.

Answer 2

A marine surveyor.

Answer 3

Holes in the bottom.

Answer 4

CAPT. JEAN-LUC PICARD !!!