What are the most common signs of teredo worm damage on a phinisi hull?

The most reliable indicator during an out-of-water inspection is the mallet tap test: solid ulin ironwood rings sharply; teredo-compromised timber returns a dull, hollow sound. Visually, look for pin-sized entry holes in plank surfaces (often with dark staining around them) and soft or spongy plank edges, especially in the garboard strakes near the keel. Fresh antifouling paint applied immediately before haulout can mask entry holes — request dated photos from the previous haulout cycle before the current paint application.

Can I use an international marine surveyor, or do I need an Indonesian one?

An internationally qualified surveyor (IIMS accreditation, for example) can conduct a credible physical inspection. For reports that will be submitted to Indonesian authorities — BKI re-classing, Syahbandar, or an Indonesian insurer — a surveyor with KSOP accreditation and experience in Indonesian documentation standards is preferable. The practical answer for most buyers is to use the best wooden-vessel inspector available for the physical survey, and separately engage an Indonesian maritime professional for the regulatory and title documentation review.

What happens if the survey finds significant defects? Can I still buy the vessel?

Yes, and defect findings are expected on used wooden vessels. The survey converts unknown risk into priced risk. Standard practice is to use the findings to renegotiate the purchase price downward, with the deduction based on remediation cost estimates from independent yards. Some buyers prefer a price reduction and take on the repair management themselves; others negotiate seller-funded repairs completed before exchange. A seller who refuses any adjustment after a documented survey with material findings is a red flag about either the vessel’s condition or their negotiating style — both matter in a market with very thin post-purchase liquidity.

Phinisi Survey Checklist:
The Wooden Hull

Q: How much does a phinisi marine survey cost in Indonesia?

A condition-and-valuation survey for a phinisi in the 25–40m range typically costs USD 800–2,500, depending on the surveyor’s qualifications, travel to the vessel’s location, and vessel size. This fee does not include haulout costs (which the seller customarily covers for a serious buyer) or the separate maritime lawyer fee for a title and permit check. Budget the full due-diligence package — survey plus legal — at USD 1,500–5,000 for a vessel in that size range. These are estimates; get actual quotes from specific professionals before committing.

Q: Do I need a stability assessment as well as a hull survey?

If the vessel has been modified from its original launch configuration — additional deck cabins, extended sundeck, new upper-deck structures — a stability assessment by a naval architect is separate from and complementary to the hull survey. The hull surveyor checks structural condition; the stability assessment checks whether the vessel’s current configuration is safe at sea in its operating area. For any vessel you intend to operate commercially in Indonesian waters, a current stability booklet matching the actual vessel is increasingly required at Syahbandar inspections.

Teredo worm, nail sickness, improvised systems, stability drift and the documents that kill deals — what a wooden-hull survey must probe, and what each finding can cost (estimates).

Why Standard Surveys
Miss Wooden Hulls

Most surveyors know fibreglass and steel. A phinisi hides teredo under fresh antifoul, corrodes mixed-metal fastenings and drifts out of its stability envelope as cabins are added. Its paper trail is often handwritten — so the survey and the title check are two separate jobs.

Open the checklist

The Wooden-Hull Survey Checklist

What the surveyor should probe, pull and test — and what each finding can cost to fix. Costs are estimates; get independent yard quotes.

Teredo Worm

Pin-sized entry holes ringed by dark staining
Mallet tap: solid ulin rings sharply, compromised timber thuds
Soft plank edges at the garboard strakes and waterline band
Antifoul within 30 days of haulout — ask for prior hull photos
Quantify the affected area in square metres
Local replank USD 5k–25k; systemic USD 80k–250k+ (estimate)

Rot & Planking

Probe keel, garboards, waterline band and deck penetrations
Ask which zones were probed and what moisture readings showed
Ask whether any frames were soft — far more invasive to replace
Tap every plank; chalk soft spots into a defect map
Forward of the keel deadwood, the stern and every repair patch

Fastenings

Pull three to five samples from different zones and repair eras
Record fastener type, metal and condition
Red rust bloom around heads: classic nail sickness
Galvanised steel without coating behaves as bare iron
Systemic refastening on 30–40 m: USD 200k–600k (estimate)

Wiring, Fuel & LPG

Live electrical check: voltage drop, insulation resistance, boards
Circuit diagram and service history on file
Fuel tank material and age, vents, flexible lines, day-tank layout
LPG on deck or in a ventilated locker draining overboard
Regulator and hose age; gas detection fitted or costed

Stability

A stability calculation for the current configuration
Total topside weight added since launch
Original keel ballast still in place
Freeboard amidships vs the designed loaded waterline
Certified guest numbers vs berths actually installed
Naval architect assessment: USD 3k–10k (estimate)

Paperwork to Gather

Grosse akta and every transfer back to original registration
BKI class certificate and survey history file
Last three years of Syahbandar safety certificates
Surat ukur, safe manning, SIUPAL or SIOPSUS
Engine records, five years of dated repair invoices, haulout photos
Crew ANT/ATT licences, insurance policy and claims history

What sellers would rather you skip

Red Flags Around the Survey

A seller of a sound vessel has nothing to fear from a proper haulout inspection. These signals tell you what the hull has been through.

Price the refit work

01

Presented in the water only

The survey needs the vessel out of the water. A seller who will only show it afloat is a red flag in itself.
02

Fresh paint just before haulout

Antifoul applied within 30 days can mask teredo entry holes. Ask for photos from the previous application.
03

Added decks, no stability booklet

Labuan Bajo harbourmaster checks have tightened. A booklet that does not match the configuration is an operating-licence risk.
04

Mixed-metal fastenings

Successive repairs added iron, galvanised and mild steel to treenail hulls — a galvanic corrosion system waiting to fail.
05

Gaps in safety certificates

Missing years mean the vessel was either not operating or operating illegally during that period.
06

Reassurance instead of documents

A seller with none of the paperwork is describing the maintenance culture that produced the hull you are about to inspect.

Presented in the water only

The survey needs the vessel out of the water. A seller who will only show it afloat is a red flag in itself.

Fresh paint just before haulout

Antifoul applied within 30 days can mask teredo entry holes. Ask for photos from the previous application.

Added decks, no stability booklet

Labuan Bajo harbourmaster checks have tightened. A booklet that does not match the configuration is an operating-licence risk.

Mixed-metal fastenings

Successive repairs added iron, galvanised and mild steel to treenail hulls — a galvanic corrosion system waiting to fail.

Gaps in safety certificates

Missing years mean the vessel was either not operating or operating illegally during that period.

Reassurance instead of documents

A seller with none of the paperwork is describing the maintenance culture that produced the hull you are about to inspect.

Surveyor kapal kayu Indonesia

Choosing and Briefing a Surveyor

The pool of wooden-vessel surveyors in Indonesia is small and quality varies. IIMS membership is a baseline; KSOP accreditation matters when the report goes to Indonesian authorities. Fees for a 25–40 m phinisi run USD 800–2,500 (estimate).

Ask about Indonesian timber species and construction methods, not wooden boats generally.
Agree the report: defects by location, extent and severity; deferred maintenance; value and replacement cost; limits.
Pair the surveyor with an Indonesian maritime lawyer for title and permits.
Survey as close to contract exchange as practical.

Talk through the pre-survey

A Survey Is Not a Title Check

A survey is a snapshot and a risk map, not a guarantee. It cannot find liens, verify engine hours or confirm permits — budget USD 500–2,000 (estimate) for a maritime lawyer's title check.

Due-diligence playbook

Survey Questions Buyers Ask

Short answers. Every figure is an estimate; get real quotes before committing.

Ask about a survey report

How much does a phinisi marine survey cost in Indonesia?

A condition-and-valuation survey on a 25–40 m phinisi typically costs USD 800–2,500, excluding haulout and the lawyer's title check. Budget USD 1,500–5,000 for survey plus legal. All estimates.

What are the signs of teredo worm damage?

The mallet tap test: solid ulin rings sharply; compromised timber sounds dull and hollow. Look for pin-sized entry holes with dark staining and soft plank edges near the keel. Ask for dated photos from the previous haulout.

Do I need an Indonesian surveyor?

An IIMS-accredited international surveyor can run a credible physical inspection. For reports going to BKI, the Syahbandar or an Indonesian insurer, KSOP accreditation is preferable. Most buyers use the best wooden-vessel inspector, plus an Indonesian professional for documents.

Can I still buy if the survey finds defects?

Yes — defects are expected on used wooden vessels. The survey turns unknown risk into priced risk: renegotiate using independent yard estimates, or have the seller fund repairs before exchange. Refusing any adjustment after material findings is a red flag.

Do I need a stability assessment as well as a hull survey?

If the vessel has been modified since launch — added cabins, extended sundecks — yes. The surveyor checks structure; a naval architect checks whether the current configuration is safe at sea. Budget USD 3,000–10,000 (estimate).

Want a Second Read on a Survey?

Before you renegotiate on the findings, message us on WhatsApp. We can connect you with advisors who have been through this process and can read what a report is really telling you.

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Phinisi Survey Checklist: The Wooden Hull