Static inspection:

Identification

Take pictures.

Boat name and port
Manufacturer and model
Asking price
Boat location
Hull number
Registration number
Owner's contact info
Broker contact info
Previous owner
Mechanic/boatyard

Specifications

LOA
LWL
Draft
Beam
Displacement
Ballast weight
Rig type
Boat age
Cockpit placement
Mast height
Various ratios

Quick livability check

Cabin layout
Cabin ventilation
Standing headroom
Storage
Cockpit layout
Deck layout
Exterior wood

Hull

Material
Solid/cored below waterline
Reinforced with stringers/stiffeners ?
Hull/deck joint type
Look for depressions/bulges/blisters. (Blisters especially at or just below the waterline.)

Deck

Material
Solid/cored
Color
Walk on every square foot to check for crunching/flexibility
Look for cracks
Rub-rail: should stand out well, want steel/rubber/bronze-capped, not plastic
Amount of free space
Swim platform
Hose down deck and look in cabin for leaks

Keel

Shape / type
Have X-rayed to see if bolts are sound ?

Ballast

Material (lead better than iron)
Internal/external (external better)

Rudder, Propeller, Steering

Condition
How protected
Rudder shaft thickness and mounting
How easy to service
What type of propeller
Tiller/wheel
Steering linkage type (cable pull-pull, hydraulic, rack-and-pinion, worm gear)
Propeller shaft parallel to waterline ?

Engine

Type
Condition
Age (years and hours)
When rebuilt
Maintenance records
How easy to access and service
Oil drip pan ?
Size (want 1.5hp to 2hp per 1000lb)
Type of water-cooling (raw, heat-exchange or keel; want fresh-water cooling ?)
Type of block (want cast iron ?)
Type of gearbox (want hydraulic)
Shaft brake
Exhaust system
Fuel filters (want 2)
Look clean
Size/placement of fuel tanks; access ports
Sniff around engine to smell antifreeze (indicates overheating) or burnt oil
Send fluid samples to a testing lab

Ground Tackle

Anchor types/sizes
Rode types/lengths (all-chain ?)
Bow platform
Anchor windlass
Chain locker (drains overboard ?)
Easy to deploy anchor quickly
How easy to raise ?
Boat hook

Mast and Spars

Keel-stepped or deck-stepped
Material
Condition
Instruments and hardware at top
Condition of mast-step
Halyard number and routing

Safety

Lifelines/stanchions/toerails (how high ?)
Deck configuration
Sloping deck surfaces bad
Halyards come to cockpit
Bilge pump number and types
Strength of hatches and ports
Weight distribution
Cockpit size/drainage/bridgedeck
Cabin escape route through forward hatch
Lightning protection
Propane locker vents overboard
Lifesling, overboard pole

Sails

Number and types
Condition (check batten pockets and all edges)
Age
Material and thickness
Type of reefing/furling
Chafe

Deck Hardware

Quality
Method of attachment (through-bolted with backing plates)
Winches (self-tailing, 2-speed)
Cleats
Blocks
Hatch hinges and fastenings
Port and hatch materials

Attachment Strength

Bulkhead-to-hull
Hull-to-deck
Mast-to-hull

Finish

Blistering
Cracking
Rotting
Waterlogging (recent painting could be hiding cracks that will come back)

Cockpit

Size
Drainage
Layout
Sole type
Lazarettes
Visibility with and without dodger
Traveler in cockpit ?
Layout of gauges and controls
Livability

Cabin

Layout
Standing headroom
Comfortable seats with headroom
Size/number/length of berths
Lie down in every berth
Size/number/placement of ports
Upholstery
Paint
Sole type
Safety
Lighting
Ventilation
Smell
Look for stain line that could indicate recent sinking
Floor cracks could indicate recent severe impact
Number of structural bulkheads

Through-Hulls (including propeller shaft)

Number
Material
Condition
Sea-cocks
Double-clamped hoses

Access

To bilge
To very bottom of bilge
To engine
To stuffing-box
To through-hulls
To plumbing/tanks and electrical
To deck hardware backing plates

Rigging

Condition (dye testing for cracked fittings, magnetic testing for swages ?)
Type
Redundancy
Routing to cockpit, deck or mast
Any places where chafe is likely
How easy to rig jibe preventer
Dutchman or lazy jacks
Extra halyards and winches
Spinnaker pole and type of spinnaker jibe
Whisker pole
Traveller
Boom vang

Comfort

LOA and beam
Deck layout and space
Cabin space
Ventilation
Fans
Layout
Lighting (natural and artificial)
Storage space
Dryness

Electrical

Proper type of wire ?
Proper type of connections (soldered) ?
DC return wires used ?
Switch/fuse panel
Corrosion/zincs; bonding system type
Accessibility
Battery configuration, size, condition
Battery compartment separate from engine compartment ?
Charging system (solar, wind, water, alternator, generator)
Inverter type and size
Shore power connection (does it have GFI and circuit-breaker and isolation transformer)
Exposed on deck, in cockpit ?

Plumbing

Condition
Manual backup pumps
Inspection ports on water tank
Way to bypass waste tank
Bronze instead of plastic
Sizes/types/placement of tanks
Shore connection (does it have pressure limiter)
Tanks shouldn't be near heat sources
Water heater type

Leaks

Water/mold/stains/smells in bilge/lockers or around mast/ports/hatches
Deck hardware attached with screws

Galley

Stove type
Refrigeration size and type and power source
Icemaker
Watermaker
Microwave
Layout / access

Head

Type
Size (stand and sit with door closed)
Access for repair
Manual operation
Holding tank

Instruments

RADAR
GPS
LORAN
Depth meter
Depth finder / SONAR
Auto-pilots
Compass
Barometer
Knotmeter
Anemometer
Inclinometer
Radios, antennas and grounds
Where are sensors placed
Gearbox oil-pressure
Engine oil-pressure
Engine temperature
RPM
Running hours
Fuel gauge
Voltmeter

Tender

Type
Condition
Size
Mechanism to lift it
Place to stow it
Motor type/condition

Liferaft and Abandon-Ship Bag

Type
Condition
Size
Place to stow it (want on-deck stowage)
Supplies (watermaker, shade, food, etc)

Additional Items

Dodger/bimini
Fenders
Tools
Spares
Charts
Books
Logs
Owners manuals
PFDs
EPIRB
Extinguishers
Bilge blower
Fume detectors
Automatic fire-suppression
Jack lines and tethers
Fishing tackle
Ladder
Sail and instrument covers
Awning
Rain-catcher
BBQ
Air conditioner
Heater
Deck hoses
Deck shower
Audio/TV
Mast-climbing gear
Courtesy flags
Sea anchor
Drogue

General Use

How/where has the boat been used in general and in recent past ? If ocean passaging right up to present, probably is well maintained and fitted. If was used for day-sailing and has been sitting idle at broker's for 6 months, probably is not well maintained and fitted.

History

Any major accidents, repairs, refits, changes from original equipment ?
Prior survey reports ?
Prior owners ?
USA documented ?
Inspect log book ?
Maintenance records ?

Aesthetics

Usability

How easy to get on/off from docked/swimming/tender ?
Free deck space (with tender on board) for sleeping/partying/sitting ?

Balance

At dock, is boat listing, or down at bow/stern ?

Miscellaneous

Sea trial:

Do sea trial with tanks full, all gear on board.

Balance

Pitching
Heeling
Balanced steering
Weather helm

Under Sail

Speed
Visibility
Sail-handling
Responsiveness
Dryness
Motion
Stability
Tacking angle
Behavior at all points of wind
Behavior at various strengths of wind
Behavior with minimal/typical/full sails up
Performance of auto-pilot and wind-vane
Sounds when below
Raise/lower every sail

Motoring (run engine as long as possible)

Engine starting ease
Speed at various RPMs
Noise
Vibration
Exhaust
Leaks from engine
Engine temperature
Performance in reverse
Maneuverability turning radius
Sounds when below
Turn on all electrics and run at same time, see what happens
New oil in drip pan (put cloth down at start) ?

General

Water in bilge
New water in bilge after pumping it out ?
Water through open ports
Pounding through seas
Behavior when anchored in wind and swell
Operate every instrument and control

Tender (do a "sea trial")

Stability
Wetness
Capacity
Motor
Launching/stowing