We recently purchased a used 27' Cobalt and were required to have a marine survey done in order to obtain a loan for a portion of the purchase price. As that came as a complete surprise we found ourselves scrambling.
Mark Corke
http://www.surveymyboat.com
is SAMS accredited and was VERY responsive. I feel he did a thorough and professional survey of the boat. He pointed out a number of tips as he went over it, and identified a couple of issues that we were able to have resolved as part of the purchase process. His written report was very thorough and complete, and included numerous photos of key areas and an estimated value.
i would not hesitate to use him again, and would definitely recommend him to anyone needing a survey.