top of page

​

Just a few comments on how to find and hire a competent marine surveyor.

This may prove to more difficult that you might think. Here’s why.

Currently in most countries marine surveying is an unregulated profession and as a result marine surveyors come in all shapes, sizes and in varying degrees of knowledge and expertise. So how do you find a good one? Here are a few tips.

1-Look for surveyor with recognized credentials or accreditations. There are many supposed certifications out there but in my opinion (and the opinion of many insurance companies) there are only two. The Society of Accredited marine Surveyors ® (SAMS®) and The National Association of Marine Surveyors (NAMS Global). Also look for a surveyor that is a member of, or better yet standards trained by the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC). This important because the ABYC have re-searched and written almost all of the marine construction and safety standards currently in use today. Boat manufacturers, Transport Canada and the United States Coast Guard listen to these people and any surveyor worth his or her salt needs to be current on all of this. ABYC affiliation is the only way.

2-Ask to see a sample of their work. Examine it and decide if it will provide all of the information that you will require.

3-Compare pricing. Surveyors of quality and integrity will show similar pricing. Any significantly lower or higher should be held in question. Cheaper is not always better.

4-Last but not least consult your insurance company about the surveyor that you plan to hire. If they won’t accept the surveyor’s work there’s not much point now is there?

I can’t stress enough how important this aspect of the process is. I come across survey reports every year that are an absolute joke. This is not the time to cheap out on a surveyor with inferior skills and expertise. It will probably cost you more in the long run with possible unnecessary repairs and modifications than you saved by hiring an incompetent individual.

Here’s a point to keep in mind if this all takes place during the winter months.

When ambient temperatures are below freezing any moisture contained in fiberglass structures, such as boat hulls and decks freezes as well. During the freezing process crystallization of the substance will occur. This adds small air pockets which make electronic moisture detection virtually impossible. Also because the substance is frozen it becomes very hard rendering percussive sounding tests useless as well. It is for these reasons that I do not recommend the surveying of fiberglass boats when the ambient temperatures are below freezing.

Choosing a Competent Surveyor 

bottom of page