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WHAT IS A MARINE SURVEY?
A critical examination or inspection of a marine vessel for a specific
purpose; the action of ascertaining facts regarding conditions or the condition
of something to provide exact information especially to persons responsible or
in fact interested; an examination of a vessel or a part of its equipment to determine its condition, responsibility for damage and disposition
to be made.
WHY CHOOSE POWER & SAIL
MARINE SURVEYORS?
Power & Sail Marine Surveyors Inc. had been serving the Florida & Great
Lakes Region Since 1995. Power & Sail Marine Surveyors, Inc. opened its doors
full time here in Florida on November 2007 and will continue to do its best to protect your safety and
investment. After all you have time money and love invested in your vessel or
the vessel you wish to purchase. Marine surveying is not a regulated profession.
The U.S. Coast Guard does not license, certify or approve marine surveyors. What
does this mean to you, the boater or sailor who needs to have a marine survey or
appraisal compiled for purchase, insurance, or repair? Basically it means you
are almost always left to your own discretion on choosing who inspects your
vessel. Accordingly, you must choose your marine surveyor wisely. We have a
reputation on the Great Lakes as a very thorough surveying company, if you do
not find Power & Sail Marine Surveyors on your brokers list this should be a red flag. To help you
with this important decision, please review the Criteria Defining a SAMS
(Society Of Accredited Marine Surveyors) Surveyor.
WHAT IS A PRE-PURCHASE CONDITION AND
VALUATION SURVEY?
This type of survey is what a prospective buyer normally
orders, usually as a condition of purchase, before a sale is completed.
A pre-purchase marine survey includes a complete detailed visual inspection
of all accessible areas of the vessel, and inspection of all marine systems,
including hull and stringer systems, propulsion machinery, electrical systems,
plumbing systems, heating and air conditioning systems, generator sets, shore
power systems, etc., and operational tests if possible. It will include a
comprehensive written report, and an appraisal of the fair market value of the
vessel.
Free Boat History Reported Provided With Every
Pre-Purchase Survey.
Special
services charged by the hour, over and above the survey fee.
Special services include the following: Corrosion testing and Sea-Trial.
WHAT IS A "LIMITED" CONDITION AND
VALUATION INSURANCE SURVEY?
This type of survey is normally ordered by the present
owner of a vessel, usually at the request of his insurance company, as a
condition of renewing the insurance policy. The purpose is to assure the
insurance company that the vessel has been adequately maintained since the time
of the last inspection, and that there are no glaring deficiencies that are
likely to put the insurance company at financial risk.
* Includes basic inspection for deficiencies relating to life & safety, an
appraisal, and a report stating the general condition of the
vessel, including notation of any obvious defects. (No Short Forms Here) This inspection is designed
to satisfy the minimum requirements of most insurance company requests for a
survey. In most cases, it will also meet the appraisal requirements of Lenders.
*Make certain it is clear in the report that the
surveyor has inspected the boat for compliance with the boating safety standards
set by the National Fire Protection Association (N.F.P.A.) and the American Boat
and Yacht Council (A.B.Y.C.), as well as U.S. Coast Guard standards, or it
probably will not be excepted by most major insurance carriers.
WHAT DOES A SURVEY MEAN TO THE BUYER?
It aids you in the fact that you are insured sufficiently to meet any loss
and that your vessel meets criteria for safe operation and welfare of your
family, crew
and passengers.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO THE FINANCIAL
INSTITUTIONS?
Usually vessels are financed up to a certain percentage of their value. The
remainder is your down payment. My survey advises the financial institution of
the value of your vessel.
HOW OFTEN IS THE SURVEY REQUIRED?
It will depend on the insurance company, the value of your vessel and its
age. For the sake of safety, a survey is recommended every three (3) to six (6) years.
A marine survey is usually accepted up to a year from the completion date.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
We charge a fee based on the size of the vessel. For example: a 28 foot
vessel would be $12.00 per foot times 28 feet for a total of $336.00. This
charge covers the
actual cost of the survey, which includes osmosis testing. Corrosion analysis, and sea trails are
also performed for a very reasonable additional charge. Also "Spectrometric Oil
Analysis" can reveal any abnormal or unusual bearing and cylinder wear inside the
engines.
Please examine my
Complete Pricing Breakdown for more detailed cost
information.
HOW LONG DOES A SURVEY TAKE?
Because we are a full time marine surveying company, we will normally perform and
complete
a survey within 48-72 hours. The onboard portion of the survey can run anywhere from 2 to 8 hours depending on the size of the
vessel and 2 to 6 hours in the office to thoroughly prepare the survey report.
Completed survey reports are usually in your hand the next morning or within 24 hours.
WHAT EQUIPMENT/TESTING SERVICES DO WE
PROVIDE?
Our service truck logs over 1, 250 miles per week surveying corporate,
private and commercial vessels throughout Florida.
This equipment includes the latest percussion sounding and moister-sounding electronic
instruments for the hull. Engine Laser Temperature Gun, for checking engine and
transmission temperatures during sea trails, AC/DC electrical testing of all
circuits and breakers on board the vessel is also conducted.
CAN I BE PRESENT AT THE TIME OF THE
SURVEY?
We welcome all clients to be present and I have no problem explaining as I
conduct the survey, I only ask that I am not taken out of my routine. We
recommend that the owner or broker be there to open any locks and give me
permission to board and inspect.
SHOULD YOU BUY A BOAT WITH BLISTERS
One of the
most frequently asked questions that I get as a surveyor, "Should I buy a boat
that has blisters?" To answer your questions this is a very complex subject. The
answer is produced with a lot of different answers.
Many of the boats I have surveyed have blisters, so finding the one that
doesn't (or won't get them) can be a difficult proposition. The short answer is
that the expense may not result from the absolute necessity to repair the
blisters, but the position you may find yourself in when it comes time to sell
the boat. Particularly with newer model boats, it is not unusual for buyers
demand a reduction in price, or that the blisters are repaired.
What Is A Blister? First, let's understand that all fiberglass
hulls absorb water to some degree because both the gelcoat finish on the
exterior, and the fiberglass reinforced plastic is porous. Since water is a
solvent, it will react with the plastic resulting in the water and solvents in
the plastic mixing to create a weak solvent solution, usually with styrene. This
then softens the gel coat somewhat and, combined with a bit of gas or fluid
pressure, results in the blister.
Our Blisters Harmful? Yes, but. This is a question of how much
harm. Blisters form at the interface between the gelcoat and what is called the
skin out mat, which is a layer of chopped, short-strand fiberglass that is used
to prevent the coarser weave pattern of heavier fiberglass cloth from
telegraphing through to the finish surface. If you have seen vessels with a
checkerboard pattern showing through on the surface, and this is the reason why.
Now, fiberglass fabric, being made of bundles of very fine glass fibers, is very
porous also, most especially the outer layer of mat. Once the gelcoat absorbs
water, the fibers in the mat that are unsaturated with resin then spread the
water around via the capillary effect.
Blistering involves only the gelcoat and surface mat in 99% of the cases.
This is due to the fact that the structural fabrics, such as roving, get
saturated better. Its also because the water is less likely to penetrate beyond
the mat and, even if it does, woven fabrics do not have the weak gel coat factor
and are much too strong to allow whatever pressure may develop within a void to
cause a separation. The incidence of blisters occurring within structural
laminates is extremely small.
Is Repairing Blistered Bottoms Mandatory?
Based on the foregoing discussion, the obvious conclusion in most cases is
negative. If the blisters cannot be shown to be causing significant damage,
then repair is certainly not mandatory; despite the many stories you may
hear from people trying to sell you a costly repair job. If the blisters are
large and numerous, it would be wise to seek unbiased, professional advice
before you proceed. Remember yes, blisters are unsightly and may cause a resale
problem. These are all factors you must weigh, in addition to the very high
cost, when deciding to repair or not. Further, you should also be aware that the
number of failed blister repair jobs that surveyor's find is very high. No one's
ever going to know why blister repairs fail because no one is going to spend the
money to find out. That there are so many should also play a role in your
decision to repair or not. And even though the repairer may give a warranty on
the repairs, you'd best get it in writing and read the fine print. Then make
sure the marina, yard and or technician is likely to be around years later to
honor that warranty if it becomes necessary.
HOW
IS PAYMENT TO BE MADE?
Certified & in state personal checks, bank money order,
PAYPAL or cash --WILL BE ACCEPTED.
(PAPERWORK IS RELEASED IN FULL ONCE PAYMENT IS RECEIVED IN FULL)
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