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Fort
Lauderdale, FL33316 |
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Phones
Fax: 954-364-7996
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SERVICES
AVAILABLE (2006)
Here
is a selection of the surveying, auditing and inspection services we offer and
a short commentary on each. You are free
to choose which services you require for your particular needs. Bear in mind that the more information you
have, the better your decisions. Please
call to discuss pricing.
Condition
(Pre-purchase) Valuation Surveys and Reports:
Sliding
scale which depends on the vessel’s age, Length Over All (LOA) as measured and number
of hulls. This includes a close cold examination of the outside of the engine
blocks for broken wiring, loose attachments, oil and water leaks, fluid checks,
engine mounts, exhaust hull penetrations, raw water through hulls and
strainers, discharge through hulls where visible, bonding and grounding
etc. Bottom inspections of running gear,
through hulls and sounding the hull for rot delamination or thin spots. It provides an overall opinion of the
structural integrity of the vessel.
Haulout and associated costs to your account.
Our
job is to look. We are not insured to
handle the vessel, or the vessel’s gear. To prepare the vessel for survey, and
by arrangement with the owner, all lockers & compartments under berths etc,
should be emptied to allow inspection.
On larger crewed vessels, a crew person should be available to act as
guide, witness and to empty/re-pack stowage lockers, etc.
Includes
pictures where necessary and a report.
This
assessment is essentially a part of the above survey. The vessel is taken out to sea to get some
idea of it’s suitability for it’s intended use, and also to test how well the
engines function under load, how well they are attached to the vessel, to check
that the shafting turns true, that there is no
leakage from engines, stern glands or rudder glands, check engines running temperatures under load
and for hot spots, check the exhaust systems are tight, check for undue
vibration of the engines or running gear, and to observe the exhaust product of
the engines.
At
that time we check the vessel’s instrumentation to see how well gauges
function, and get some idea of their accuracy.
At that time we can measure the actual RPM against instrument readouts.
Analog gauges have a tendency to be accurate over a narrower range than digital
ones. A check is made to see how well
the generators carry load demands, how well the batteries respond to engine
starting and auxiliary loads etc. and how well they hold their charge.
As
a buyer, and during these trials, you may want to consider if the vessel
provides you with the degree of comfort and amenities that you and your family
or friends want.
This
Report usually forms a part of the Condition & Valuation Survey.
Insurance &
Valuation Survey & Report:
These
are usually instigated by the vessel’s insurance company, and it is usually a
requirement that the vessel be inspected about every three years. Some companies require out of water surveys,
some the rig surveyed, and some are content with in water reports. Please check with your insurance company if
they have any special survey requirements.
Includes
Report, along with pictures where deemed necessary.
United Nations:
International Maritime Organization (IMO):
International Ship
Management (ISM) &
International Ship
Security & Port Facility Security (ISPS):
This
tends to be an ongoing relationship, so, fees are by arrangement.
International
Ship Management (ISM) Lead Auditor & International Ship and Port Security
(ISPS) planning and auditing. Designated Person Ashore (DP). 1st & 2nd Party
Auditing currently available.
It
is an international REQUIREMENT of all signatory administrations (governments)
that vessels of 500 Gross Tons and over have current ISM and ISPS compliant certification. Vessels shall have a current Safety
Management System Certificate of Compliance aboard, and their shore side
operating companies shall have a Document of Compliance, both of which are
inter linked, must be current and audited regularly.
Vessels
not complying may be denied access to ports, or if given access, may be
detained following inspection, and fined.
Only those vessels in government service are excluded.
Following
world wide concerns on safety, security and the environment, these requirements
now have teeth and heavy fines are being handed out for non-compliance.
Some
Administrations (read ‘governments’), for example the British MCA, have lowered
the requirement limit to include vessels of 24 meter Load Waterline
Length. It is a requirement that these
smaller vessels have a ‘Mini ISM’ in place by January 1st,
2007. Other administrations will follow
suit.
Damage Surveys and
Reports:
These
are usually implemented by insurance underwriters, but also on occasion, by
owners wanting detailed information immediately following an event.
Written
report and pictures as required.
Up Mast Rigging
Survey:
A
rig failure is infinitely more catastrophic than an engine failure, yet many
people are reluctant to have this done.
Not infrequently we come across boats where it has been THREE YEARS or
more, since someone went aloft to look at the rig and it’s gear.
Includes
all spars (including hull cross ties), sheave boxes, spreader ends &
attachments, audio gauging where required, chain plates where visible, standing
& running rigging, inspection of mast electronics, electrics and wiring
where visible, safety lines, all sail handling gear, hydraulics for rig
tensioning or vang, bowsprits & gaffs etc. Inspection of all sails aboard.
This
inspection can be done at dockside & does not need the Rig Surveyor to do
the Engine/Systems/Sea trials. Of course this does depend on wind direction
& speed.
However,
you may ask for the Rig Inspector to be aboard during sea trials etc., so you
can hoist & inspect sails with him.
In view of the amount of time he will spend aboard as a trapped audience
after he has completed his inspection, (he cannot get ashore until we return to
dockside), a special additional fee should be negotiated to cover this extra
time. Suggest $50.00/hour extra to his
Survey fee.
Includes
a written report along with pictures where required.
Oil Sampling:
Samples
are drawn from engines while hot and sent to an Oil Analysis Laboratory to
determine what/how many metals are in suspension. An extra charge is made to courier the
samples, which gives us the result earlier.
An opinion is offered on what course of action, if any, should be taken.
While
having a specialist engine surveyor aboard is always desirable (and costly),
you may consider Oil Sampling a convenient way to decide, after you see the
results, whether you require his/her services.
Includes
a written report.
Compression testing:
We
carry tools to test engine compression, both gasoline & diesel. Late model fuel injected engines must be
fitted with a remote starter to bypass the fuel injection function. Engines must be drained of fuel. Spark plugs and injectors must be removed to
give proper access.
Includes
pictures as required and a written report.
We
carry gear to test batteries (6 & 12 volt only). This provides you with an indication of their
condition. This requires that all
batteries to be tested, be disconnected from the ship and each other.
Includes
pictures as required and a written report.
Hull Moisture Content
Survey:
If
you suspect that cored hull and/or decks have high moisture content, we are
able to conduct this survey for you.
This survey requires good access to the exterior and interior of the
accessible cored hull and/or deck structure.
You will be aware that aside from increasing the all up weight of the
vessel, water in cored areas can lead to delamination and loss of structural integrity.
Often
high moisture content is found in decks near windows or fittings which
penetrate the outer skin and around hull port holes etc. Flybridge soles are often found to contain
surprising quantities of water.
This
is a non-destructive test and includes pictures as required, a written and
diagrammatic report.
Audio Gauge Surveys
and Reports :
a)
Dry docked:
This
is particularly useful in testing plating thickness on metal structures. It may also be used on fiberglass. We are
able to sound the entire under water hull, topsides, transoms etc. If deck plating is accessible (in chain
lockers or lazarette) that too can be sounded.
On an average 80 foot LOA vessel we would reckon on taking approximately
1000 soundings. On larger vessels,
readings will run into thousands.
Other
structures requiring sounding can be fuel and water tank tops and walls in
coffer dams, exhaust expansion tanks, exhaust piping, masts, other spars and
metal plumbing etc. The sounding head
(approx. 10mm in diameter) is best on bare metal to give accurate
readings. Trying to read through bottom
paint, especially if it has a high metal content, or is pitted, can be done,
but is not advised. The yard provides
labor to grind selected areas to expose the bare metal. Cost is to your account.
b) In the water:
Insurance
companies are becoming more accepting of in the water Hull Surveys. For larger yachts this brings great value in
that the Survey can be conducted at the vessel’s berth, and with little effect
on it’s daily dockside routine.
Expensive haulout and displacement costs are also avoided. Due to reduced visibility underwater, it is a
drawn out process.
Having
building plans, plating schedules, plate expansion drawings and replating schedules
and plating diagrams to consult is of great assistance.
These
are non-destructive tests. A written and
diagrammatic report is included for both types of Survey.
Crack & Fissure
testing:
We
carry gear that enables us to dye test for weld or plate failure.
Vapro
NDT F.D. is an extremely sensitive fluorescent penetrant inspection method that
reveals cracks and other surface discontinuities in virtually any non-porous
material, ferrous or non-ferrous. It is
a nondestructive test.
It
is ideal for applications where portability is required, and the vivid red
color permits daylight inspection.
Fuel Tank Water
Content Testing:
Providing
that the tanks are fitted with accessible sounding tubes or plugs, we carry
gear to determine how much water is in the tank directly under that tank
access. If the only access is through
the tank filler fittings, this requires that access be relatively straight in
the vertical plane.
If
the tank is not rectangular, where possible we Endeavour to extrapolate.
Full Electrical
Survey:
This
is not a service we provide directly. However, we are in touch with a Qualified
Marine Electrician who has much experience with yachts and small commercial
craft. If the vessel has issues with
electrolysis or corrosion that you want to be investigated and/or cured, these
can be addressed. Charges are decided by
the technician.
Consultation:
If
you are contemplating making structural changes, either to resolve a problem,
or to provide you with better use of your vessel, we are available to inspect
the vessel and discuss these changes with you, and how best to accomplish
them. Perhaps you are contemplating
changes to the vessel’s rig that you would like our opinion on. We also review drawings.
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Please
feel free to discuss your needs with us.
We offer Full Service Marine Management and Surveying world wide. Free to travel at short notice.
