Good Surveyors - Hard to Find?

[BobHorn]

On our fourth boat now, never had a survey worth the paper it was printed on. Unfortunately an insurance requirement.

[TabbyCat]

Originally Posted by SkipMark

I am seeking a surveyor working in the southern Aegean (Patmos, Leros, Kalymnos, Kos) for an out-of-the-water survey for insurance purposes.

Karamalis and Associates
Independent Marine Surveyors,
Consulting Engineers & Naval Architects
1 Eptanissu Str., Alimos
Athens, 174 55, Greece
Tel :210-9851207, Fax :210-9851105
e-mail: info@karamalis-surveyors.gr
Karamalis Yacht Surveyors in Greece | Karamalis-surveyors.gr[/url] <http://www.karamalis-surveyors.gr>

[TabbyCat]

Originally Posted by EdCharbo

Can anyone recommend a "deal killer" type surveyor in Massachusetts?
..

Hartoft Marine Surveys, but they are in Maryland. Not sure if they would travel?

[sailingharry]

Originally Posted by TabbyCat

Hartoft Marine Surveys, but they are in Maryland. Not sure if they would travel?

Peter Hartoft did my sailboat. He may be an OK power boat surveyor, but he is inept on sailboats. I had a wire-to-rope main halyard, made down to the after lower chainplate. He confused that to be a shroud, gave me an insurance hit for "screw shackles in the standing rigging" and "main halyard not present." He then refused to respond to emails asking what that was about. I finally figured out that he didn't know what a wire halyard was.


Of course, that's better than friend who just had a Benne surveyed (another surveyor) who stated the "encapsulated lead keel" -- all Benne's have external iron keels.


Very few marine surveyors are worth anything, unless you are a very green buyer. The primary purpose of a survey is to allow you to purchase insurance.


Harry

[sailingharry]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Unfortunately I think he has retired. You can give him a call to confirm but if he is I'll bet he could recommend someone.

Please post back if you learn anything.

Ed Rowe Associates
Address: 9116 86th Pl, Vero Beach, FL 32967
Phone: (772) 589-7463

As of May 2019, Ed is not retired. I had him survey a purchase (or not, as it turned out). He works out of Vero Beach, where our target boat was. We terminated the survey early due to extensive core moisture in the deck, but I saw enough of his work to have a favorable impression. I've worked with or seen the results of bad surveyors, and Ed is of a different class. I would hire him again or recommend him in a heartbeat. He even was going to go up the mast, if we had gotten that far.



It's nice to know there are good ones. And it's even nicer to be able to shout it to the world!

[gonesail]

Originally Posted by BobHorn

On our fourth boat now, never had a survey worth the paper it was printed on. Unfortunately an insurance requirement.

agree with you 99.9%. I am in a situation where a survey is not required for insurance. and I am sick and tired of the "customer no service" of the local surveyors. for what? to tell me the flares are outdated? my last survey missed leaking fuel and holding tanks. just wondering how many go without a survey when buying a boat

[Lepke]

I do my own survey, but have boat/ship build/repair experience. I pay cash for boats, but still need the survey for insurance. On a new-to-me boat I always find many things the surveyor missed. Especially in outdoor wood items, especially decking. Most surveyors don't like to get dirty so miss things difficult to get to, under the engine, behind cabinets, chain locker, Lazarette, and so on. If it's a wood or steel boat you need someone beyond the local guy.