The Future of Marine Survey Reports
Whether a vessel's hull bottom is cored or solid fiberglass is a oftentimes not easy to determine from the manufacturer without a direct phone call, and this is sometimes impossible if they are no longer in business. However, this can most often be verified while onboard looking at the construction of the interior bilge spaces.
Read MoreAs a surveyor there are many common writeups when inspecting a vessel's propeller shaft seals, but today I want to talk about one specific component of one specific but very common type of shaft seal. Tides Marine 'SureSeal' Shaft Seals are quite common on pleasure craft and many sport yachts, and are quite easily one of the most common shaft seal...
Read MoreI often get asked for a video on how I use InspectX while in the field, so today I created a short video of just one finding while in the aft lazarette bilge. In this video I focus on just the live bait-well manifold assembly and some issues on how it was constructed. Clearly there are a number of other findings that can be seen in this video but...
Read MoreAll boats manufactured or imported on or after November 1, 1972 must bear a HIN. The HIN is a 12 character identification number unique to that vessel. The primary HIN must be permanently affixed (so that it can be seen from outside the boat) to the starboard side of the transom within two inches of the top of the transom, gunwale or hull/deck join...
Read MoreHi all! Today's quick-tip is about the commonly seen expired or recalled hand-held fire extinguishers. Take note anytime you see these Kidde brand hand-held fire extinguishers with plastic handles (like the video above) or push-button fire extinguishers. Non-Affected Fire Extinguishers with plastic handles
Read MoreHere's another finding we come across frequently when inspecting vessels with cored fiberglass fin stabilizers. As with any deficiency I come across more than once, I save it as a Quick Insert Phrase within InspectX so that it's very easy to enter into the report while working in the field.
Read MoreHere's a an example of a failure we come across often during the course of a survey. I have a commonly used phrase already saved in the Finding's & Recommendations section of my version of InspectX under 'Raw Water Strainers' for just such an occasion. These service caps should only ever be tightened by hand, so it is likely that this fracture occu...
Read MoreAs surveyors ourselves we often attend SAMS (Society Of Accredited Marine Surveyors) regional or international seminars. These meetings serve to provide continuing education credits to the attendees and also provide a great location for new and current inspectors to learn about new tools at their disposal. During these gatherings InspectX will ofte...
Read More