Page 42 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 81

August 2019
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.sportsenergynews
Issue #81
42 Issue #81 August 2019 www.sportsenergynews.com.com
Marine Survey, a Boat Check-up

By Christine Ouellet

require attention.

The main elements of interest on all
onducting a marine survey on
boats are sea worthiness, safety, and
Cyour boat may seems like a compliance with the Canada Shipping
mysterious medical examination:
Act, which impose the building
someone is checking all the parts of code for small vessel construction,
your boat with a moisture meter then Transport Canada Regulations, and
tapping it with a special hammer
various other standards. For instance,
and listening for sounds of moisture, will the boat be used for its intended
delamination, water infiltration,
purpose?
osmosis electrolysis activity, and
visually checking all its vital signs For the survey job, it is highly
for any defects. recommend to use a surveyor
certified from the ABYC, USCG,
It is the meticulous inspection of AMS, SAMS, or BoatUS which are
all components of a boat conducted
all organizations that not only put
by a licensed surveyor. It applies to the candidates surveyors to test and
all vessels, motorboats, sailboats, for evaluate their experience but request
pleasure and commercial purpose.
ongoing education to maintain their
A survey is usually requested for certification. However, surveys have
the purpose of insurance, damage a limit, for instance, surveyors are
assessment and by prospect boat not certified mechanics and will not
buyers/sellers. It serves to determine address mechanical issues concerning
the fair market value of the boat, a the engine but they will look at lines
fair purchasing price and the overall and cables and their adjacent safety
condition of the boat, but it also systems.
serves to alert the buyer of repairs Ian White, a certified surveyor who
and maintenance issues that may

Ian White Photo Submitted
services the Cornwall area said the identify damages, defects, and any
most common problems he sees, are features that could cause injury to the
with “things that have no aesthetic passengers.
value such as cracked hoses that can Finally, the report should clearly
sink a boat, seacocks, and thru-hull list areas that require attention, by
valves that have not been touched order of importance. Mr. White’s
for years. Rigs are also neglected for reports summarize his findings at
years, fittings become rusted and pins the end of the report and divide them
fall out. I see often fire extinguisher in three sections: the first section
dating back to early eighties that are (A) refers to safety deficiencies that
not maintained, fire alarm and carbon require immediate attention. For
monoxide detectors that people take example, propane system deficiencies
care in their homes, but are neglected that could cause an explosion, worn
in their boats. Commonly used small or damaged below-waterline hoses,
electric bilge pumps are insufficient seacocks, and thru-hull fittings that
in case of sinking; they are not pose a sinking hazard. The second
intended to save your life”. (B) refers to issues that need to be

Surveyors will provide the client repaired in the short term and the
with a report that should be easy to third (C) contains the surveyor’s
read, simple, and comprehensible. notes of what will eventually require
Reports style may vary from one attention.
surveyor to another, but they For me, after spending last summer
should identify the boat, describe doing major work on the keel, I
its condition, say what it covered, requested a survey because I wanted
what was not covered, and explain to know the overall condition of the
why. The report should highlight all boat and also, to which maintenance
Photo by Robert Lefebvre, icelevel photography
deficiencies, examine all the basic projects I should give priority. I only
To view or purchase photos go to www.icelevel.com systems, all safety equipment, from wished I would have done the survey
fire extinguishers, to hand rails on before buying the boat, my “dream
deck and inside the cabin. It should boat”, but I was lucky this time.