Surveying Fiberglass Power Boats
2nd Edition

During the course of his weekly work, a marine surveyor is faced with a dizzying array of different sizes and types of craft. Though it would certainly be desirable, it is not possible to produce a step-by-step guide as to how to perform a survey since the survey will vary so much from boat to boat. By necessity, this book is intended to be read cover-to-cover.

Each chapter starts with a discussion of the basic principles involved, then gives an overview of the kinds of problems the surveyor routinely faces. In many ways, it begins to resemble a compendium on proper marine engineering and standards. From this, the surveyor is expected to be able to extrapolate the faults he discovers in his work.

No one book could possibly begin to cover the virtually infinite variations that surveyors encounter in boats. In the end, the surveyor is required to sufficiently develop his knowledge to the point where he is capable of rendering his own judgment on any given issue. The purpose of this book is to help you learn to do that.

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The production of this book was undertaken as a self-published work in order to help fill the void created by a near total lack of good texts on the subject of pre-purchase surveying pleasure craft. It is the most extensive and thorough book of it’s kind ever produced, if only because there are so few of them.

Although this book deals mainly with motor yachts, including styles such as express and convertibles, I have included chapter nine Cockpits, which covers many of the problems to be found with outboard boats, particularly the high end center console boats that have become so popular. Surveyors tend to get very enthusiastic about surveying bigger and bigger boats; we should not forget that there’s a good business to be done with smaller boats that might well be more profitable than their larger cousins.

While the theme is primarily directed at the novice surveyor and the aspiring surveyor, the subject is the actual business of marine surveying. However, the business of marine surveying is not about boats alone, for every survey starts with a client for whom the service is being rendered. Therefore, as a primary theme you will find that the relationship between surveyor and client is close at hand, for they are inseparable. Always at the back of his mind is a customer who wants to know about the nature of the used boat he is about to purchase. No, this profession is not just about boats; it’s about people and boats.

Underlying every situation is the question of what exactly is the surveyor’s responsibility to the client? What kind of information does the client need to be informed of? Are there differences between legal and moral responsibilities? These are questions that surveyors face every day, and for which I’ll provide some answers and the reasons why.

It is not the purpose of this book to educate the reader on the subject of pleasure craft generally. By necessity I have assumed that the reader is possessed of certain prerequisites, including a solid knowledge of technical basics. I am frequently asked by people whose backgrounds and education are in other fields, how they can become marine surveyors. They seem to think it’s an easy thing to change careers because this profession seems to them to be glamorous, and requires no college diplomas or licenses. There is also the siren song of self employment, which is a tougher taskmaster than any boss one has ever had.

My answer to them is that if they do not have a background in boat building or repair, or similar allied field, then they should not even consider trying to become a marine surveyor. Lacking such expertise, they are inherently unqualified. There are no schools that can provide that education, only the college of long experience in allied fields. Neither will this book provide those qualifications, as one book cannot make a professional expert. And expertise is what our clients hire us for. If a surveyor lacks it, he is nothing more than a quack, something this profession already has too many of.

Due to a perceived lack of literature on the subject of modern boat construction, chapter five deals extensively with hull construction, devoting some 45 pages and over two dozen photos and drawings to help the surveyor in identifying structural deficiencies. Because stress cracks are so common to boats, an entire chapter is devoted to this sometimes mystifying subject. Chapter eight then deals with decks and superstructures.

Many newcomers enter the profession every year, but few survive for very long. While I can’t know all the reasons why, I have to believe it’s because most were unaware that marine surveying is not a casual activity that just anyone with a whim could enter and expect to succeed. Many seem to think that being a marine surveyor is somehow glamorous, as if surveyors do little but ride around on yachts sipping pina coladas and enjoying the scenery. Others seem to think that they can attend a few classes or seminars and get everything they need to know to be successful in a matter of weeks.

Nothing could be further from the truth. If you have any ideas about this being a glamorous profession, let me disabuse you of that notion right now. Marine surveying is a work of hard, physical labor, that is usually dirty, noisy and puts him in an adversarial position with sellers and brokers. Surveys are almost always conducted in difficult circumstances, and almost never under ideal working conditions. The surveyor is routinely exposed to extremes of weather, poor working conditions, dirt, grime, foul odors, harsh chemicals, extremely loud noise and the constant threat of physical injury from unexpected sources. You’ll end up working in engine rooms with temperatures as high as 130oF.

Copyright 2001 David H. Pascoe