In this video we are conducting a sea trial during a survey. Right now we are checking the axle seals. The seal has a packing which, while not allowing water to pass through, must also ensure that the axle does not overheat. Therefore, the tension of the packing must often… Read More »Baia 60 – packing test during sea trials
In this video we are testing the shape of a winch bell. These elements are too often mistakenly used as mooring points. In gales and other extreme events, they are subjected to significant stresses and it happens that the bells become deformed, increasing friction on the bearings due to abnormal… Read More »Maritime survey: checking the bell of a Harken winch with a dial gauge
Design matters, but material also counts: when buying a boat, in addition to technical evaluations, one might also choose to favour a wooden hull, for example, over a metal or fibreglass one. Let’s look at the various types of wooden boats, with their construction techniques, and some of their most… Read More »All about wooden yachts
I always try to convey to my clients the need for a good pre-purchase appraisal. Only a good pre-purchase appraisal can describe in as much detail as possible the condition of the boat in all its aspects: Given this premise, although the marine surveyor engages all his attention and all… Read More »What NOT to expect from an appraisal
Marine surveyors and team working When I face surveys for boats of a certain size or with articulated accessories and installations due to time constraints and working accuracy, I usually prefer team working. That is, at the time of commissioning I assess whether and which professionals to bring in during… Read More »Marine surveyors and team working
The term as well as the profession of Marine Surveyor brings together a very broad set of different professions, so looking for a nautical expert should not be the sole focus of your search. In fact, it will also be necessary to consider, first and foremost, the expert’s field of… Read More »How to choose the right marine surveyor
The holes on a boat can serve different purposes. They can be scuppers, if their function is to drain excess water. They can be hawseholes (anchor or mooring lines pass through), or limber holes, to drain water from bilges.Or, they can be ventilation holes and portholes.During a pre-purchase survey, it… Read More »Marine survey and the holes in a boat
The survey to a catamaran or in general to a multihull in many respects traces an inspection to any other type of vessel. However, on multihulls the structural areas change compared to monohulls. Also, the sail plans change if sailing catamarans. In my profession as a boat surveyor in Italy,… Read More »The nautical appraisal of a catamaran
The pre-purchase appraisal for an inflatable boat is now becoming standard practice. First reason: the spread of inflatable boats; Second reason: the current market value – that’s why we should not underestimate the purchase by taking unnecessary risks. Although the construction techniques of inflatable boats, especially in the best-known shipyards,… Read More »The pre-purchase appraisal of an inflatable boat
The appraiser of a ship usually comes up with quite futuristic instrumentation. We are talking about ultrasound scanners or state-of-the-art thermal imaging cameras, first of all.Beware: all those tools should not make you more confident in the purchase! The above-mentioned instrumentation is certainly very useful when well used but is… Read More »The appraiser’s electronic instrumentation: ultrasound and thermal imaging cameras