Ocean Racing & Materials Engineering: How Instrumental Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) is Performed on Hulls, Composites, and Rigging In the world of ocean racing, where elite yachts like Class 40s or IMOCAs are relentlessly pushed to their physical breaking points, the tolerance for structural failure is exactly zero. Cyclic stresses, high-speed… Read More »Ocean race boats
The Algorithm Illusion: Why AI Can Never Replace a Marine Survey Buying a boat or managing her maintenance is a dream that requires significant investment. Today, looking for quick answers, many yacht owners and prospective buyers rely on Artificial Intelligence. Tools like ChatGPT are fantastic for gathering general information, but… Read More »AI and boat’s survey
A Technical Guide to Selection, Installation, and Inspection Seacocks and through-hull fittings are critical safety components of any vessel, yet they are all too often treated as mere “pieces of metal” selected based on the lowest price. During my surveys, their compliance is one of the first things I inspect:… Read More »Seacocks and Through-Hull Fittings
Invisible Diagnostics: Why Visual Inspection is Not Enough for Carbon Fiber Masts The introduction of carbon fiber into sailing rigs has revolutionized modern yachting, offering extraordinary rigidity and a drastic reduction in top-down weight. However, this advanced composite material conceals a critical engineering vulnerability: unlike aluminum, which deforms visibly before… Read More »MAST inspection-survey NDT
Beyond the Spec Sheet: The Role of Pre-Purchase Surveys in Ocean-Crossing and Circumnavigation Projects When a yachtsman decides to purchase a vessel for long-distance ocean passage-making, they are not merely buying an asset: they are funding a life project. We are talking about voyages that will keep the hull at… Read More »Pre purchase survey for ocean crossing yacht
Post-Voyage Structural Analysis: Why the Initial Inspection Isn’t Enough When we oversee the construction of a vessel, the initial Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) inspection is crucial: it serves as the “snapshot” of the hull’s health before it even touches the water. However, the true test comes only after the boat has… Read More »HULL ndt inspections
Why the Final Pre-Purchase Survey Report Matters — A Descriptive Guide Buying a boat is more than a purchase: it’s a commitment to safety, maintenance costs and long-term value. The final pre-purchase survey report turns an inspection into usable knowledge. A well-written descriptive report tells the story of the vessel’s… Read More »Pre Purchase survey report
Keel‑to‑Hull Repairs: When Good Lamination Hides a Bad Bolt The Danger of “Over-Lamination” in Hull-to-Keel Repairs: When GRP Thrives but Mechanics Fail A textbook hull-to-keel joint is the ultimate backbone of a sailboat’s safety. Yet, during my marine surveys, I frequently encounter a paradox: structural repairs that are flawless in… Read More »Keel bolts and nuts – Pre purchase survey discover
This short video shows some issues that have come to light during pre-purchase inspections.Osmosis can manifest in various forms, and therefore must be treated in different ways.Osmosis is not an enemy to be feared: you just need to understand it. Out of over 500 inspections we’ve performed on yachts in… Read More »Osmosis video
The video of the survey for the Azimut 26 meters provides an in-depth look at the inspection conducted at the prestigious Azimut shipyards in Viareggio by SEA Superyacht Experts Alliance. Together with my team, we carried out a thorough inspection on land, having the privilege of examining every detail of… Read More »Azimut 26M survey