Do you actually need qualifications or a licence to do Pre-purchase or surveys for the purpose of satisfying an insurance company that the vessel actually exists? I cant find that info anywhere. For example: anyone can call themselves an Arborist (sure there are arboriculture & climbing courses you can do), then knock down trees. But you need to be a qualified & licensed Plumber to work on residential properties. A marine Surveyor for recreational vessels, don't think any qualifications are needed?? cheers
Recognized shipwrights do it around here. I think it much like mooring contractors for insurance purposes, you basically get your name down with the local council!
Well guess I am going to burst your bubble and thoughts about surveyors. Yes is the answer, yes they need to be registered and yes they need insurance ..... and guess for you, insurance company will usually require that it is done by certified surveyor as well as a rig survey.
Unless of course you are prepared to "run the gauntlet" with them.
Biggest annoyance for me was having to pay someone to do the job I am qualified to do ........... conflict of interest and all that.
if you ask your insurance company they will have a list of certified people, if not use the list that Club Marine have on their website and chose carefully, ask around and look for who others have good runs with and who has given good service. I had to chase the guy who did mine for nearly 3 months to get the report, thank god insurance people were patient and understanding.
Sounds like that insurance company thinks its the mafia nswsailor.
Thanks dkd, Who do they "need" to be registered with? (AMSA has a list, but theres plenty of others that aren't on the AMSA list.) Also "certified" in what? Or to what body do they have to be certified too? Would have to be a govt' dept' wouldn't it? Being "Certified" sounds a lot more kosher, but is it absolutely required? cheers
There are a couple of Institutes that register their surveyors, here and internationally with acreditted course and qualifications.
For what you are looking for, anyone listed on the Club Marine list should be okay for any insurance company, was actually where my insurance company suggested I went initially.
But other than AMSA (who's surveyors may or may not do recreational vessels) there are institutes like AIMS (Aust Institute of Marine Surveyors) they would happy point you in the right direction.
I found that some want to do the full survey, including safety gear and it took me a fair amount of "encouragement" to convince them that all that is required for insurance company is a Hull Condition Report and Rig Survey. Some will do both, some will runaway from the rig side but a lot of lofts are happy to do the rig report or any rig company. Check tho' with your insurance company as some do not require the Rig report if you can show that the rig is less than 5 years old (I think from memory that is the "magic age"). I actually use a sail loft to do Rig reports for me as their insurance covers it, not mine.
Most state governments now have contracted out the survey side and just maintain the record side. Certification and quals is another course and more study but most are engineers, masters or naval Architects
More political and legislative over-protection I think sometimes, everything to the lowest common denominator.
Enjoy the experience, IMHO I would use someone qualified because if it all turns to custard he will have insurance. Sad way to look at it but that is reality in this day and age.
Perhaps you need to find a better insurance company.
CM started wanting a survey for my boat, Martzcraft 35. Adding yet more costs to my boating. They did the same to a mate with a Hutton 25. They showed no customer loyalty to my mate or me at all and just wanted money.
I called YOUI after my mate chucked CM and insured his boat with them. They insured it immediately, no survey needed and they certainly didn't ask for proof the boat exists.
Cheers. dkd, I am thinking of getting into it. As a carpenter(looking to get off the tools) in the domestic housing sector & with the excessive over-regulation in that industry, this marine surveying gig looks like a bit of a doddle. Go & have a bit of a nose around someones boat & write a report, & as govt' isn't regulating it (from what I can see??), expand my public liability, get some professional indemnity ins' & get a few business cards printed up, clients want cheap(in comparison to others) reports just to satisfy the insurance mobs, how hard can it be??
