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How Do I Choose a Marine Surveyor in Baltimore?

Getting expert services in a Baltimore marine survey guarantees that the assessment of the hazards involved with a future marine enterprise is accurate. On the other hand, selecting the incorrect surveyor can leave you ill-equipped to control the risks involved and guarantee the effectiveness and safety of your vessel and crew. One of the most crucial choices a boat owner has to make is choosing the best marine surveyor before buying a boat. This post is a quick guide outlining the key areas to consider when hiring a surveyor.

Training and Certification

As you learn how do I choose a marine surveyor, you must familiarize yourself with marine survey certification and accreditation organizations. That is because choosing a marine surveyor that is a member of an organization like the Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors (SAMS) guarantees that you end up with the best and most knowledgeable marine surveyors in the business. Making sure a marine surveyor is a member of any recognized organization guarantees you get the best marine survey services.

Part of being a member of a training and certification organization means the surveyor takes ongoing training and adheres to strict ethics and quality standards. The requirement for ongoing education to keep one’s certification is a big benefit of being a qualified marine surveyor. That implies that they will be knowledgeable about the most recent changes in the sector.

Keep in mind that there are many different certifications available for marine surveyors. However, you should opt for a maritime surveyor with accreditation if you want someone who is highly qualified. An accredited surveyor has both the experience and expertise needed to perform a thorough survey.

Services Offered

Obviously, this will be influenced significantly by the type of vessel you want to survey as well as specific marine survey requirements. Generally speaking, you should look for a marine surveyor who is renowned for providing expertise in a variety of areas such as:

  • Pre-purchase survey
  • Insurance survey
  • Engine analysis
  • Sea trials
  • Cargo damage report
  • Boat appraisal

These are the most typical tasks carried out by marine surveyors, so choosing a surveyor with expertise in all of them will put you in a far better position to handle any unforeseen problems that may crop up. This further means you won’t need to search for a different marine surveyor for every problem.

Hopefully, this post has answered the question of how do I choose a marine surveyor. As a parting shot, always choose a surveyor you feel comfortable working with. The best surveyor should not only be experienced but also have remarkable communication skills.

Baltimore Marine Survey

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Facts About Preparing a Boat for a SAMS Survey

Some of the best marine surveyors in Baltimore to work with are those that are SAMS accredited or associated. This is because to offer a SAMS survey, a surveyor is required to meet strict requirements. The surveyor must be a SAMS member which requires them to have at least five years of experience in boat survey as well as complete admission exams. The surveyors also adhere to strict codes of ethics and standards. This means the survey you get will be beyond reproach. If you plan on using a SAMS-accredited boat surveyor in Baltimore, there are a couple of things you will have to understand when getting ready for the service.

The first fact you need to understand is that a lot of time and money can be saved when you take the time to prepare your vessel for a boat inspection. A lot goes into this. For the best experience when getting a SAMS survey, here are the top things you should do.

Present a clean, ship-shape boat

The last thing you want is for the marine surveyor to waste a lot of time waiting for you to get the boat ready. The surveyor may end up charging you for the time they spent waiting for you to get the boat ready. Some of the things you should do when getting ready for a boat survey is to ensure the boat is clean and easy to access. Second, you need to make sure that all the paperwork is in order. This means you have to liaise with the boat owner to get things ready. You may have to pay a down payment before the seller agrees for an inspection to be done. You will also need authorization from the seller not only to get the survey done but also to get some components dismantled during the survey.

If you cannot provide proof that you have authorization from the owner of the boat, you may not get the survey done. With that in mind, make sure the seller can provide all the paperwork on the boat’s ownership. They should also give you an authorization for an inspection in writing.

Hire the right team

As aforementioned, the surveyor may require that you dismantle some components. This should only be done by a professional. Make sure there is a qualified professional on-site to help with this. If you cannot drive a boat, make arrangements for a captain to be on-site during the survey. The role of the captain will be to help with the sea trials. You will also need someone to supervise the hauling of the boat.

SAMS surveys are very thorough. Making the above arrangements as you get ready for an inspection will help avoid time and money wastage.

SAMS Survey

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Boat Surveyors Baltimore – How to Get the Best Deal on a Boat

One of the best places to buy a boat is at the boat show. This is because there are so many boats and dealers here. However, this does not mean you ignore the input of boat surveyors Baltimoretrusts. The input of a surveyor is indispensable. However, before you get to the survey phase, there are a couple of things you will need to do.

Set a budget

Before you head to a boatyard or boat show, the first thing you must do is set a budget. You need to figure out how much you can afford. If you plan on financing the purchase, know how much you can afford for a down payment and monthly payment. You should then stick to your budget when you start shopping. Having a budget will also help boat surveyors Baltimore help you determine if the purchase you are about to make is a wise one. Make sure your budget accounts for repairs and maintenance costs.  

Know what you want

It is good to have a game plan before you head to the boat show. A game plan in this case is knowing what you want to buy. Do you need a fishing or cruising boat? How big should the boat be? Which pieces of equipment must the ideal boat have? Compiling a list of all the things you want in a boat will keep you from being overwhelmed at the boat show. Needless to say, knowing what you want in a boat helps a boat surveyor determine if the vessel you are considering is a good fit for your intended purpose.

Get the boat inspected

Even where the boat is being sold by the most reputable dealer in the region, you should take some time to inspect the vessel. Start by getting on the boat and inspecting everything on it. If all seems to be in perfect order, go ahead and bring in an independent marine surveyor. The surveyor will use specialized equipment to assess the condition of the boat. The surveyor will also provide you with details on the fair market value of the boat. You can use this information to negotiate a good deal.

Keep shopping

If you haven’t found exactly what you want, don’t settle. Keep shopping. This is because there is nothing more heartbreaking than settling and paying for a boat only to find your dream boat in a different boat show. Before you settle, make sure you exhaust all your options. Only settle for what you want and not what is available.

Boat Surveyors Baltimore