Need Surveyor in Ft Lauderdale

[george caragianis]

After two years of searching and making nearly a dozen offers, we finally have a signed contract.
As unusual as it must be, we ended up paying more than we had planned.
I have a list of surveyors provided by the shipyard group, but would like to get a few personal recommendations. I need both hull and powerplant surveyors and would like to get it done over the next two weeks.

The boat is a 1987 53YF with 6V92s (465hp), Tides Turn, listed on yachtworld with the shipyard group. If anyone has any experience with or opinions concerning the boat, I'd sure like to hear that as well.
Anyone interested in how the offers/counter offers went, PM me and I'll be glad to let you know.

Thanks
George

 

[(Nobody You Know)]

George,

I was well pleased with the services of Price Marine Services, Inc. - Thomas Price - out of Hobe Sound, FL. (just above Jupiter) who performed my hull survey 12/2002. Originally he was recommended by a close friend who bought the same vintage Hatt as mine (40' DCMY).

I was also well pleased with Marine Diesel Analysts, Inc. - Tim Caruso - who performed the engine survey, also recommended by the same buddy. Please be advised however that Marine Diesel asserts it's expertise primarily with Caterpillar engines. You may want to give him a call just the same and see if he is comfortable (and knowledgable) in surveying Detroits.

Good luck!

 

[Genesis]

Slakeoff And Associates is well-known in SE Florida as good and thorough.

I've not used them personally but HAVE seen their reports AND a boat they surveyed. Based on what I've seen, I'd be comfortable using them.

 

[captddis]

Rhoads is another good choice.

 

[StratPlan61]

I used Ed Rowe & Assoc (954-792-6092) in FTL, Jonathon Howe specializes in Hatteras surveys and he really knows these boats. I also used Stafford Diesel for my DD's survey and genny surveys (954-252-0707). Both provided well written reports, nothing withheld. Sack's Diesel (954-435-5400) is excellent for repairs or overhaul estimates, etc. I used all three of these guys two years ago and was very satisfied with their work, their promptness and their expertise.

Bear'
1984 61' MY Strategic Plan

 

[SeaEric]

She's been on the market forever. Glad she's maybe finding a home. I know the original owner of that boat, but it has been ages since his ownership. She was in Hilton Head in front of the current owner's home for sale, and did not show well. All of the representation then was via "open" listings. I'm pleased to see that she finally got centrally listed and obviously then, cleaned up so she can be properly presented to the market. (Subtle plug for Central listing with a broker)

Agree with Karl, Marc Slakoff will do a good job on the boat. Ron Doerr from Diesel Plus in Sunrise Fl. is good on engines. He does only surveys, no repairs. Hence he has no dog in the race-not looking for repair work.

Good luck, she's a nice boat.

 

[Woodsong]

Congratulations George!!! I hope she works out for you and you have finally found THE boat! Very very excited for you.

 

[doc g]

Second on Ed Rowe/Jonathan Howe and Stafford for the diesels....Pat

 

[Spellbound]

I third the choice of Stafford (Joe) for the engines and Tom Fergerson of deep 6 Marine Surveyors Miami (305 451 2817).

 

[Tawney1]

When we bought our 61'MY in May, we used Gale Force Surveyors in Miami. Ned there is great, and very knowledgeable about Hatteras's. He goes the extra mile for you. He was on our boat over a 2 day period of time, was there for the haulout and the seatrial. I highly recommend him.

 

[solanderi]

FWIW,

I had good luck with Peter Muir (Hull survey) and Gary Gillespie (Engines) who work as a team. The are knowledgeable, accurate and friendly. They are out of West Palm Beach but my survey was in Key West so they are able to travel wherever. Here are the references, Good Luck !!

Greg
Hat Time
Miami Beach, FL
45C

Peter A. Muir, AMS
Accredited Marine Surveyor
Allied Marine Consultants, Inc.
www.AlliedMarineSurveyors.com
E-Mail: Pete@AlliedMarineSurveyors.com
Main Office: (561) 799-3478

Gary Gillespie
www.enginesurveyor.com
561 301 1728

 

[Paul45c]

Prior to buying my 45c, I bought some time on the phone with David Pascoe. At the end, I asked him for surveyor recommendations, and the engine surveyor he recommended was Ron Doerr. David said Doerr was really tough, and that my broker would probably audibly groan when I told him I selected Doerr (which he did! ), and that suited me fine.

In hindsight, I am considerably less than satisfied by his engine surveys. Yeah, he did all the boost and fluid analyses and the usual engine survey stuff, but I had specifically asked him for a borescope on survey/seatrial day. When I realized he'd had the engines running for a while (and thus it would be pretty darned uncomfortable to THEN do the scopes) he told me I really "wouldn't want to pay him to get into that. Too much time & difficulty." OK, says rookie me. After learning I had one motor completely clapped out (that he "guessed" was approx. half life) a year later (via a BORESCOPE!! ), and learning that said procedure was as tough as pulling the valve cover, getting an injector out and sticking it in, I was steamed.

The other thing he never told me was that I had a completely mixed bag of injectors, most of them were considerably oversized, and that I was just wasting fuel and making a mess of the transom. Yet another thing I had to learn from my mechanics later. Why? It would have been really easy for him to tell me then, and I would for sure have gone back to the owner for some compensation with that mess.

 

[Genesis]

Some guys don't have a boroscope. They're very expensive - at least the good ones are.

As for the injectors being different, there's no excuse for that. That's trivial since there's a tag on the side of them that can be read without removing them. And BTW, mismatched injectors will trash an engine - its not just a loss of fuel, its an imbalance in the engine which is VERY hard on things like main bearings!

 

[svaron]

I'm reading this post kind of late, so I'm not sure if you have settled on a surveyor yet. That being said, I have used Slakoff twice and was extreamly impressed with their thoroughness and professionalism.

We surveyed a 54ED in Marathon, FL and was not satisfied with the outcome. A few months later we found another 54ED in MI and flew someone form Slakoff up to do the survery. It was worth the added expense of flying them up from FL. The boat performed perfectly and we purchased it.

Good luck in your purchase....

Sam

 

[exsailor]

Sam
Who was the surveyor in Marathon you were not satisfied with?
Anyone heard of "Acker" for hull survey or Hanson for Diesel Engines? Both in Southern Florida.

exsailor

 

[svaron]

I've used Slakoff & associates twice. Once in Fl. and once in Michigan... They're the best as far as I'm concerned!!!

Good luck with your new purchase.

Sam

 

[svaron]

Exsailor:

I'm sorry that I didn't read your previous question first. The boat in Marathon did not survey well. Slakoff did a great job in directing us not to pursue the purchase. They have surveyed hundreds of Hatteras yachts. We had Slakoff himslef along with his associate Rallye. Both were excellent. When I had the boat surveyed in Michigan I flew Rallye up to do the job. The boat was a rare find and gave us all of the confidence to continue with the purchase. The boat has been a dreamboat and we're loving every minute of it.

Best to you in your quest.

Sam

 

[Red Hatt]

What size boat did you buy and what were in her engine wise?