(and why it’s important to hire a marine surveyor who can perform them) Marine Engine Diagnostics is a method of analyzing an engine by connecting the engine’s Electronic Control Module (ECM) to a computer system. The connection is done using an adapter that is unique to the engine. Communication between the ECM and the diagnostics …
Dezincification
What is Dezincification? Dezincification is a process which selectively removes zinc from an alloy, leaving behind a porous, copper-rich structure that has little mechanical strength. The bronze alloys that we use on our boats for thru-hulls, seacocks, and propellers are made up of a mixture of different metals with the primary metal being copper. For …
Galvanic corrosion can happen above the water too.
Galvanic corrosion can happen in many places aboard your vessel. Many people believe that galvanic corrosion is only a problem below the waterline. We normally use bonding systems to reduce galvanic corrosion on our below water through-hulls, and we install galvanic isolators to prevent galvanic and stray current corrosion on under water metals. But the …
Inspecting nylon through hulls
One of the common problems that we find in a marine survey, on both sailboats and powerboats, is worn nylon through hull fittings (often also abbreviated as “thru-hulls”). First, plastic fittings should only be found above the waterline, never below the water where the only through hulls we want to see should be constructed of …
Why you should get a Pre-Listing or Sale Marine Survey
There’s something different about a boat. We don’t name our house, and most people don’t name their car, but we all have loving names for our boats. That bond we share with our vessel is more like a family member than a tool, and because of that bond we tend to let our emotions override …
What to expect during Marine Survey
We are frequently asked what to expect during a pre-purchase marine survey by customers who are making their first big boat purchase. A pre-purchase Marine Survey, sometimes referred to as a Condition and Value (C&V) Survey, is the most common type of marine survey and is vital for a buyer so that they can appreciate …