It’s no secret that hurricanes have been ravaging our country’s eastern shores more and more frequently over the last few decades, ruining hundreds of thousands of ships and vessels all along the coast in the process. What you may not know is that the very boat you might be considering for purchase right now, may just be one of the countless ships that were recovered, “repaired,” and put back on the market after the storms – which can be a risky situation if you’re not careful.
The Problem
The biggest problem surveyors and boat owners often face with storm damaged boats is the lack of proper restoration efforts made after the fact. Storm damaged boats, even those that have undergone extensive repairs, are not always structurally sound. In fact, oftentimes they are most at risk of:
- Bottoms Splitting Open;
- Failed Hull/Deck Joints;
- Machinery Failures;
- Hull Sides Delaminating;
- Broken Stringers and Bulkheads;
- Water Saturation;
- Corrosion Induced Electrical Fires.
The Solution
Your best defense against purchasing a subpar storm damaged boat is having a highly knowledgeable and cleverly insightful marine surveyor on your side that knows exactly what to look for. A marine surveyor, like me, Christian A. Syoen of CAS Marine Surveyor for instance, will be able to detect serious hull damage, sound the hull sides out, take a look at the interior, check out the decks and superstructure, and otherwise examine every section of the ship to determine if or how badly it was damaged during a storm. Plus, if the ship sank at any point, a marine surveyor will be tell you that too. Some of the best indicators of this your surveyor will be looking out for are:
- Unexplainable corrosion anywhere in or near terminal blocks, electrical panels, and other similar components;
- Rusted or corroded hardware, including hinges, cabinet screws, lighting fixtures, and more;
- Significant water stains on the ships partitions or bulkheads;
- Too many new parts on an old ship even though it looks like it’s been a while since someone owned it, or the ship looks way to clean for its age.
Once a marine surveyor has completed their thorough inspection, paying special care to figure out if the ship is a worthy investment despite possibly being subjected to serious storm damage, you can look over the detailed report that will be provided to you and decide if it really is the right ship for you – the rest is up to you! If you are considering the purchase of a new or used boat and are looking for a marine surveyor, call Christian today at 1.810.531.0992 or fill out the form in the sidebar to schedule your free consultation.
