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Marine Surveyors - Ft Pierce | Stuart | Palm City | Jupiter | Palm Beach Florida

Hamilton & Hamilton Marine Surveyors is a father, son team operating independently and unbiased, members of the Association Of Certified Marine Surveyors (ACMS®) & ABYC, providing Boat Survey and Inspection Services to most of Southeastern Florida from Sebastian to Miami, FL. Our scope of operation covers the areas of Vero Beach, Ft. Pierce, Port St. Lucie, Jensen Beach, Stuart, Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Ft. Lauderdale & Miami Beach.

We are knowledgeable in both power and sail, including Trawlers, Sport Fish, Sailboats, Catamarans, Center Consoles & Express Cruisers. Our experience includes Outboard, Inboard and Diesel Engines; with special interests in various hull construction materials and building techniques, using Fiberglass and Composites.

What Is A Marine Survey and What Does A Marine Surveyor Do?

A marine survey is a thorough and detailed inspection of a vessel to determine its comprehensive current condition and overall fitness on the day of the inspection. A marine surveyor will also look for things that could sink the boat, cause fire, or endanger lives.

A detailed marine survey should cover all mechanical systems in the boat as well as structure and cosmetic condition to determine if the vessel is safe for its intended use to protect your investment. It should also include all findings with recommendations and a valuation. This will give you a better idea of exactly what you are buying into when purchasing a vessel.

Why Is A Marine Survey Important?

If you’re intending to invest several thousand of your hard-earned dollars in purchasing a boat or yacht, a marine survey may be the least expensive and most valuable tool you can have to assist you in making the right purchase. Certain types and makes of vessels and pleasure boats can have recurring problems and a good marine surveyor like Hamilton & Hamilton Marine Surveyors will be familiar with these problems and will advise you on the suitability of your intended purchase, its equipment, and particularly in relation to how and where you will be using it.

 

 

Yacht and Boat Inspection Services

Pre-Purchase Marine Survey - A pre-purchase vessel survey is one of the most thorough surveys you can have. It provides a prospective boat buyer with detailed documentation to confirm or deny that a vessel is free of operational hazard, sea worthy, appropriately valued, and free of defect or damage.

Boat or Yacht Purchase Consulting - To ensure you are buying the right boat for your needs and that you are correctly interpreting a pre-purchase survey from a seller, John Hamilton can be your boat or yacht consultant. His expertise can be the best investment you'll ever make.

Insurance Marine Survey - A Condition & Value Survey (insurance survey) is what  your insurance carrier or lender may require you to obtain in order for them to bind or renew coverage, or even to close a loan on your vessel.

Boat Appraisal and Inspections - If you are selling, donating, settling a divorce or estate; or other types of legal matters you may need an Appraisal Survey. This type of inspection should be from a certified marine surveyor and determines the fair market value of the vessel.  The vessel is inspected to ascertain its correct market value along with market research for comparables.

Video Presentation - Can't view your boat issues in person? We provide videos for prospective boat buyers and owners who can't be a part of the inspection process in person. This is especially helpful when considering buying a boat or yacht or for legal matters. The detailed video inspection can be very useful in determining if further interest is desired.

Sea Trials - Before you buy a boat or yacht, after a repair, or even to diagnose a problem a sea trial is a must.  There can be various levels of sea trials as well.  The goal of a sea trial is to determine if all systems function normally even when run hard and to do so under conditions, time, and place of your choosing; otherwise, issues can take place when you are least prepared.

Yacht Repair Inspection Surveys - Sometimes it takes a trained eye to spot inadequacies in repairs. Some repairs may even require a sea trial. After any kind of boat or yacht repair we can inspect the repair and prepare a report for your insurance or prospective buyers.

Damage Inspections - Fire Damage, Towing Damage - When damage occurs it's impossible to gauge the severity and the extent of the damage by eyesight only.  A professional marine damage survey will effectively diagnose which structural components and systems were negatively affected from the damage.

Infrared Thermal Imaging/Scanning - This service can be incorporated into marine surveys by revealing abnormal temperature anomalies or moisture readings using a thermographic infrared camera. This is highly beneficial for revealing hidden or visually obscured mechanical equipment malfunctions such as leaks or overheating.

Accident and Fraud Investigations - We conduct marine investigations as needed by insurance companies or boat owner clients. We often work with boat owners who are having trouble with insurance claim issues, usually assisting the boat owner to obtain a proper claims settlement.

Litigation and Expert Witness Support Services - Our 30+ years of marine survey experience enables us to be reliable fact witnesses or expert witnesses for dispute claims in federal and state courts. We can provide collection of damage claim evidence, photo or video documentation, and samples for laboratory analysis.

Additional Boat Inspection Services - We offer a wide variety of additional marine inspection services such as:

Oil samples & Analysis, Moisture meter testing, Corrosion Inspection Analysis,  Hull sounding with phenolic hammer, Commissioning services and USCG Safety inspections.

If you don't see the boat service you need - just ask!

John Hamilton

JOHN HAMILTON, CMS

John Hamilton has grown up in the Marine Industry.  He is an accomplished 100 Ton Master, a licensed Able Bodied Seaman, a Florida Licensed Insurance Adjuster.  He is a graduate of Chapman’s Yacht & Small Craft School, in addition, the Marine Damage Survey and Assessment School.  He is also well respected for his knowledge in small craft repair and maintenance.

John is a current member of ACMS (The Association of Certified Marine Surveyors), NFPA (National Fire Protection Association), SNAME (Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers), as well as an ABYC (American Boat & Yacht Council) Certified Marine Technician.  He belongs to Boat US and is a PADI Advanced Diver.  His hobbies are fishing, SCUBA Diving and of course, Boating.

TAP TO CALL JOHN HAMILTON

STUART HAMILTON, CMS

Stuart Hamilton (Stu) Worked on private yachts and commercial fishing boats throughout his life.  He is a US Navy Vietnam Veteran with time on River Patrol Boats and Destroyers.  He is a 100 Ton Master and was an instructor at the Chapman’s School of Seamanship.  He owns and maintains a 57’ Nordhavn and has recently rebuilt a 31’ Bertram Bahia Mar.  He holds a Florida Insurance Adjuster’s License and is a graduate of the Chapman’s Yacht & Small Craft Survey School as well as the Chapman’s Marine Damage Survey and Assessment School.

He is a current member of ACMS, NFPA and SNAME, as well as an ABYC Certified Marine Technician.  He is also is a Vessel Safety Examiner for the St. Lucie River Power Squadron, a PADI Advanced Diver and a Boat US member.  Hobbies are, SCUBA diving, Aviation and of course, boating.

We hold ourselves to the highest professional and ethical standards.
Our surveys are provided to the customer in an insurance/financial institution approved format accepted by insurance companies.
Our vessel surveys are non-intrusive and we pride ourselves in leaving the vessel the way we found it.

Contact us today by calling 772-237-3460 or filling out the contact page form.  Thanks for stopping by!

You're always making the right decision in choosing
Hamilton & Hamilton Marine Surveyors.

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