Successful Superyacht Launch in Falmouth

Here at Seaworthy Services, we have been busy busy busy!

We have been completing pre-purchase surveys, valuations, tonnage measurements, refit manage meant for small craft, but have also been involved with the extensive refit of a 46m Classic Feadship. Tom Hustler from Seaworthy Services was retained as the assistant on-site client project manager by Master Yachts Consultancy of Spain for the last 14 months. The superyacht was re-fitted at Pendennis Shipyard in Falmouth Cornwall

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) of a Marine Surveyor

When you are searching for a surveyor and reading through their credentials and experience you may find yourself wondering what CPD is.

CPD is short for Continuing Professional Development and it is a requirement for maintaining membership with many institutions and associations that surveyors affiliate themselves with. You will find qualified and experienced surveyors do this not only due to the fact that the Marine Surveying industry (as a profession) is unregulated, but also as it is good practice with many benefits, including peer review and assistance.

CPD is not only used in the field of Marine Surveying but in many professional fields all around the globe. “Professionals are now considered to be more competent through extending their knowledge by following a program of development, learning and updating” (IIMS).

Membership to the likes of the Royal Institute of Naval Architects (link), Yacht Designers and Surveyors Association (link), International Institute of Marine Surveyors (link), Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors (link) or National Association of Marine Surveyors (link) do not come easily. A surveyor will have to provide evidence of their training as a surveyor, evidence of their practicing of marine surveying in specific specialty areas, as well as pass an exam of some description (oral/written). In order to maintain membership and move up through the differing grades, CPD must be maintained.

CPD is based on an accrued points system. For example if you attend a boat of trade show, you get one or two points, if you complete a week long course on non destructive testing you may get 3 or 4 points. Points are accrued over a 3-year period for many institutes/associations, whereby the member must fulfill their quota or run the risk of losing their membership and subsequent employment. The points attained through the period must be relevant to the development of the surveyor in their professional life.

With the way the marine industry is evolving through greening and new equipment, it is very important for marine surveyors and designers to keep up with the latest technologies. This is where CPD really assists not only the Marine Surveyor, but also their clients.

For us here at Seaworthy Services, our job is never complete at the end of a pre-purchase survey, we are continuing to learn and push ourselves to be the best we can be in our field, particularly when offering pragmatic advice in helping you to make good decisions about boats.

Marine Surveyor Falmouth

Qualifications of a Marine Surveyor

Tom, our principal surveyor at Seaworthy Services Ltd, has worked hard over the past few years to underpin his knowledge in the profession of marine surveying. There are fewer than 100 people in the world that can say they have a Master of Science degree in Marine Surveying, and even fewer with the award of Merit. These qualifications are backed up with over 15 years working on, in and around yachts and boats of all shapes and sizes. Tom continues to dedicate a huge amount of time to developing and extending his knowledge, both theoretical and practical, within this profession. He is available to help you make good decisions about boats!

Read our blog on Continuous Professional Development (CPD) to see how Tom keeps up with trends and technologies in a fast paced and evolving boating industry.

Diploma completed through Lloyds Maritime Academy at Northwest Kent College. Distinction awarded overall and in specialist subjects of ‘Surveying of Superyachts’ and ‘The International Safety Management (ISM) Code’.

MSc completed at Middlesex University. Merit awarded overall and specialising in ‘Shipyards and the Continual Management of Superyachts’.

Lloyds Maritime Academy, Middlesex University, North West Kent College

Magnetic Particle Inspection (MPI)

On the superyacht project in Falmouth we had a Magnetic Particle Inspection (MPI) completed yesterday. Requested by Lloyds Classification Society.This type of inspection is used when testing ferrous metals for flaws and defects, usually in way of welded areas, on and slightly under the surface of the metal.

It can only be completed on ferrous metals (mild steel, iron, ferretic/duplex stainless) due to the iron content and subsequent magnetism required for the test to succeed.

The process we witnessed was as follows:

A quick dry white paint is thinly applied (aerosol) onto the surface of the area to be inspected, this provides the contrast for the iron oxide solution which is sprayed onto the inspection area during testing.

An alternating current magnetic charge is then applied using a ‘yoke’ to either side of the test area with the concentrated iron oxide solution sprayed over the surface. Should any defect or crack be present in the inspection area(weld), then the solution will be drawn to it, due to inability to move with the current, and show evidence of the defect, or ‘indication’. This then needs to be further investigated in order to determine what the flaw is.

If you need to have a Magnetic Particle Inspection completed, get in touch with Rick Savage from Savage Inspection Services Ltd in Saltash. (www.savageinspection.co.uk)

Recap of Grandbanks Delivery

The Grand Banks delivery went well. I had Will Parkinson with me for the trip. He is a highly skilled Marine Engineer at Mylor Yacht Harbour and boat enthusiast in his spare time. When we arrived up to Dartmouth the day before the delivery was scheduled, we both gave the boat a good check over. Having never seen the boat before, or have any history of it, one can never be too sure as to its ability and condition. It was apparent within seconds of firing up the port engine that there was a fluid leak. Will dived in there and reported back that there was a split in a hose coming off the raw water pump… The split was only small and with the engine idling, it was dripping rather than streaming. Nevertheless, a repair was needed.
A condition set down by the owner, and quite rightly, was that should you ever have to run on one engine only, the other shaft must be “tied off”. This is due to the lubrication of the gearbox being provided by the running engines oil pressure. Having had a look at how that was to happen, we decided it best if we could just keep both engines running. So a few careful wraps of self-amalgamating tape later, and we had a hose that dripped less. Will and I discussed that this would keep the engine and shaft operational, but we would not push the engine with the risk of the hose failing catastrophically, and subsequently having a open underwater thru hull, was reasonably serious. Little did the STBD engine know at that time, but it was to be the workhorse.
Following inspection of all the cabins, bilges, nooks and crannies, we stowed the boat for all weather and went through the remainder of the equipment on board to test its condition. Aside from a flat start battery on the generator, everything else was good to go. All wrapped up on board we nipped out for dinner and a pint before turning in for an early getaway.
0605 the next morning the engines were fired up and we were off the dock by quarter past. Dartmouth is relatively easy to pilot out of, especially with the procession of leading lights you can line up with on the way out or in.
It was reasonably calm for the first hour, then we started to approach Start Point, which was offering us the protection from the westerly swell..
Round start point the 2.5m swell on the nose made itself known. I had also set up the autopilot for our course. This was struggling a bit, as every now and then we had the swell on the beam and were pointing in the wrong direction. It always recovered though. I put this down to small rudders, big props, and one engine with a knife in its teeth, and the other tagging along for the ride..
Between Start Point and Eddystone Light was reasonably uncomfortable, but the boat handled the conditions extremely well. Once we were past Eddystone Light the conditions calmed somewhat and the swell stretched out. This was the Lee effect coming from the Lizard Peninsula. (The southernmost point of England).
We cruised into Mylor and tied up alongside under the marina office. Quick wash down and job done.
A great seaworthy boat of which we are pleased to have been involved with.
Happy Skipper, Happy crew, Happy boatyard, but most importantly, Happy Owner.

Seaworthy Services is looking forward to the return trip in the spring, as well as any other coastal delivery opportunities around Devon, Cornwall and the English Channel. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if we can help you to make owning, operating and maintaining your boat easier!

See you on the water!

Tom