Hitchcock Marine Surveys, Buddy Hitchcock, SAMS® AMS®, St. Augustine, Florida, USA - Marine Surveyors & Consultants

Marine Surveys by Buddy Hitchcock</b>, SAMS® AMS®, St. Augustine, Florida, USA

Hitchcock Marine Services, LLC
Marine Surveyors & Consultants
St. Augustine, Florida, USA
Serving all of Florida and Adjacent States

Buddy Hitchcock, SAMS® AMS®
Principal Marine Surveyor
Office: 904 501 9075, Cell: 860-388-7886

Choosing A Marine Surveyor

Anyone can title himself or herself as a Marine Surveyor and start a business. Certain marine surveyors are permitted to use a designation denoting membership in accrediting organizations that require members to meet strict professional, technical and ethical standards.

Surveyors should provide you with a professionally prepared report that can be accepted by your bank and/or insurance company. Talk with prospective surveyors and ask questions! What does the survey include and what type of reporting format is used? Do they use ABYC® and applicable Transport Canada / USCG Standards in their surveys? How much will the inspection cost? How long will the on-board inspection take?

A thorough inspection will not be rushed and will depend on the type of survey required based on vessel size, equipment and on-board systems. There may be additional services available such as engine surveys, oil analysis, galvanic and stray current corrosion testing, ultrasonic testing, moisture testing and other non-destructive tests. There may be additional charges for these and other services.

Well conducted surveys can provide good information on the vessels' condition, but they are not guarantees. The surveyor reports the condition in accessible areas only as it exists at the time of inspection.

Why should you have a vessel surveyed? Most insurance companies and banks will require them on older vessels. They will need to know her condition and fair market value in order to finance and/or underwrite the vessel. Knowing her condition and fair market value before you purchase is also important. However, the most important reason to survey your vessel is for the safety of the passengers and crew.

Hitchcock Marine Services is a member of the Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors® (SAMS®). Buddy Hitchcock is a fully accredited Marine Surveyor with a designation of AMS®. Buddy Joined SAMS® in 1996 as a Surveyor Associate and was fully accredited as an AMS® in 1999.

ONCE YOU RETAIN THE SURVEYOR, HE OR SHE WORKS ONLY FOR YOU AND REPORTS TO NO ONE ELSE. THE SURVEYOR IS THERE TO PROTECT YOUR INTERESTS!