The Survey
The goal of this phase of boat-buying is to get independent opinions about the state of the boat and its mechanical components as well as experiencing the vessel, first hand, on the water.
Scott, Karen and I arrived at the slip at 8:30am, the appointed time. The seller's broker was onboard along with the captain. The marine surveyor was well along in his process and the marine diesel mechanic was in the engine room. I don't know whether this was a particularly early-rising team, or just smart Floridians who were trying to beat the heat by getting an early start. That was fine with us, because there is not much to do from our end in the early stages of the process.
Charlie, our Caterpillar expert, is deep into it when we arrive
As time passed, we began to shadow the surveyor as he explained what he was finding and sharing his insights of 30 years of poking into the bowels of vessels. Malcolm was a fountain of knowledge that sprung forth in a Welsh accent that was both charming and (at times) a little hard to translate. In some of the words he used, you could still hear the echoes of his birthplace. Nevertheless, both Karen and I thoroughly enjoyed learning as much about boat as possible from Malcolm.
Captain Ronnie was also a great resource, not only for us, but for the whole team. "When were the seals for the Naiad stabilizers last serviced?”, we asked, "Two years ago,"' came the reply from Ronnie with authority and a copy of the receipt. And so it went: question; answer; confirmation.
Malcolm and Captain Ronnie review various systems at the upper helm
Malcolm and Charlie, the marine mechanic, obviously knew each other, and had done joint surveys in the past. They worked so well together, it was a ballet of each staying out of the other’s way while still making progress, and then coordinating activities and helping one another accomplish their respective responsibilities. It was a joy to watch. It also gave you the feeling that no stone would be left unturned.
The "mechanical brain trust", Charlie and Malcolm recording engine parameters underway
The haul out was scheduled for 10:30 am. I was looking forward to this, as it would give us all a good look at the hull and running gear on the boat. You don’t read much about the haul out process except when it goes awry. It seems each year there are a few photos and an occasional video of a boat slipping out of the sling and either falling back into the water or making a hard landing on the boatyard's terra firma. Never a good thing.
Putting a little extra "pink" cushioning to protect the hull. It's a tight fight.
Up, Up and Away
Karen was very anxious, and when the load of the boat was beginning to be fully held by the slings, these slings let out a loud and groaning protest. I looked at the cadre of experienced people we had surrounding us and, given that none were looking panicked or fleeing in terror, I assumed a calm and relaxed demeanor that masked my initial alarm. Karen, however, turned her back to the lifting and covered her ears.
This phase belonged to Malcolm. From his toolkit came a small hammer with a tuning fork shape on one end. Malcolm proceeded to attack most everything with the hammer. Nothing was spared. The hull, the props, the rest of the running gear all fell under the tapping hammer of Malcolm as he listened intently to the sound from each tap.
We again shadowed Malcolm as he explained what he was looking for with his eyes, his ears and even his nose. I doubt I will remember it all, but it was a good first day of class in "Under the Waterline 101".
Malcolm shows Karen the finer points of propellers
Overall, all was well. The zincs on the bow thruster were shot, but Ronnie had some spares on board, so we paid the yard to change them along with changing the zincs on the prop shafts, just for good measure.
New zincs go on the bow thruster
Haul out then complete, it was time for the sea trial. There are a number of tests that need to be accomplished under way at various speeds. The mechanic and the surveyor worked together to accumulate a wide range of engine data at various speeds. Other systems such as the autopilot, its link to the navigation plotters and the trim tabs were verified. Captain Ronnie was at the helm, calmly following specific power setting instructions while keeping the boat firmly in the narrow channel.
Having done the engine checks in calm water, we headed out to the ocean to check the operation of the stabilizers. As were made our way out the channel, Ronnie reported that he lost control of the starboard engine which was being controlled by the Glenndenning synchronizer. Both Malcolm and Charlie jumped into action to see if they could determine the cause and rectify the problem. They were able to return control of starboard engine to the captain and determined that the problem was most likely the result of something in the engine room getting bumped when the house batteries were replaced earlier in the week. Again, the experts were not very concerned and Ronnie said he would have the yard rectify the problem right away, so we just added it to the list of items needing attention.
The ocean cooperated and presented us with a blanket of troubled water with good churn and disorganized waves. The stabilizers performed well. I asked Ronnie to slow the boat to 8 knots, where it is more of a challenge for the stabilizers because of the reduced flow over the fins. Again, no problems, and everyone was happy when we said we were satisfied and it was time to return to calm water. Except, that is, for Karen, who was loving the turbulence.
Tucked in back a t the slip, we sat down first with Malcolm and then Charlie to verbally review their findings. Though we’ll be getting a formal written report, this gives us a welcome opportunity to debrief in person and ask questions.
With the mission accomplished, it was back to the hotel for a shower and then out to dinner at the funky Osceola Café in Stuart to celebrate the completion of this step in the process.