Engine Survey

Not every inspection needs to be a full survey. Sometimes you want the mechanical and electrical side looked at properly by somebody certified in it, without the valuation and the full structural assessment.

What Gets Inspected

Propulsion and its supporting systems: engines and mounts, couplings, shafts, struts and bearings, steering, controls, exhaust, raw and fresh water cooling, fuel delivery, ventilation and the electrical distribution that ties it together.

This is the inspection to book when a boat you already own has started doing something you do not like, or when you want a second opinion on a system a yard has quoted you on.

Electrical Systems

AC and DC distribution assessed against the ABYC electrical standards: overcurrent protection at the source, conductor sizing for the load and run, terminations, chafe protection, grounding and bonding, and galvanic isolation.

Marine electrical is the category I trained in specifically, and it is where I find the most consequential problems. A panel that somebody extended over three seasons with whatever was in the parts drawer is common, and it is the kind of thing that stays invisible until it is not.

Fuel and Propulsion

Fuel systems checked for the things that matter: tank condition and support, fill and vent routing, hose specification and age, fuel filtration, and the shutoff arrangements. Diesel and gasoline installations carry different requirements and the gasoline ones are less forgiving.

Propulsion is inspected and tested where it can be run. What I report is what I observed and measured. Internal engine condition is a marine mechanic’s work with oil analysis and borescope, and where a vessel warrants that I will say so plainly rather than imply this inspection substitutes for it.

Standards Applied

ABYC standards for electrical, fuel and systems installation. NFPA guidance for fire protection. USCG carriage requirements for required equipment. Each finding in the report names the standard it is measured against, so you can take it to a yard and have a specific conversation rather than a vague one.

Book an Engine Survey

Call or email with the boat, its location and what you want looked at. If you are not sure whether you need this or a full survey, describe the situation and I will tell you which one actually fits. Your report is delivered the next day. Not next week.

What it costs depends on the engines and on how much access there is to them. There is more on what a marine survey costs.