Florida Nautical Surveyors

Florida Nautical Surveyors has been in business since 1990 and our team of surveyors are led by the founder, Malcolm Elliott and all come with diverse backgrounds encompassing experience in circumnavigations, engineering, major refurbishment, new build projects and yacht management.

In order for clients to have an understanding of what we do and how we do it, our team encourages clients to be present for surveys. We give a straightforward, easy to understand report which is prepared that day by the surveyor and ready to email by next morning.

All survey inspections are carried out to USCG, ABYC & NFPA requirements, and when required we can survey to MCA and various classification society rules.

As in any job, unless you have the experience, it does not matter how good your tools are. A good hands-on surveyor can tell a great deal just by looking and smelling before bringing any tool out and I encourage all of the surveyors to talk to the clients about what we are finding.

A little known fact, there is no requirement for Marine Surveyors to be licensed or bonded.

Many insurance or financial companies require a certified marine survey but what is that ?.

To be a marine surveyor one can start an apprenticeship with an established surveyor and apply to and join an association as a Surveyor Associate. Submit one, yes one survey report, a payment and pass a multi choice exam and somebody with very little experience can be referred to as a Surveyor and their reports be accepted by banks and insurance companies and although those institutions will deny that, I know for a fact that this happens.

Would you prefer that type of survey or one carried out by an experienced surveyor.

Look at any surveyor’s website and they all state that they have high morals, which hopefully we all have but very few will tell you their full background, have they any formal marine qualifications, have they had hands on experience of building or repairing yachts, could they rebuild an engine, have they stood in a federal court room as an expert witness.

Mr. Elliott is one of the very few surveyors in America who does actually have a formal marine engineering education starting in 1970, has built commercial fishing boats and has not trained in a six-week program like the majority of others. You may want to ask to see a detailed and honest resume before choosing your next surveyor.

Projects

Services

• Boat Surveyor
• Marine Surveyor