Martin Evans, yacht surveyor, Harwich, gone AWOL?

Amulet

Amulet

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 Jun 2007
Messages
1,837
Location
Oban
www.flickr.com
Friends,

Martin was engaged to carry our a survey on Amulet following a request from my insurers. He did the work at Woolverstone and ashore at Pinmill and produced a draft report to which I requested modest changes. As far as I could see there was no barrier to rounding it off (and me paying him) - maybe an hour's work. However, since about August he has simply not responded to any correspondence. Anyone know anything? I have gone beyond being irritated to being concerned about his well-being. Being in Oz at present, it is hard for me to follow up.
 
If he was instructed to survey your yacht by the insurers he will probably be reporting to the insurers who will have paid him; unless of course it was a completely independent survey organised by yourself for you at your expense.

Some insurers insist that contact after the initial instructions are directed solely through them alone.

How do I know? I undertake damage surveys. No, I won't work for yachtsmen notwithstanding I am one myself.
 
Mariner69 said:
If he was instructed to survey your yacht by the insurers he will probably be reporting to the insurers who will have paid him; unless of course it was a completely independent survey organised by yourself for you at your expense.

Some insurers insist that contact after the initial instructions are directed solely through them alone.

How do I know? I undertake damage surveys. No, I won't work for yachtsmen notwithstanding I am one myself.
Click to expand...
The insurers requested a survey in light of the age of the boat. It was commissioned by me, carried out over a series of visits lasting several months, in which all the suggested work was done by Kings at Pinmill. I paid the first half of the fee, and it was all amicable up to a draft report on which Martin solicited feedback before finalisation. I suggested some changes of little import (the preamble discusses the history of the boat and was incorrect in patches). There has been no response from him despite a steady stream of emails from me and my crew.

I would have thought it was less than an hour's work to act on or reject my suggestions, and I framed them only as suggestions. Whilst it's a small job, a couple of hundred quid rest on finalisation.

Luckily my insurers seem to have forgotten that they asked for the survey and have renewed the insurance anyway, but I'd like to wrap it up with the completed survey and valuation. There's been no ill-will on either side, though he has been slow to respond throughout the process. Now no response. Thanks for all the input. I'll have another try at raising him.

As I said in original post I had reached the stage where I was concerned for his well-being. I'll stop airing this on the forum and go back to the direct approach now that I'm reassured that he's around.
 
He surveyed my Hallberg-Rassy 352 in April, at the instruction of the buyers. He gave them initial recommendations almost immediately, but 2 weeks later (after the deadline for rejecting the boat had passed) they were still waiting for his report. I don't know whether they ever got it, although they now have the boat!

I was on the boat for part of the time when he surveyed it, which was a good thing as he'd decided the rudder had osmosis, until I explained the construction of the HR rudder to him, and told him that the small lumps he'd seen were where the bronze rudder frame is bolted on. He dug his screwdriver into one and found bronze!
 
I am really pissed off with this guy especially now I know he has a history of similar failings is there any recourse to his professional body?
 
Ah but guys this is now! Not in the past!. I don't call waiting 6 months for a survey report good service I call it abysmal service!
 
I've had excellent service in the past. I have a wooden boat - his speciality - and he tapped all the fastenings (approx 3,000) and charged me the same as surveying a plastic boat. I had the report with days.
-- and is currently providing free follow-up and advice on his recommendations
 
Last edited:
martin Evans is very much a surveyors surveyor and as has been said appears to spend much time in Greece. Stretching themselves thin is very much a problem with 'super stars' although I suppose he realises he needs to send a survey to you or perhaps it has got lost in transit?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top