Welcome to Suenos Azules Marine Surveying and Consulting

I am an independent SAMS® Accredited Marine Surveyor servicing Florida, Belize, Costa Rica, and the Caribbean. I am also a Yamaha Certified Outboard Engine Technician, a Mercury / MerCruiser Certified Technician, a Honda Certified Outboard Engine Technician, an ABYC Gasoline Engines Certified Technician, a ITC Certified Level III Master Thermographer, ABYC Standards Accredited, a U.S. Coast Guard Licensed Master Captain, and hold a USPAP Certificate of Appraisal Standards. My company strives to accommodate our clients in any way we can and work hard to give them a complete, thorough, and accurate survey. 

My SAMS® Accreditation can be verified here. 

The types of surveys, inspections, and services I offer are:  

Pre-Purchase Marine Surveys - An extensive vessel inspection is highly recommended (and in some cases required) when considering the purchase of any new or pre-owned boat or yacht regardless of its age, condition, or reputation. The survey will reflect the appearance and functionality of the vessel. The survey includes:  Hull structural integrity, electrical components and wiring, the drive system, fuel transfer system, engine or other propulsion modules, electronic and navigation equipment, onboard support systems, and additional safety equipment. The evidence of previous maintenance, or lack of, is also noted in the survey. An out of water bottom inspection and an operational sea trial should be included. This survey is concluded with an overall condition rating and a fair market value of the vessel.

Marine Engine Surveys - An inspection and evaluation of the vessel's outboard engines or inboard engines so the prospective buyer or boat owner understands the true condition of the engines on board the vessel and what repairs and / or maintenance may be required to get the engines up to good working order. This inspection is very important in determining a more accurate value of the vessel based on the engine's overall condition and performance. Some problems may not be visible or even noticbly apparent during a marine survey until the engine survey is performed. A good thorough marine engine survey can save you a significant amount of money if problems are found before the purchase or a complete failure of the engines occur. I can perform engine surveys on most marine gasoline outboard and inboard engines. I have genuine factory training and hands on repair and service experience with Yamaha, Mercury / MerCruiser, Honda, Suzuki, BRP, and Evinrude / Johnson marine engines. Some of the tests conducted during a marine engine survey are: A thorough sea trial, computerized marine engine diagnostics, compression testing, infrared thermal imaging, engine oil analysis, CAN bus and NMEA 2000 testing, and engine electrical testing. A glimpse of a marine engine survey I have performed in the past can be found here. A complete list of my marine engine certifications and training certificates can be found here. 

Insurance Marine Surveys - This survey is performed to assist the insurance carrier in the determination of the risk involved for a particular vessel. Their interests include structural integrity, safety, as well as its intended use. Many insurance companies require a survey on a particular boat or yacht before coverage will be  offered. The vessel's fair market and replacement values are included in this survey.

Valuation Inspection - This type of inspection is performed in order to obtain adequate data or information solely for the determination of the fair market value of the vessel. This inspection is often required for financial considerations, estate dispositions, charitable donations or litigation.

Damage Inspection - This inspection and investigation is conducted to demonstrate or determine the extent and cause of a reported casualty. The resulting report may be used for claim indemnification or protestation. Normally, this inspection is required to assist in the insurance claims settlement process and could include recommended repairs, estimated repair costs, and if requested, possible cause.

Expert Witness - I have been an expert witness in many cases over the years. I have given many depositions, court testimonies, and know how to conduct myself in the courtroom. I can assist in all phases of the case and have the technical expertise in many types of marine related casualties and mechanical failures. My written reports are detailed to better explain complex or technical details with photos to educate the reader, judge or jury as to the cause of the loss or failure. I have over 20 years of courtroom experience that includes criminal and civil cases in my previous career as a law enforcement officer and as a Florida licensed private investigator. I have acted as an expert witness in both state and federal court cases. 

Video Presentation - This examination is offered to save the prospective buyer the time and expense of visiting the vessel personally. A video of the entire boat will be recorded and converted to a DVD or MPEG format and shipped, emailed or posted online as requested. This method can be very useful in determining if further interest in a particular vessel is desired. 

Infrared Thermal Imaging / Scanning - This service is offered to troubleshoot mechanical, electrical or hull problems by finding abnormal temperature anomalies using thermographic cameras. These temperature anomalies that can be detected and photographed can reveal hidden or obvious problems with malfunctioning equipment or hull deformities. Such problems infrared scanning can detect are: Overheating wires, malfunctioning electrical equipment, malfunctioning bearings, engine heat sources, transmission heat sources, marine air conditioning malfunctions, water leaks in tanks where they can not be typically sighted, and fiberglass delamination and / or debonding. This testing can save alot of time and money by finding the root causes for problems on board a vessel. This is also a great resource for a prospective buyer to see things within the vessel that may not be seen by using conventional marine survey methods. Findings and thermographic images are then composed into a professional looking report with a list of recommendations and are sent to the client. 

All of my vessel surveys and inspections are non intrusive. I leave the vessel the way I found it. 

I also offer other consulting services for new boat, yacht, and sailboat owners based on my collective experience and training over the years. Some of these services include: yacht construction inspections, yacht maintenance inspections, and repair inspections for boat and yacht owners. 

My rates are reasonable for my services. If you would like to inquire about a survey, engine survey, inspection or service feel free to contact me by clicking here.

My main website is at: www.SuenosAzules.com

Feel free to contact me about any service inquiry, quote or questions. The best way to contact me is via my email address here.