On behalf of Haven Knox-Johnson (Amlin) we recently inspected a Nirvana 30 that had sunk at its moorings consequent of vandalism, being now pumped out and now afloat

Due to a low insured value this vessel is a Total Constructive Loss (TCL) and therefore being Offered for Sale as Salvage

The engine is a 2 cyl diesel Kubota ZB750 shaft drive, and the engine has not been removed or inhibited

However, in our opinion this vessel other than (minimal) water damage is very recoverable and would be a commercially viable project

For more information contact European Marine Services Ltd.  Marine Surveyors & Consultants

Tel : 01603 327 123        www.europeanmarinesurveys.com

What really happened to Polina Star 111   ?

The below is reproduced with the kind permission of Charles J Doane of Wavetrain

The genesis of this story was an incident that occurred back in July 2015 in which Polina Star III, an Oyster 825, which reportedly had been extended to 90 feet and was just over a year old, was lost off the coast of Spain. The very first report came from Oyster, but contained no details, stating only that the boat “suffered a serious incident which compromised the integrity of the moulded hull.” A follow-up report by Yachting World, published in August, added little more, noting only that Oyster believed the boat may have run aground and there were rumors it had capsized before foundering.

Oyster 825 Polina Star 111 Under Sail                   Polina Star in slings following salvage

In the last few days the Italian skipper of the boat has been sharing his account of the event, and photos of the wreck, which was recovered and has been closely examined, have also been circulating online. Though the exact causes are unclear, it is perfectly clear that there was no grounding and that the boat suffered from major hull delamination that led to its keel suddenly falling off.

The photographs of the damage, which have been published by a pair of German and Russian sailing publications, are staggering:

Laminate torn away                                                       Exposed wiring / services 

Root of stub keel                                                              Intact keel bolts

The skipper, Alessio Cannoni, who has straightforwardly identified himself as “Alessiocannoni” in a Cruisers Forum discussion of the event, described the incident as follows:

FACT 1: (why I know what I know)

The owner built the boat with the target to sail around the world, then he asked to me to follow the commissioning, to prepare the boat for this long trip and to choose and to organize the crew. I arrived in the shipyard in the April 2014, and I stayed there every day up to the launch of the boat in July, then I have sailed on her as captain about 10.000 miles: Southampton- Norway and back, Southampton-Las Palmas, ARC rally, cruises in Caribe, Antigua-Alicante (we never arrived).

FACT 2: (the crew)

The boat had two permanent crew member, to be able to manage this aspect I have organized a turn-over of 5 people:
Alessio Cannoni
Dafne Mele
Giulia Visintin
Monica Rosini
Riccardo Salimbeni

during last trip the professional crew was: me and Dafne.

FACT 3 (the boat design)

the boat was not extended, she was designed and built by Oyster exactly as you can see in the pictures.

FACT 4: (the meteo)

we sunk in a sunny day we were reaching in 18 kn of TW with about 1.3 m of wave, sailing with staysail and 80% main sail.

FACT 5: (SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCIDENT)

3 JULY 2015 TIME 14:07′
strong noise with vibration from the hull
14:07’15”
big flooding in the engine room
14:07’30”
water over the service batteries; all systems KO
14:07’45”
I bear away, the crew prepare emergency bilge pump, life rafts, grab bags, furl manually the stay sail, send the may-day by standard-C and by VHF
14:13′
the keel disconnected completely and the boat capsized, in that moment I was standing up in front of the chart table (deck-house) sending the may-day, the water was already cooling down my balls.
a fishing boat “fished”us after a couple of hours.

Keel still attached to stub keel                                      Broader view of keel

FACT 6:

we made a video from the life raft, it show the two rudders pointing the sky perfectly intact, a big hole in to the hull; the relic float upside down all night long, the following morning we found the boat still floating about 15 miles from the capsizing point, one missing rudder, the other one partially broken.

FACT 7:

the CEO of Oyster knows exactly this story, he sent two people on site the following day, I told them every single detail of the accident and I gave to them all the pictures and movies that I had and that I still have.

The relic of the boat and the keel was rescued in October. This operation was a month-long, I participated to this operation and I participated also to the survey performed by all the insurance company’s surveyors. We are waiting for the response.

  Polina Star 111

Author’s Background – Who is Charlie J Doane ?

Charlie has worked as a boating journalist since 1986, including stints on staff at SAIL, Cruising World, and Offshore.  Currently he is cruising editor for SAIL.  His freelance work has appeared in Ocean Navigator, Blue Water Sailing, the New York Times, Sailing, Yachting Monthly, Yachting World, Good Old Boat, and other seemingly reputable publications.

Link – http://wavetrain.net/news-a-views/705-another-major-keel-failure-what-really-happened-to-polina-star-iii

For more information contact European Marine Services Ltd.  Marine Surveyors & Consultants 
EMS also undertake Boat Safety Inspections & Engine Inspections

www.europeanmarinesurveys.com
Tel: 01603 327 123

Delta RIB  5.5m

Acting as Marine Insurance Loss Adjusters, European Marine Services was recently instructed to inspect and report as follows:

• Casualty details including views on what caused the damage.
• Review the estimates for repairs to the third party vessel and advise whether you consider the work fair, reasonable and casualty related.
• Provide us with your reserve estimate.
• Witness details, where applicable.
• Subrogation* details, where applicable  ( * Insurer’s right to pursue a third party)
• Photographs of the damage.

The accident happened at speed and resulted in extensive damage to the GRP hull plus rupturing the inflatable tube (sponson) with the RIB being close to sinking.  Fortunately no one was hurt

View of extensive damage to GRP hull

What is important is not the results of our investigation / inspection or how the accident happened which remains confidential, but that the insurance company required the following documentation as part of its claim consideration from the insured parties

• Warranted all vessels classed and certified
• Warranted all vessels are fit to encounter the ordinary peril of seas, rivers, lakes or navigable waters, properly crewed, equipped, fuelled, provisioned and with all equipment in proper working order. Seaworthiness applies not only to the physical conditions  of the hull but to all its parts, equipment and gear.
• Were the crew fully qualified up to RYA Level 2 power boating, VHF AND Sea Survival courses.

The above clauses (extracts) being part of the Insured Marine Policy Terms & Conditions  ie. the small print

This being important to boat owners whom have the misfortunate to make a claim in the event of an accident

Therefore make sure that as an owner / operator / user of small high speed craft that you are fully aware of the Insurance T&Cs,        

If not you may possibly find that you have no cover

TS Lord Nelson Training Ship – Marine Survey

Survey for In-Water Steel Hull Thickness

Training Ship Lord Nelson built in 1978 at 37.1m length, 150 tonne displacement ex Swedish Navy Gunboat – Now the floating training centre in Norwich for the Static Sea Cadets & Royal Marines Cadet Unit

Due to costs involved and the difficulty in slipping a vessel of this size locally we were requested if we could undertake an in-water examination of the steel hull to establish current steel hull thickness’s and loss of plate – without the necessity to bring the vessel out of the water

By using the Cygnus 4 Thickness Meter being a multi echo ultrasound tester, we were able to undertake this task at a fraction of the costs involved in moving and slipping etc

TS Lord Nelson in her previous role as a Swedish Gunboat (HMS Vale, P151)

Featuring multiple echo technology, the Cygnus range of ultrasonic surface thickness gauges are non-destructive testing (NDT) instruments that enable an accurate metal thickness measurement to be obtained from one side only, without the removal of protective coatings or damage to test materials

For more information contact European Marine Services Ltd.  Marine Surveyors & Consultants 
EMS also undertake Boat Safety Inspections & Engine Inspections

www.europeanmarinesurveys.com
Tel: 01603 327 123  

DC27 – Salvage Buyer Required                                                                                         (# 00870)

Due to an unfortunate incident (not a structural fault) this private Dawn Craft – DC 27 boat unfortunately sank earlier this year but was quickly refloated with minimal structural damage

Inboard petrol engine has been partially inhibited (bores filled with oil etc) propulsion being an outdrive unit

We represent a major Marine Insurance Company who have requested we dispose of this DC 27 on their behalf and are therefore looking for a salvage buyer – professional or private

If interested contact us as below

For more information contact European Marine Services Ltd – Marine Surveyors & Consultants Tel :  01603 327 123        www.europeanmarinesurveys.com

Allante 705 VRi  –  Sports Express Weekend Cruiser                                      

A very nice and attractive sports day cruiser built 1997 by Campion Marine of Canada

We undertook a Pre Purchase Inspection of this  express sports cruiser whilst ashore at St Olaves, being the first time we have inspected this particular make of boat

Designed with a very accommodating and comfortable (if small) forward cabin with a small toilet cubicle, this boat is very much a weekender with no on board service facilities such as a cooking etc. However a small wash basin is provided in the aft – very open cockpit

The aft cockpit area is most unusual with seating up to and around the single engine lift hatch but works well and exiting onto a large rear bathing platform The cockpit floor being teak laid with access hatches designed for such as water skis

This boat is built for speed and performance with a 350hp inboard Mercruiser and will undoubtedly provide an exhilarating experience

We suspect that there is water trapped between the inner forward moulding and hull moulding as very high moisture readings obtained but no evidence of osmosis – A problem easily solved

For more information contact European Marine Services Ltd   Marine Surveyors & Consultants          Tel :  01603 327 123        www.europeanmarinesurveys.com

Speeding on the Norfolk Broads – Do Not Speed it can be Expensive                     

A few months ago we provided Expert Evidence for a private boat owner of a very nice 37′ single screw motor cruiser whom had the misfortune to be photographed with a mobile phone camera at 4 + mph ?  in a  4 mph speed limit.

How you can possibly register the speed of a vessel on a mobile phone camera from the bank is beyond us but in the event !

The Broads Authority decided to proceed to court with this case on the basis that the client was travelling at around 8 mph, despite the fact that the only evidence available were photographs taken with a mobile phone camera from the shore

Due to lack of magistrates amongst other factors this case went to court three times and at the end our client was found not-guilty on two out of three counts, but apparently ? there was sufficient evidence to support a case of travelling in excess of 4 mph

The fine for this major offence was some £ 200, however the legal costs involved were between £20-30K, with the Broads Authority share of costs being paid by you – All boat owners and waterway users on the Norfolk Broads. The Broads Authority were not prepared to see sense and ‘mediate’ and insisted on going to court with expensive Barristers and Lawyers

The purpose of this blog it to make all boat owners aware that the current penalty for exceeding the speed limit on the Norfolk Broads & Rivers is nothing simple like a £60 fine plus 3 points, but is  MEANS TESTED

Consequently you could possibly face a fine of several thousand pounds       £££££££

For more information contact European Marine Services Ltd    (inc European Marine Surveys)          Tel :  01603 327 123        www.europeanmarinesurveys.com

Tonnage Measurement of Yachts Under 24m  (Form SUR59D)

Merchant Shipping  (Tonnage) Regulations, 1997, Part 111

Pre-registration Certificate of Survey/Tonnage. The yacht / motor cruiser must be surveyed and measured to obtain details of size, and other descriptive particulars necessary for the registration of British Ships under the Merchant Shipping Acts. This is carried out by a Surveyor of one of the approved classification societies or a Surveyor appointed or authorised by the Administration. The Surveyor issues a Certificate of Survey and a Tonnage Certificate (British or International).

EMS are approved to undertake tonnage surveys for yachts / motorboats up to 24m for Certifying Authorities – YBDSA  &  IIMS

For information Tonnage Surveys are required for Marine Finance – By Banks and most Financial Institutions.

Examples of tonnage surveys undertaken in the last few months……

Broom 395 / 3x Broom 28 / 2x Broom 35 Coupe / Broom 30 / Broom 38 / Broom 430 / Haines 360  /  Targa 37 / Fairline 43

For more information contact European Marine Services Ltd    (inc European Marine Surveys)          Tel :  01603 327 123        www.europeanmarinesurveys.com

County Court Judgements  CCJ’s   ……………………..   NAME  &  SHAME

To:    All Yacht Brokers, Boatyards and Marine Service Providers  –  BE  AWARE

European Marine Services Ltd have the following Marine Services – Bad Debts  ….

Despite CCJ’s and issued Warrants we regretfully have been unable to secure payment from the following parties for marine services provided

Warrant #  0A021983     Seamaster 813    ‘Thrifty Six’      £ 429.00          (#781)                              Mr Stewart Rogers of   7b Market Place, Bungay Suffolk

Warrant #  0A021999      Bourne 30          ‘Tipple Too’       £ 449.80           (#749)                             Mr Peter Gray of   3 Stockmen Field, Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire.   We believe the party is converting this boat to live-aboard

Should you know of these parties or have any current address we would be pleased to hear from you   –    Please share / circulate

For more information contact European Marine Services Ltd    (inc European Marine Surveys)          Tel :  01603 327 123        www.europeanmarinesurveys.com