It’s that official time of year when our thoughts turn to boats, cruising, fishing, and all of the lovely experiences that come with getting out on the water on a nice fine day.

Sadly though, accidents and tragedies do happen and they happen all too often! This year alone has seen several fatalities, near misses, and some very scary trips out on the water.

The AIMS is standing up to be the ‘voice’ of the industry and, given that Spring is the start of the boating season we will be launching several different information campaigns that we hope will assist boat owners and new buyers to understand the need for a thorough survey by a professional Certified Surveyor with the right qualifications and experience.

The AIMS has collated a wide range of information on boating incidents and evidence shows that the vast majority (over 78%) of the attended incidents are related to a lack of care and maintenance and, further,  while most people ensure that they get their car serviced regularly, boat owners neglect regular services and checks on their vessels, put them off if they can or believe that a recreational vessel doesn’t need a periodic survey to check the condition of the vessel.

We know too that many boat owners believe that an insurance survey is all that is required when considering buying a new boat when what is actually required is good old fashioned safety and condition report. It can save you money and your life.

Boat owners need to know that not all marine surveyors are created equal and that just because a person advertises themselves as such it doesn’t necessarily mean that they are qualified or experienced to survey the boat you have your eye on.

Make sure that you get a qualified surveyor, preferably a Certified Surveyor, and that they are a listed AIMS member. Get help from us if you are unsure.

Before taking your boat out – get a survey done.

Before buying a boat – get the right survey done, by the right surveyor.

Think safety first, enjoy the season and come home safely from a day on the water.