Services · 05
The problem you can’t see is eating the metal you can’t reach.
South Florida saltwater and marina shore power are hard on boats, and hardest on their metals. This is the specialist end of surveying, and the part most survey businesses don't offer at all.
About this inspection
Corrosion is one of the least visible yet most costly problems affecting a vessel. Left undetected, galvanic corrosion, stray-current corrosion and inadequate bonding accelerate deterioration of underwater metals, propulsion components and through-hull fittings. Quietly, and usually until something expensive announces it. Early detection can prevent costly repairs, extend the service life of underwater components, and reduce the risk of unexpected failure.
A corrosion inspection evaluates the condition and effectiveness of bonding and cathodic protection systems, identifies evidence of galvanic or stray-current activity, and helps determine its source. Numbers, not impressions.
This is the work behind the ABYC Marine Corrosion Advisor credential our principal surveyor holds. Following the inspection you receive a detailed report documenting observed conditions, test results, identified areas of concern and recommendations for corrective action.
What a typical corrosion inspection may include
- Bonding system evaluation
- Galvanic and stray-current corrosion testing
- Hull potential measurements
- Sacrificial anode evaluation
- Shore power grounding evaluation, when applicable
- Cathodic protection system assessment
- Underwater metal component inspection
- Corrective action recommendations
- Comprehensive written report with findings
Most reports land in 48 hours. Seventy-two at the outside. The surveyor who did the inspection writes the report, usually the same night.
Straight answers
What does shore power have to do with corrosion?
More often than you would expect, the fault is not on your boat. Shore power ties every boat on the dock to one electrical ground, so a bad connection on the dock or in the next slip can push current through the water and onto your running gear. It is the fastest-acting corrosion there is, and the hardest to find from the deck.
Why does the ABYC credential matter here?
ABYC writes the standards American boats are built and repaired against. The Marine Corrosion Advisor certification is a specialist credential in exactly this diagnosis, held alongside NAMS-CMS.
Who should get a corrosion inspection?
Metal-hulled and older vessels, boats kept in marinas on shore power, a boat being checked before purchase, and any owner replacing anodes faster than the boat next door.
The next step
Corrosion doesn’t stop while you decide.
Bonding, shore power, anodes, stray current. Tell us what you are seeing, or what the yard has flagged, and we will tell you what is worth testing.