Trojan Boat Forum

I can fully appreciate the feedback given on the surveyor. However, Jim is beyond the survey part. At this point, he needs to find a good overall Marine mechanic that can service his vessel. For example, a Marine Service would be an excellent place to start.

A surveyor at this point will still be non-destructive and he needs to invest his money in repairs and upgrades, not a review. I have good friends that are surveyors and they will tell you that a survey is not a replacement for sound mechanic aptitude.

Jim, start checking around for a company that you can trust to perform your maintenance. Once you find one, go take a look at their work on other boats. If it looks anything outside of excellent, move on to someone else.

Also, invest in a good maintenance book. If you are a Boat US member, their website is a wealth of knowledge.

It's not my money I know, but i kinda like the idea of a second survey, even if not a complete one. Tell him your situation and have him explain all of the systems as they go. Treat it like an education, which is what it will be.

And grab yourself a copy of Boatowners Mechanical and Electrical Handbook by Nigel Calder. Today.


I note that labor day and its associated sales are coming up. Make a list of things that you need to have on the boat to fix it, even if you are not mechanically inclined yet, and go buy them then. I spent 10 boat dollars on tools before I had a boat, because crap was on sale for father's day.

Calders book prolly has a list of recommended tools.

oil&water wrote:A surveyor at this point will still be non-destructive and he needs to invest his money in repairs and upgrades, not a review. I have good friends that are surveyors and they will tell you that a survey is not a replacement for sound mechanic aptitude.

A mechanic, or a person with sound mechanic aptitude, is not qualified to do a survey unless they are also a certified marine surveyor. You need to know how a boat is supposed to be built, plumbed, wired, repaired before you can tell if it has been done right or wrong. And you need to know what needs fixed before it can be fixed.

Many a boat has been buggered up by someone who knew someone who had 'sound mechanic aptitude', but used all the wrong parts (eg non marinized auto parts) and techniques.

There is also this list of accredited surveyors that may help. http://www.marinesurvey.org

Again I want to thank everyone for taking the time to respond.

Capt... Thanks for the link for the list of surveyors.

P-Dogg... Books on the way. Under $10 used "like new" at Amazon.

Oil&water... Spoke to several people on the dock and the Harbormaster, he and most on the dock came up with the same qualified mechanic. I am going to give him a try and start getting things done. And I did sign up for BoatUS BEFORE my maiden voyage, for the towing, but have yet to check them out for additional info... They're on the list.

Todd, Misty and Old Boat... Thanks for the info and taking you time to help!

Glad you got Calder's book -- lots of good info there.

Everyone here is assuming that the shaft grounding system was in addition to shaft zincs, but some folks use them INSTEAD of shaft zincs and tie them to a hull zinc to protect the shafts. Kind of complicated, but it works OK unless you have a problem with the electrical connection to the prop shaft. Since this boat was stored onshore, it might not have had any zincs installed...

The shaft brush you have is one of the nicer ones, but very badly in need of service! Also, the hose clamp in your first picture looks like somebody tried to tie the shaft log into the bonding system with a Rube Goldberg method that is quite unlikely to be helping out. You have a lot of money tied up in your shafts and props, so making sure they are protected is critical. Either fix the system you have, or like prowlersfish said, ditch it and have proper shaft zincs installed.

Try to find a mechanic who will use a silver chloride electrode to measure if you have adequate zinc protection for your boat. That is the only way I know of to see for sure if your corrosion protection is actually working against galvanic corrosion. Any boat mechanic worth his salt will be able to take care of your electrical and mechanical problems.

One good way to check on a surveyor's credentials is to see if he/she is NAMS or SAMS certified. You have to have some basic skills and have worked under another surveyor for a few years to get either certification. It doesn't guarantee a surveyor is good, but goes a long way towards weeding out ones who are not adequate.

You're welcome. I'm in the PNW too so if you so you can mssg me and if u ever have an open seat halibut fishing let me know! Until that day, just follow then post your adventures here and add to the fun. Repacking the shaft is no big deal. Consider hauling out for a month or two to address this and other issues and handle running gear, waxing etc... Don't scare yourself, but consider WHY the shaft leaked. Was it hauled all the time? Hit something? Etc... The answer will guide you in the next direction.