With operations in Malaga Spain and BC Mexico, we cover a wide variety of services in commercial ports and private shipyards and marinas.
About Christian Mancebo
About: Christian is a Mexican national who developed his passion for the sea since an early age.
Having studied law at Universidad Anahuac in Mexico City and International Business Law in American University in Washington DC he has developed a base understanding of all types of legal issues that arise from the maritime commerce and admiralty law.
In 2004 he moves to Toronto to resume his law career in an international arbitration and M&A. Subsequently, he starts advising numerous projects involving hotel and marina developments. In 2006 he is invited to move to Puerto Vallarta and become part of development for one the newest and biggest marinas in Mexico, Marina La Cruz at Marina Riviera Nayarit.
In 2012 after completion of the acquisition of Marina Vallarta in Puerto Vallarta Mexico, Christian is offered the post of project director / harbor master of the marina.
In 2015 he becomes a Maritime Training Academy certified marine surveyor and creates CMarine surveyors, conducting and overseeing marine claims, condition and valuation surveys, fiberglass, wood, steel and aluminum, stow and load surveys and providing expert witness testimonies in law trials.
Frequently Asked Questions About Survey Experience
How much does a boat survey cost?
Pricing varies in different areas, but as a general rule of thumb plan on spending around €22 per foot of boat. Note, however, that many surveyors have a minimum charge that may exceed this rate with small boats.
How do I find a boat surveyor?
Start by visiting IIMS, NAMS or SAMS online, to locate some of their accredited surveyors in your area.
How long does a boat survey take?
Anywhere from a couple of hours for a small boat, to a couple of days for a large boat or Yacht.
Do I have to be present for the boat survey?
Surveyors usually don’t require you to be present. However, it’s a good move to be there. You’ll probably learn a lot about the boat you’re buying—and about boats in general.
Does a boat survey tell me how much needed repairs will cost?
Generally speaking yes, the Surveyor will sketch out a basic budget for repairs or required upgrades. Remember, however, that they’ll be using average costs and the numbers they provide aren’t exact.
One of the most important single parts on the boats are the seacocks and thru-hulls. Among the crucial responsibilities of every surveyor is to assess the quality and condition of those two components.
The ABYC has established standards (H27) for marine seacocks. One of them is that the seacock withstands a 500-pound load applied to it for a period of 30 seconds to the inboard end of the assembly. This also requires that the handle indicates whether is open or closed.
Remember that ABYC outlawed gate valves many decades ago.
Unfortunately, we are still seeing this type of fittings. This is inadmissible.
Another challenge we usually find in boats is confusion of the owners and captains replacing the seacocks whilst thinking they are getting DZR or marine quality bronze, but instead they are getting brass due to the lack of labeling from the manufacturers. Using brass fittings can lead to catastrophic results for boats. Brass is an alloy consisting of zinc and cooper. In saltwater, brass is prone to produce a form of corrosion known as a dezincification resulting in what is often referred to a metal becoming “carroty” due to its color.
Seacock valves should be inspected annually for a corrosion and exercised periodically to ensure their correct operation. Further, their ball valves should be greased once a year.
Additional options of DZR or bronze sea cocks.
One of the preferred choices for many boaters is to install plastic (Marelon made by Forespar) seacocks and fittings. Marelon is not exactly plastic, it is a glass reinforced nylon that does not corrode, is flexible and requires no bonding and minimal maintenance.
The 93 series Marelon seacocks thru-hull valves meet all the ABYC standards and are ISO certified.
Nonetheless, one must be very precautious where to install Marelon fittings, since it is not a good idea to use them in engine spaces or other areas exposed to risk of fire due to lack of resistance to it.
Case
Few months ago, I was called to survey a Beneteau 26´, while inspecting the seacocks (marine quality bronze) I noted, that even when they looked with some signs of corrosion, the seacock handles were opening and closing smoothly. Apparently, they were fine with the exception that they were a bit corroded. Therefore, in my report I recommended to pay close attention to them and with any signs of strange leaks, corrosion or anything else they should be replaced immediately. The Beneteau’s owner did not want to spend more money by replacing them right away and make a decision to wait a few more months.
Seacock at the moment of the inspection. (Benetau 26.5)
3 months later, the owner hauled out the boat to do a bottom job and he decided to replace the seacocks. When he pulled them out, they broke apart. The only seacock that we managed to take out in one piece had the ball valve broken inside. The moral here is that even with a small “warning sign” of something wrong in the seacocks, they should be replaced right away. Just because the valve handle can be manipulated does not imply that the ball valve inside is working properly. Furthermore, this could save thousands of dollars to a boat owner.
Seacock after being pulled out 3 months later. (Beneteau 26.5) Broken ball valve inside. (Beneteau 26.5)
Be prepared for emergencies
Always bear in mind the importance of having plugs properly attached to each one of the fittings and also an available hammer.
