Surveyors & Mechanics in Ketchikan, AK

[Britannia]

Hi,

Does anyone have any recommendations? All the surveyors the broker is finding are commercial. Does anyone know a surveyor that regularly handles fiberglass trawlers in Ketchikan? I'd also welcome any recommendations for mechanics who would do surveys on diesel engines and generators.

The boat is a Krogen 54 Pilothouse

Thanks

Richard

 

[Al]

Ketchikan has one of the best with impeccable record. Dave Johnson.
I have his email address on my other computer and will make note to gather this and his phone #.

He is a marine master mechanic by profession working with a local sizable tugboat operations. Amak Towing and Revillia Towing. He has been surveying as a side line profession for the past five years.

I know him personally, I would vouch for his reputation. If you are a seller you do not want to employ Dave. If you are a buyer he is the one you will want to employ, He knows his beans and is a member of the professional marine surveyors assn.
Your engine concern is with him a done deal.
Stand by Richard.

Al- Ketchikan (Bridge to Nowhere) Alaska

 

[Britannia]

Al,

Thanks - it's great that you give such a good reference for Dave. His info was given to me by the broker as a possibility. It sounded like he was a commercial surveyor - apparently doesn't have a moisture meter. Not sure how much surveying of fiberglass hulls he does. The Krogen 54 has an entirely foam cored hull - so I want to make sure the surveyor feels comfortable checking it.

I was going to call Dave to talk about the job anyway - and now you have recommended him so highly I will certainly contact him. No need for his phone number - I have it.

Has he surveyed anything for you?

Thanks

Richard

 

[Al]

Hi Richard,
sent a PM to your attention
Al

 

[Al]

surveyor

Richard- Sent a second PM with email and phone# Age is catching up I guess as I can not recall sending due to a incoming phone call and a blank screen on message!!!
Al

 

[Britannia]

Richard- Sent a second PM with email and phone# Age is catching up I guess as I can not recall sending due to a incoming phone call and a blank screen on message!!!
Al

Al - I got the info - not to worry. It's very much appreciated. I will try to catch up with him today.

Richard

 

[Britannia]

I completed my surveys this past weekend. Dave was excellent. He came out on Sunday afternoon for the first part of the in water survey. He then met as at the yard for the haulout on Monday morning (Presidents Day) and finally another quick visit on Tuesday morning to finish up. He was very thorough indeed and had the written survey to me by Wednesday night. My insurance broker commented on how detailed the survey was.

It so happened that there were no significant issues at all with the boat - Dave can't take credit for that of course.

I certainly endorse Dave Johnson - he was thorough, pleasant and professional. I would recommend him without hesitation.

Thanks, Al, for the reference

Richard

 

[Al]

Richard,

What a pleasure to have a response back to the suggestion of using Dave. I had an opportunity this afternoon celebrating the retirement of a co-worker where Dave is an employee of one of the joining companies(s). Passed on your complement. He was pleased that you expressed your satisfaction in the manner you have.
Dave shared a bit of history on the boat you acquired. I had no idea that a large Krogen was in the area and knowing a bit of its history cleared the air.
Would it be that you share in the voyage back to Calif with the forum I bet it would be a treat. Particular if it were to be a first for yourself. Always a thrill to us Alaskans to read or hear the reaction of visiting for the first time and the travels to arrive or complete an adventure.
Best regards,
Al

 

[Britannia]

Al,

I'm glad you saw him and were able to let him know about my review.

You ask about first timers' reactions to Alaska. Well I went there for the first time in January to view the boat and then again last weekend for the surveys and sea trial. I found everyone in Ketchikan to be very friendly and helpful.

A good example was when we needed some T-clamps for the shaft log that we planned to replace during the haulout/survey. We went to PCI Hydraulics and Pat let us walk out with a variety of sizes to make sure we had ones that fitted. We brought the unused ones back and he didn't charge us until we returned.

Mike from the Diesel Doc did the mechanical survey. On Saturday night. That was Valentine's Day. When we got back to his shop his wife was mopping the floor. We apologized for taking him away from her and she was very nice about it. Mike was due to take a helicopter ride at 7am the next morning to fix a generator at a logging camp.

Everyone works so hard without complaining. I'd love to spend more time in Alaska - one day I'd like to return to cruise. I'm going to put Ketchikan as my hailing port to remind me that I have to take the Krogen 54 back there one day.

Yes - I'll try to keep the forum updated on my trip. I've never cruised Alaska before, just the California coast. It will will be an interesting voyage this spring. The boat should be mine in the next week or so. I plan to go back up in a couple of weeks for a shakedown cruise. Thinking of anchoring in a couple of places including Foggy Bay. Then back again in early April for the trip down to Anacortes, weather permitting of course. I know that weather holds are very likely at that time of year. We'll see how it goes.

Thanks again,

Richard

 

[Al]

Richard,

Everything you said is true. Good folk all.

If Foggy Bay is your destination for short voyage, be sure to take your power dink and voyage up Very Inlet. It is quite deep and very scenic. Take about three hours to make the trip up and back. Stay out of the side inlets as the flow in and out of those is a slack tide show. The trip up to the end lagoon is quite safe. Time it for slack water into the last and end lagoon. I think you would be impressed with the trip. We enjoy it and take our 28 foot boat in and out without any concern. Traveled in with a 45 footer one year. Just a suggestion.
The better anchorage is in the Southern end and back against the mainland. Small bite.
Another is behind the islands near the Very Inlet opening. Back of the islands there are a couple of small bites.

An alternate anchorage is before Foggy Bay in Kah Shakes Cove at the enterence of Boca De Quadra. Could be a couple of good crab given the opportunity although they tend to seek deeper water in the winter for lack of feed in the coves in the winter.

Just saying.
Al

 

[Jeffrey S]

This week we're announcing our new databases for boating services. One of the first categories we're opening up is Surveyors. There are over a thousand surveyors already loaded into the database. David Johnson, for example, was already in the database.

If you feel inclined to leave a review about your experience, here's David Johnson's listing:
http://www.eboatcards.com/services-surveyors/record/428

The objective of this new Services capability is to highlight the good businesses and warn others of bad experiences. As we've seen with ActiveCaptain, this has improved the quality of marinas and improved the experiences of boaters since there is now a public display to hold the business accountable for their actions. We expect the same results with Services.

Given that this is pre-announcement, there are very few reviews in the database. Adding reviews will help to kick-start the whole capability.

Other categories being opened at announcement are Boat Brokers, Transport-Land (businesses who move your boat over land), and Transport-Water (businesses who move your boat by ship). There are 35+ other categories and they'll be opened, one at a time, every few weeks especially after the bugs are worked out of this initial announcement. The full category list can be found here:
http://www.eboatcards.com/groups/services/

No account or login is required to read any of the Services data/reviews. You obviously need to have a free account in order to write a review or update any of the business information.