Need a survey in Cape May

Looking at a 2000 Mainship in the Cape May area. Any suggestions on a good marine surveyor in that area? Boat is in good shape with about 1,000 hours but my concern is some rust in the bilge (See photo). Not much to go on but how big of a concern should this be?

Try this guy...has always been helpful to me and a straight shooter.

Can't say if he is a great surveyor as I never had to check his work..but many I know have and recommend him..again..third hand info.


Bob Dunkelberger MMS.
109 School House Rd.
Cape May Court House
609-861-0467*

Tell him Capt Scott, Sea Tow passed along the info, he will appreciate my thinking of him.

Rust to some is an indicator of lack of maintenance and something to worry about.....maybe that is true...but a trained eye can tell the difference between rust and total neglect. I have run some commercial boats ragged that some here would say are floating wrecks. It is just their inexperience and boat show experience showing through.

One picture is not enough to really say one way or another, then again no amount of pictures adequately tell the story.

Here are a couple of additional pictures. Concern there may have been some water intrusion for a period of time.

The last pictures look pretty good but could be deceiving.

The first is the worst of the group from what I can tell, yet still hard to say the extent of the corrosion.

Far out thought but wonder if this could be some late post Sandy impact now manifesting itself?

many boats have rust in the bilge....doesn't mean they sank.


unless there is something not showing in the pics...what other evidence shows water in the bilge beyond normal expectations?

That rust could be from a packing gland throwing water around unchecked. Is it localized around the gland or is there a waterline higher than normal?

Mostly on the coupler with a little bit on the mounts. Also appears the stuffing box may need some attention, could possibly be as a result of that.

Thanks for pointing out as a possibility.

If that's the expansion bottle next to the engine, it looks like it has been overflowing as the bracket is rusted. That has probably dripped onto the motor mount below. Might want to check out the cooling system carefully.