Perceiving the chief deficiency of the modern marine surveyor to be an over-reliance on abstract theoretical knowledge, the Delta Marine survey is purposed to give that degree of insight, authority and experience that only a genuinely accomplished boatbuilder can provide.

Born on narrowboat Amy in 1950, Garry John Ward worked the inland cargo boats during the closing years of the narrowboat haulage industry, then the camping boats in the early 70’s during the infancy of the canal leisure industry. After several years working on steel and wooden vessels and conducting surveys for other boatyards, he started Delta Marine Services in 1984 taking inland boating to a new level of luxury and comfort. Twenty years on, Garry Ward has designed award winning Thames and Dutch river barges, narrowboats and tugboats for clients throughout the continent.

Specialising in Dutch barges and wide-beam riverboats, Garry John Ward is a member of the Institute of Marine Engineering Science and Technology (IMarEST) and offers a diverse range of consultancy and inspection marine surveying services for both steel and wooden hulled inland waterways craft:

Pre-Purchase Condition Survey
A detailed but non-destructive examination covering all immediately accessible relevant aspects of the craft.
A fully indexed report documenting the inspection is produced to assist the purchaser in their decision.

Valuation
An estimate of the current market value of the vessel to provide guidance to the owner.

Insurance Condition Survey
A report providing an opinion for the vessel’s insurers.
Particular attention would be given to the condition of the hull, working areas and safety equipment. A valuation may also be provided.

New Build/Conversion Project Supervision & Consultancy
A facility tailored to the individual’s requirements pre, post or during construction. This may include:
Site visits to the builder coinciding with key elements of the build process and the release of stage payments.
Specification assessment to consider the builder’s obligations and the suitability of components.
Acceptance trial to assure satisfaction before release of that final instalment.

Damage Assessment Survey
An inspection to report on a particular incident.
This may include an investigation into the cause, extent and likely repair costs of damage to the vessel and also supervision of the necessary repair work.

Litigation Advice & Claim Assessment
An expert-witness facility acting on behalf of one or both litigants.
This may involve the provision of written and verbal evidence in court or arbitration.

Recreational Craft Directive 1994/25/EC Compliance
An inspection to determine whether your vessel complies with current EC legislation, which applies to all new boats placed on the market after June 1998.
We have experience working for both private clients and the Trading Standards Service.

For enquiries and quotations, email Garry Ward at surveys@delta-marineservices.co.uk