Sunday Afternoon on the Water

As a vessel owner for several decades, I consider each and every boat that I have owned like they were my children. Once they grew up and were old enough, it was time for them to leave the proverbial nest. Two months ago, I brought the wife and adult kids with the grandkids out on the boat for a relaxing Sunday afternoon on the water. The day started out quite normally. We did some fishing while the grandkids made every spot possible on the vessel sticky with chocolate residue handed out by my wife. I wish she would stop doing that. She knows it takes me forever to clean it all up.

Anyway, we were anchored and my wife was doling out sandwiches and iced teas for lunch. Basically, we were sitting around, eating and talking about our upcoming family reunion in Hawaii. All of a sudden, this idiot on a jet ski blows by us and is zigging and zagging past us. I shouted a few choice words, and went back to my sandwich. Honestly, about five minutes later, the same fool comes by doing the same thing. Only this time, he zigged when he should have zagged and smashed right into the starboard side of the hull! The guy flew into the water and although he had on a life vest, it appeared that he couldn’t swim. My kid jumped in and dragged the guy onto my vessel.

We called the authorities and tied up the Jet Ski for safety. The driver was a bit disoriented, but informed us that he was trying to impress my daughter, who was sunbathing on the deck. I get that I’m old but I don’t think that I was that stupid when I was young and playing on the water. We didn’t have jet skis back then though. I don’t think I’d impress many girls with my rowboat.

Once the report and pictures were completed, we went ashore and contacted the insurance company. They informed me that I needed to have a marine damage survey performed by a licensed marine surveyor in Fort Lauderdale. I immediately called the company that did the marine insurance evaluation survey when I purchased the vessel. The guys at Simex Marine Surveyors are awesome.

Marine Damage Surveys in Fort Lauderdale

Simex Marine did a thorough, and I mean thorough marine damage survey on my boat. They documented everything, which made making the insurance claim so much easier. I was able to have the vessel repaired quickly because of the efforts of the guys at Simex Marine Surveyors. Thank you, guys. You made a tidal wave into smooth seas for me.