About the company.

Our surveying services were started on Tortola in the British Virgin Islands in 1998 when Geoff Williams and two partners created a marine surveying and consulting company. During the following twelve years, Geoff has surveyed yachts throughout the Caribbean region, ABC Islands, Central America, USA, Spain, France and South Africa  specializing in fiberglass sail and motor yachts from 30 to 100 feet.

In September 2002 Geoff started his own company in the British Virgin Islands, West Indies Marine Surveyors Ltd., with a vision to create a team of surveyors who would offer Boat Owners, Buyers, Insurance Companies, Financial Institutions and Underwriters a reliable surveying service producing accurate, high quality reports. We use our own custom, well tested and highly successful survey format. Numerous high quality color photos will be included in the report, covering all aspects of the vessel. 

Geoff is a member of SAMS, The Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors, who have a membership of over 900 in the USA and in countries around the world. Our reports are based on the requirements set down by SAMS and we are guided by the Recommendations of ABYC (The American Boat and Yacht Council). Geoff Williams is a full member of The Society of Consulting Marine Engineers & Ship Surveyors (based in London) www.scmshq.org - they are an authorized certifying authority for MCA - Maritime and Coastguard Agency in the United Kingdom. Geoff is also a member of FEMAS, The Federation of European Maritime Associations of Surveyors and Consultants (European Union) www.femas.info  

Keeping up to date with new technology is important to us - we regularly attend IBEX (The International Boat Builders Exhibition and Conference) in Florida to keep up to date with new concepts in boat building and repair techniques, fiberglass & core material development as well has new designs in boating hardware. We also take the opportunity to make contact with other surveyors, boatbuilders from around the world and the suppliers of boating equipment. At every opportunity during our travels we endeavor to visit boat building facilities - recent visits include factories in South Africa, USA, France and Holland. Geoff spent 5 months (2008-09) furthering his marine experience and education working as Project Manager at a Superyacht refitting shipyard and composite yacht building facility in the South of France.   

About the owner

Accredited Marine Surveyor (SAMS) - The Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors (USA).

Member: The Society of Consulting Marine Engineers & Ship Surveyors (London).

Member: FEMAS The Federation of European Maritime Associations of Surveyors and Consultants (EU).

Master Mariner / Class 1 (unlimited tonnage).

Geoffrey Williams was born in Cape Town, South Africa. He became a member of the Royal Cape Yacht Club in 1972 and was a keen offshore yachtsman, cruising and racing along the South African coast. In 1976 he joined the Merchant Marine as a Navigating Officer with Safmarine and travelled worldwide. He later specialized in Ocean Towing and Salvage and sailed as Chief Officer on the world's most powerful salvage tugs, Wolraad Woltemade and the John Ross. After qualifying as a Master Mariner (Foreign Going) / Class 1 (unlimited tonnage) he became Captain of a number of Oceanographic research ships operating in the Southern Ocean. Yacht surveying started in 1983 in Cape Town and continued through to the Caribbean in 1991. After completing the construction of his yacht and sailing across the Atlantic, Geoff was to work as Technical Manager and Operations Manager in the Yacht Charter Industry in St Martin, French West Indies (with a fleet of Wauquiez / Centurion Yachts) and later in the British Virgin Islands. Yacht surveying services has taken him through the Caribbean chain, Central America, USA, Mediterranean and South Africa.

Geoff has French citizenship and spent 5 months furthering his marine education working as Project Manager at Compositeworks www.compositeworks.com, a large Superyacht refitting shipyard and yacht building facility based in La Ciotat, in the South of France. He returned to the Caribbean at the end of January 2009.