Introduction to
the business of marine investigations
Investigation to Court Testimony
Expand
Business!
Marine surveyors:
Expand your marine business!
Conducting marine investigations can help free
you from the limitations of a seasonal business
and expand your business opportunities and income.
Who Hires?
Who hires marine investigators?
In addition to insurance companies, specialist
investigators merge their specialized pleasure
craft knowledge with investigative abilities
for a broad range of clientele.
Clientele
Thes can range from boat owners with serious warranty claim disputes and faulty repair
issues to being hired by lawyers as investigators
as either fact witnesses or expert witnesses.
Marine investigators often work for boat owners
who are having trouble with insurance claim issues,
assisting the boat owner obtain a proper claims
settlement.
Marine Investigations -
The first and only book of its kind on the subject
of investigating pleasure craft casualties and other
issues. Although written primarily with the North American
market in mind, international surveyors will find that
the principles employed here are equally applicable
to where ever marine surveyors are to be found.
About the Book - by the Author
This book was written because I perceive
that there is a great need for more qualified investigators
which has gone unmet for far too long. Moreover, as
boating continues to grow, the need for more investigators
will also continue to grow. Unfortunately, there is
virtually no literature available on the subject. Equally
unfortunate is my perception that of the few practicing
marine investigators, far too many do not have a sound
understanding of the proper role and function of the
investigator. I propose to fulfill both those need.
This book uses a format similar to my
marine surveying book "Surveying
Fiberglass Power Boats"; in that I cover the
subject from beginning to end, starting with the basics
of establishing a business, then moving on to basic
fundamentals, including the vital issues of insurance
and law. Next comes the nuts and bolts of investigating,
along with the essential subject of conducting interrogations,
followed by how to write effective reports and ending
with the essentials of how to be a good legal witness
and testifying at deposition and in court.
There is virtually no limit to the number
of situations that can give rise to the need for an
investigation. The most common employers of investigators
are, of course, insurance companies, but also lawyers,
boat owners themselves as well as affected second and
third parties. Though it would take a number of books
to cover even just the major possibilities, I have
concentrated on the most frequent events such as fire,
sinking, machinery damage, theft and fraud in considerable
detail.
Far too often the investigator becomes
an advocate for his client, resulting in this becoming
a partisan who produces a report which is biased and
obviously prejudicial. The result of this malpractice
is usually a report that is easily discredited during
legal proceedings, and thus becomes a disservice to
the client. Investigators get themselves into this
bind mainly because they can't perceive a way around
it. But there is and this book carefully explains how
to avoid falling into the trap of becoming a paid partisan
whose indiscretions are ultimately revealed and he
is made a fool of in court.
Learning to become an effective investigator
is not difficult; rather, it is more a matter of tenacity,
gaining experience and following a few simple rules
of engagement. Few marine surveyors actually perform
investigations on a full time basis. For most, it is
a major part of a diversified professional range of
services that dovetails very nicely with any type of
survey business. Branching off into investigations
is especially good for those who are working in marginal
boating areas where it is particularly difficult to
obtain a steady flow of work.
The establishment of a good reputation
based upon effective, professional work is critical
to developing an investigative book of business from
a variety of sources. This book covers virtually all
of the essentials needed to achieve that goal.
About the Author:
David Pascoe was certified by the National
Association of Marine Surveyors in 1972 after serving
a five year apprenticeship with a family owned marine
surveying firm. During that time he has served as a
Correspondent to the American Institute of Marine Underwriters
and provided investigative services to both domestic
and international underwriters.
He is also a licensed independent adjuster
in the State of Florida and has conducted hundreds
of marine casualty and pre-litigation investigations,
both domestic and international, and frequently testifies
as an expert witness.
David Pascoe is the author of "Surveying
Fiberglass Power Boats" (2001, 2nd Edition - 2005), "Buyers’ Guide
to Outboard Boats"
(2002) and "Mid Size Power Boats" (2003).
In addition to readers in the United States, boaters and boat industry professionals worldwide from over 60 countries have purchased David Pascoe's books, since introduction of his first book in 2001.
Direct
Links to Chapters at
Domestic
on
your mobile 
Currently
we are offering 20% discount on multiple books purchase. More
Details.
More
than 160 Online Articles on Boats, Yachts
by David Pascoe, Marine Surveyor 
