14 Marine Surveyors in Ohio

This directory lists certified and practicing marine surveyors across Ohio, organized by region — Lake Erie, the Lake Erie Islands, Toledo, Cincinnati, and the Ohio River. Each entry includes credentials, location, and service area where confirmed. As a working marine surveyor, I’ve prioritized SAMS and NAMS accredited professionals with documented experience.

What does a marine survey cost in Ohio?

A pre-purchase survey on a recreational powerboat in Ohio typically costs $15 to $25 per foot of length, with a practical minimum of $300 to $400. Condition and valuation surveys for insurance renewal usually cost less. Haul-out fees, if required, are billed separately by the yard.

Lake Erie — Cleveland and Northeast Ohio

1. Great Lakes Marine Surveyors Company

Located about 20 miles northeast of Cleveland on the Lake Erie south shore, this firm has operated since 1969. The principal surveyor has held NAMS Certified Marine Surveyor (NAMS-CMS) status since 1987 and ABYC membership since 1989. Specialties include yachts and small craft, power and sail, pre-purchase, insurance condition and valuation, and damage surveys.

• Credentials: NAMS-CMS, ABYC
• Coverage: Lake Erie, greater Cleveland
• Website: greatlakesmarine.com

2. Davis and Company, Ltd.

Davis & Company has surveyed boats and yachts across North America since 1977 and describes itself as the largest marine survey firm on the continent, with over 94,000 completed projects. The firm holds affiliations with SAMS, ACMS, the International Association of Marine Investigators, NFPA, and ABYC, and dispatches individually credentialed surveyors to local assignments rather than operating fixed branch offices. In Ohio, the firm has covered both the Cleveland and Sandusky areas through SAMS-affiliated surveyors Ben Gommel and Joe Williamson.

• Credentials: SAMS, ACMS, ABYC affiliations (firm-wide); individual surveyors hold AMS/Surveyor Associate status
• Coverage: Cleveland, Sandusky, and Lake Erie central shore
• Phone: 1-800-223-8816 (national booking line)
• Website: daviscoltd.com

Lake Erie — Sandusky and the Lake Erie Islands

3. Bache Marine Consulting

Based in Sandusky, this surveyor has operated since 1994, conducting pre-purchase, pre-sale, and insurance underwriting inspections on wood, aluminum, and fiberglass powerboats and sailboats up to 126 feet. The surveyor co-authored “Fundamentals of Damage and Claims Survey” in 2003 and has served as a Senior Instructor at the Chapman School of Seamanship.

• Credentials: Full-time surveyor since 1994, Chapman School instructor
• Coverage: Lake Erie, Great Lakes, Ohio and Michigan
• Website: bachemarinesurvey.com

4. Monak Marine Surveying

Based in Huron at PO Box 547, Huron, OH 44839, this surveyor has held SAMS AMS accreditation since 1999. Coverage extends across Lake Erie, the Great Lakes, and inland locations by appointment, with past assignments as far as Buffalo, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Traverse City, and Chicago.

• Credentials: SAMS AMS (since 1999)
• Coverage: Lake Erie, Great Lakes, will travel
• Phone: (419) 656-4680
• Website: monakmarinesurveying.com

5. Bryan Shrock Marine Surveying LLC

Based in Marblehead in the heart of the Lake Erie Islands, this surveyor has operated since March 2015. Credentials include SAMS Accredited Marine Surveyor, ABYC membership, a Chapman School of Seamanship diploma, and a 100-ton Master’s license with commercial towing endorsement.

• Credentials: SAMS AMS, ABYC, 100-ton Master’s license
• Coverage: Marblehead, Catawba Island, Port Clinton, Bay View, Sandusky, Oak Harbor, Huron
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: bryanshrocksurvey.com

6. Mastrangelo Marine Survey

Mark Mastrangelo operates from Port Clinton, with a mailing address at PO Box 62, Gibson, OH 43433 and an office at 750 South East Catawba Road #10, Port Clinton, OH 43452.

• Coverage: Port Clinton, Lake Erie Islands, western Lake Erie shore
• Phone: (216) 287-7098 cell / (419) 734-3828 office
• Email: [email protected]

7. West Sister Marine Surveys

Darrell Walton, AMS (SAMS), is based at PO Box 338, Oak Harbor, OH 43449.

• Credentials: SAMS AMS
• Coverage: Oak Harbor, western Lake Erie, Lake Erie Islands approach
• Phone: (419) 341-3556

8. Sterling Marine Surveying & Consulting LLC

This firm markets itself as offering some of the most in-depth inspection reports available on the Lake Erie shores, covering pre-purchase condition and valuation surveys with sea trial, in-water and out-of-water inspection, and pre-sale and insurance valuation work.

• Coverage: Lake Erie shores
• Website: sterlingmarinesurveying.com

Lake Erie — Toledo and Western Ohio

9. JC Yachts LLC

Based in Maumee, OH 43537, near Toledo, this is the only Ohio-based surveyor listed in the national PowerBoat Guide surveyor directory.

• Credentials: SAMS (per PowerBoat Guide listing)
• Coverage: Toledo, western Lake Erie basin
• Phone: (419) 410-8595

10. Marine Technologies

Based in southeast Michigan, this firm extends its coverage into northern Ohio, including Toledo, Port Clinton, Sandusky, and surrounding Lake Erie boating areas. The firm has over 25 years of experience and SAMS AMS accreditation.

• Credentials: SAMS AMS, 25+ years experience
• Coverage: Southeast Michigan, northern Ohio (Toledo, Port Clinton, Sandusky)
• Website: michiganboatsurveyor.com

Cincinnati and the Ohio River

11. Blum Marine Surveys & Services, Inc.

Based in North Bend near Cincinnati, this surveyor holds dual certification — both NAMS Certified Marine Surveyor and SAMS Accredited Marine Surveyor — and is also a Certified Container Inspector. Services cover pleasure craft, boats, barges, commercial fishing vessels, cargo, and hull surveys, including pre-purchase, financial, insurance condition and valuation, and damage inspections.

• Credentials: NAMS-CMS, SAMS AMS, Certified Container Inspector
• Coverage: Cincinnati, North Bend, Ohio River

12. GT Yacht Surveyor

This accredited marine surveying company operates from Cincinnati.

• Coverage: Cincinnati, Ohio River

13. Derek Wolfe

Based in Batavia, in the Cincinnati eastern suburbs near Caesar Creek and East Fork lakes, this surveyor is a member of the US Surveyors Association.

• Credentials: US Surveyors Association
• Coverage: Batavia, Cincinnati inland lakes

Statewide and Multi-State Coverage

14. Popeye Marine Group

Led by Dave Leonetti, SAMS AMS #1351, this group provides yacht and small craft surveys, marine damage investigation, cargo inspection, and boat transport. Confirmed coverage spans Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New York, Kentucky, Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, and Florida.

• Credentials: SAMS AMS #1351
• Coverage: Ohio and 10 surrounding states
• Website: popeyemarinegroup.com

What credentials should I look for in an Ohio marine surveyor?

Look for SAMS (Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors) or NAMS (National Association of Marine Surveyors) accreditation — the two recognized US certifying bodies. Both require minimum years of experience, an ethics screening process, and a written exam in the surveyor’s discipline. ABYC membership is a strong secondary credential for technical systems knowledge.

A surveyor holding both NAMS and SAMS accreditation, such as Blum Marine Surveys in this list, has passed two independent certification processes. For older or wood-hulled vessels, ask specifically about the surveyor’s experience with that construction type — the trade-offs surveyors weigh are similar to those covered in fiberglass vs steel: which is more reliable, since hull material affects what a survey needs to check.

For a breakdown of how survey types differ by purpose — pre-purchase, condition and valuation, and damage — see the guide to types of surveys carried out on ships, which covers the same inspection categories applied across vessel classes.

A surveyor’s inspection isn’t limited to what’s visible — non-destructive testing methods such as thermal imaging in yacht surveys can detect moisture intrusion and delamination beneath an intact-looking gelcoat surface, particularly relevant for older Lake Erie hulls that have weathered repeated freeze-thaw cycles.

What should I do after getting a survey?

If the survey identifies repairable issues such as gelcoat damage or worn running gear, the report becomes a job list and a negotiating point before closing on a purchase. For minor fiberglass chips and gouges, how to repair chips in a fiberglass boat hull covers the DIY approach, and a gelcoat repair kit can address cosmetic damage as a first step.

For structural issues, engine work, or anything requiring haul-out, a surveyor’s report often points toward the same questions covered in marine plywood alternatives for transom and stringer work, or thru-hull fittings for boats if below-waterline fittings were flagged. If the survey finds damage beyond economical repair, the boat salvage yards in Ohio directory covers options for selling the vessel for parts.

FAQ