Build your surveying career with Mike Wall

Surveying tutor Mike Wall is back with two new books aimed at giving readers the tools needed to develop their maritime careers in new directions. Wall seeks to reach out to a varied audience, whether completely new to maritime, seeking a move from sea to shore or already a marine surveyor in another specialism.

Machinery Surveying – An Introduction does assume that the reader has a basic grounding in engineering (understanding engine cycles, for example), but the author anticipates that most of the information will be new.

He explains what the role of a hull and machinery surveyor involves, which is essentially to investigate and record the damage to a vessel after an incident. He then goes on to explore in detail what kind of machinery the surveyor is likely to encounter and where the investigator should look for damage.

There are 13 case studies based on actual investigations to show how a survey is carried out and to look at reporting techniques – which require the surveyor to be a good writer, the author stresses.

Hull Surveying – An Introduction was originally intended to be part of the same book as Machinery Surveying, but Wall felt that two volumes were needed to do the subjects justice. Hull Surveying mostly relates to steel merchant vessels, although several other hull construction materials that a surveyor may encounter are also covered.

This time there are 10 case histories to show the reader what a hull surveyor looks out for and how surveys should be reported.

Both volumes are clearly laid out in paperback format with plentiful photographs and diagrams to illustrate the author's points. Useful extras include a glossary of terms, a thorough index and a sample contract.

Machinery Surveying – An Introduction
By Mike Wall
Self-published (available in the Nautilus Bookshop), £95.00
ISBN: 978 61658 83054

Hull Surveying – An Introduction
By Mike Wall
Self-published (available in the Nautilus Bookshop), £95.00
ISBN: 978 61658 83047