Are you ready to go to sea? Is your vessel ready to go? Are her systems seaworthy, reliable, safe, and performing properly? Perhaps more importantly, are you ready to go to sea together?
You no doubt have questions about your vessel and her systems. They’ve been nagging at you but you either don’t know who to ask, or you get conflicting advice when you do. Is there any component, piece of equipment or gear that you can point to and say, “I have no idea what that does, I don’t know how it works, what its maintenance requirements are, or how it is most likely to fail, what service it requires, or what spare parts it may need?”. Perhaps you’ve had a persistent problem, a leak, an odor, a vibration, an unfamiliar noise, or an electrical malfunction that you’re not sure how to deal with, or once again you’ve received conflicting guidance regarding its repair. Or, you are preparing to set off on an extended passage and simply want to make certain you, your vessel and her systems are ready.
If this sounds like you, then the Ready for Sea- One Day Review may be just what you need.
Under this program, noted marine systems expert Steve D’Antonio will spend a full day with you aboard your boat. After a round of probing questions to determine what’s on your mind, he’ll first address the issues, concerns and questions you have about your boat and its systems. Then, he’ll review the areas aboard your vessel he believes will yield the greatest value for you, with particular focus on the engine room, engineering spaces, and ground tackle. He’ll also focus on potential ‘single point of failure’ items—systems where a failure can stop your cruise in its tracks. Later in the day, you and he will conduct a sea trial, during which he’ll evaluate the performance of your engine(s) and running gear. Upon conclusion of the sea trial you and Steve will sit down together to review his findings, clarify questions you may have, create a to-do list, and provide additional information where needed.
The Ready for Sea Program is uniquely designed to be a private, one-on-one opportunity for 
you to get answers to your questions, aboard your own boat. While aboard you and Steve will cover as much ground as possible, over the course of a full day. It will be busy, even frenetic, your head may spin at times and you’ll get writer’s cramp from taking so many notes. You’re encouraged to ask questions throughout the day, and take notes. This program is aimed at providing you with the greatest value possible, for a single day of interaction with a marine industry professional with considerable passage-making experience.
The Ready for Sea program is not a substitute for a SDMC Pre-Purchase or Vessel Systems Inspection, otherwise known as Complete Inspections. Complete Inspections are designed to cover a long list of systems and components, they include a haul out, they require two or more days, and after their completion the client is presented with a detailed, prioritized, photo-documented report. Their fees are also necessarily higher. The Ready for Sea Program is designed to allow you to derive the maximum benefit from a single day of interaction with Steve D’Antonio.
The Ready for Sea Program includes the following…
- One full day aboard (typically 8:00AM-5PM)
- A review of your questions, and specific areas of concern
- An engine room inspection
- A sea trial
- 30 days of follow up support for questions you may have regarding the items identified during the review
The fee is $3,200 plus customary expenses for travel and lodging, for domestic projects, and vessels up to 68 feet.