A day in the life of...
James Renn
Q1. What first drew you into marine surveying and what experience or expertise did you bring into the field from your earlier career(s)? A.
I was drawn into Marine Surveying after having been involved in marine diesel propulsion engineering for Volvo Penta from Gothenburg Sweden. After leaving Volvo Penta as Applications Engineer for North America and somewhat adrift I was called to assist in series of problems with a powerboat fleet in the Caribbean. Upon arriving the introduction was made as in “the surveyor” has arrived. After two days and having corrected the problems the project manager called the vessel’s owners and stated “the surveyor has found the problem and we are back working”. That was when it was quickly evident that there existed a need for mobile technicians or trouble shooters. Hence “Marine Forensic Technicians”. Nearly 30 years later there is still a need- perhaps more than ever. Note: The vessel’s problem was that the main engines fuel returns did not go to the bottom of the tanks and would air/spray into the tanks as they got low causing the fuel to air lock.
Q2. Typically what area of surveying would you describe as your ‘core business’? A. The “core” of my business would now be in commercial and partly recreational loss investigation for Clients, Attorneys, Military and Constabulary parties. This is largely focused on heavy machinery losses and electrical issues however has branched out to third party and wrongful death/injury investigations.
Q3. What do you most enjoy about your job? A. What I enjoy most about my job is the diversity. One cannot know very much about what will happen the next day except that just like in any possible conflict the first casualty will be the truth. Sorting out the fact and fiction changes with each situation will always be a gambit.
Q4. And which aspects challenge you most about your role as a surveyor? A. I feel the most challenging role in my aspect of surveying is having a clear understanding of the client’s needs and expectations. It is often obvious that the client(s) do not recognize that what we may find may not be beneficial. It is paramount to be absolutely certain the hiring body understands that we will express what we believe in a completely unvarnished manner. Too often it is heard that “We are paying you to find...” Once the bell is rung, if asked by another party, the bell cannot be unrung. Any statement with intentional omissions is an untruth and the client must understand that before going in.
The Report • March 2017 • Issue 79 | 73
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