A Sigma 33 OOD ashore at Berthon Boatyard in Lymington for a Marine Survey, this one for an insurance renewal. Most insurers will ask for a survey report once the vessel is over 20 years old. Solent Marine Surveys have developed (with the BMSE – British Marine Surveyors, Europe) a survey report template which is accepted by all UK insurers, thus we are able to reduce the cost of survey to the owner. when compared with the cost of a full condition survey.
The Sigma 33, in common with the Sigma 38 was designed by David Thomas and constructed by Marine Projects in Plymouth. They make great cruiser racers and are often seen in offshore IRC handicap races, as well as the UK National Championships. The Sigma 38 in particular is a good performer under the IRC rule, and a large fleet can be regularly seen in JOG and RORC offshore racing.
From a marine surveyor’s point of view, the hulls are of single skin GRP construction, also sometimes known as a monolithic construction. While not particularly substantial, the hulls have proved themselves durable and fairly robust, in spite of groundings when raced these yachts can often suffer. Weaker points can include the chainplate area, the end grain balsa cored decks, the mild steel original keel studs and of course any poorly repaired collision damage – a marine surveyor should always conduct many moisture readings to the deck and coachroof to establish whether any moisture has entered the balsa core, which will lead to debonding from the outer laminate, thus weakening the structure. We have surveyed many of this type, and are very familiar with the Sigma range, including the Sigma 33, Sigma 36, Sigma 362 and the Sigma 38.
