How to Access
Mainstream keel testing is usually via your local Marine Surveyor after an incident or for racing compliance. Hopefully its also part of your annual maintenance. As we have discussed these types of checks are most likely to be visual tests which may not identify metal fatigue.
There are a limited number of specialists in Non Destructive Testing (NDT) in the sailing industry with most maritime testing occurring in the “big ships” area relating to commercial registration requirements (hull thickness etc).
In Australia there are several marine surveying companies that have NDT as part of their overall operations, with bigger boatyards having specific relationships with individual NDT testing companies.
In reality accessing NDT for individual boat owners or smaller boatyards is not easy, and work needs to be done in this area to promote the benefits of NDT testing and how to access yacht keel specialists via a published data-base of those surveyors capable of NDT testing.
How to Commission an NDT Inspection
Incorporate into Maintenance Plan: Use the results to prioritise repairs, replacements, or more frequent monitoring. Further Reading
Find Qualified Experts: Look for marine surveyors or NDT specialists certified to ISO standards.
Select Appropriate Techniques: Discuss your vessel’s material and history so the inspector can tailor the test plan.
Review and Record Findings: Obtain a clear report with images or scan data that you can reference for future comparisons.
Further Reading
How to check keel bolts -Brown, C 2016, Practical Boat Owner, Practical Boat Owner
Australian Institute of Non Destructive Testing (AINDT)
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Disclaimer
At RWS Sailing Safe we do not pretend to know everything. We are not your naval architects, marine engineers, or part of the sailing elite.
We’re just everyday sailors — the kind who grew up racing dinghies, sanding and varnishing boats, cooking sausages after club races, towing trailers full of boats to championships and regattas. Some of us moved on to keelboats, crewing offshore, racing up and down the Queensland coast, and even taking part in major races like the Sydney to Hobart. We share information based on our experiences and research, but we are not professionals. We cannot be held accountable for the other sites the articles link to. That’s their site. We have tried not to plagiarise anything, just link to the available articles. We have taken all our own photos and copyright stays with us. We are trying to gather all the research and articles and present it in one place for others, as a resource.
Its still up to you Skipper, you are responsible for your own decisions, safety, and vessel.
Always seek expert advice