“We hired Thierry for a pre_purchase survey on a 47′ Catamaran in Tunisia. From the first phone call we had, he was easy to talk to, understood what we needed done and was direct and clear about the procedure of the survey. He speaks perfect english which was a must for us. Even though I am fluent in French, my sailing vocabulary is not so great, so with him speaking great english, we were really able to comprehend all the sailing terminology. He travelled to Tunisia and spent 2 nights there, as to have a full day for the survey, which we greatly appreciated. He understood how important it was for us to have a complete survey and not have to be constrained on a schedule. We were able to have a couple dinners together while in Tunisia and fly back to Nice on the same flight, which meant I got to pick his brain about the boat! Great and knowledgeable guy and fun to hang out with. We would definitely recommend him 100%. We are currently in contact with the owners for the purchase of our dream boat! Thanks Thierry.”

” Thierry is up to your challenge!

We (my wife and I) thought we had found our boat, but it was across an ocean and we are not fluent in French.We had only been able to ‘look’ at the boat on the internet and have the selling broker describe it to us. We knew we needed a professional to survey the boat. Through responsive and informative emails and phone calls with Thierry (in English), we decided to work with him.

When we arrived in Marseille we met Thierry for lunch and an initial outside assessment of the vessel. He was instantly charming and engaging, and we thought that his maritime knowledge was extensive. My wife and I had both grown up on and around the water (over 50 years), piloting and owning a variety of boats, from sail to motor, but never an ocean-going yacht. Thierry expertly explained all the subtle and not so subtle differences in the boat we were considering for purchase compared to the boats we were familiar with – and explained the additional sea and weather conditions that made these differences important. He then set about his business of assessing the condition of the boat, sharing his evaluations and pointing out important aspects with us as he scrutinized the hull. He encouraged us to ask questions about anything we didn’t understand. He uses all the latest technologies, from moisture meters to infrared imaging, to examine every centimeter of the hull. But, most importantly, Thierry knows the limitations of these technologies and spent considerable time using his experience to inspect the hull with his eyes, hands and ears (from many vantage points and angles) and the ‘old school’ acoustic technique of tapping sections on the bottom of the boat for sound variations. He alerted us to a few deficiencies, but fortunately found the hull was in very good shape (he quickly found one sonar sensor placed in backwards). I mention the detail Thierry put into looking at the hull, because he used the same diligence on the rest of the boat – from the mechanical and electronic systems to the water maker and appliances.

By the end of the two days of survey we had a list of attention areas and a few things that needed immediate attention. With our confidence in Thierry’s work, we knew the boat was very sound. Using Thierry’s list of things that needed attention in-hand, we were able to agree on an adjusted price with the owner and purchased the boat!

Thierry’s knowledge, care, and concern wasn’t just about getting the survey done, he was in communication with us and cared about our situation. He involved us every step of the way without making us feel that we were asking stupid questions. He was professional with everyone on board during the sea trial and tried to make everyone feel comfortable, as this was a stressful situation. He conducted himself very professionally, as a caring, knowledgeable person without an attitude. We are very happy with the survey and advice Thierry has provided us and can whole-heartedly recommend him to anyone that may be considering a purchase of a sail or motor-boat. “

“Thank you, you will get outstanding reviews from us and from the broker at Multihull. You are 5 stars worth every euro and cent. Don’t be surprised if you get some calls from US boat buyers going to France. We will tell everyone we meet what a complete job you did. We really really appreciate it. Finding someone you can trust is not just in the broker pocket and is a big problem in some areas. I trust you with me and my family’s best interests and I thank you for that, sincerely.”

“In connection with the purchase of private sailing catamaran in Cannes, Thierry Simon, MM Surveyors has assisted us with the pre-purchase survey report. It has been a real pleasure working with Thierry. His level of professional knowledge and service has been highly appreciated and moreover, he is a really nice and fun guy. We send him our highest recommendations.“

“Thierry was deeply involved in the technical ramifications of our ongoing legal battle against our boatbuilder. He assisted in diagnosing various electrical and mechanical problems which existed on the boat and acted as a liaison between our lawyer, technical experts and ourselves and was very helpful in ensuring that our interests were presented and protected.”