What Our Customers Say

The Foxs Den- 2024

Finding good customer service and someone who does quality work these days is impossible. However, if you hire Karen like I have, for 3 boats purchased & 4 boats surveyed you won’t go anywhere else.

We recently used Karen(again) for the purchase of our 2006 Evans. She helped us just a month prior, when we were on our boat hunt, eliminate a boat that would have cost us more money once Karen told us the damage and safety issues that she found. Karen is thorough, efficient, and over qualified. When surveying the Evans (which we love) she was able to point out issues to help us save money in the cost of purchase.

I can not recommend Karen enough. I have used her time and time again, and will continue to use her. She is the one phone call when purchasing a boat you will never regret making.

Marty, Customer in 2010 & 2015

Karen completed the (survey and) sea-trial for me when I was purchasing my 2005, 42 Regal in 2010. The boat was a bank-repo so I had concerns and worries about perhaps some hidden problems. Karen went over the boat with a fine-tooth comb (in 105-degree heat) and founds several items that the dealer then fixed. I was able to buy the boat feeling confident that if there had been anything serious, Karen would've found it. A year later that has still proven true--she is a true professional.

Leigh M., Customer in 2011

Karen provided me with an inspection of a previously owned Boston Whaler that I ultimately purchased. Her incredible eye for detail, knowledge of what to look for and independent assessment placed me in a great place to better negotiate with the broker.

Jerry G., Customer in 2012

I cannot say enough good things about Karen and her abilities as a marine surveyor...

A friend (who happens to be an executive for Boat US) initially referred me to Anchor Marine to survey a 2006 Century 2200 CC I had been considering for purchase. I immediately hired Karen, not only because I found out she learned the business from her father (a renowned surveyor in the mid-Atlantic), but also because of the immediate trust created through our mutual law enforcement backgrounds. In advance of the survey, we communicated by telephone and email on several occasions, and I found that she was very responsive to my questions and messages. We seemed to hit it off well on the phone and Karen invited me to be present on the day of the survey…which was nice since most surveyors don’t like others to be around while they work.

Firsthand, I observed that Karen was very thorough, knowledgeable and more than willing to crawl around to get the job done. More importantly though, she was patient and personable with me throughout the process, which allowed me to learn a lot. In sum, Karen provided me with the information and tools to negotiate the best possible deal. I’m not sure I could have done as well in negotiations if I had not had the benefit of Karen’s critical eye and the information she provided to me. I wholeheartedly recommend her work.

John-Micheal W., Customer in 2015

Karen did a thorough and accurate yacht survey of a fifteen-year-old Island Packet 420 before we purchased it. Now that we have owned it for two years, live aboard, and sail full-time, I can say with confidence that her assessment of the vessel was spot on. Her written report was in-depth and included numerous pictures of any potential issues. The report served as an excellent to-do list before sailing away and helped us secure insurance. Karen did a thorough and accurate yacht survey of a fifteen-year-old Island Packet 420 before we purchased it. Now that we have owned it for two years, live aboard, and sail full-time, I can say with confidence that her assessment of the vessel was spot on. Her written report was in-depth and included numerous pictures of any potential issues. The report served as an excellent to-do list before sailing away and helped us secure insurance.

Theresa H., Customer in 2016

Karen did a wonderful job on the survey of our 2000 Sea Ray 410 Express. She was early for the appointment, she did a thorough job covering the entire boat and motors, and her report was delivered to us in remarkable time. Thank you, Karen and Anchor Marine, for taking the extra time and effort in getting our boat surveyed and completed.

Cindy Ann B., Customer in 2017

The Whitby Brewer Sailboat Association held its Annual Rendezvous on 2-4 October 2017. We are a small, but dedicated, group of sailors who love our old boats. The Whitby 42 was designed by Ted Brewer and began production in 1973 in Ottawa, branched into the redesigned Brewer 12.8 and ceased production in the 1990s. The boats are heavy, comfortable cruisers, most of them ketches. Our members enjoy having an outside speaker to bring knowledge to share during our Rendezvous and this year they suggested finding a surveyor. I happened on Karen Alt’s website in my search and reached out to invite her.

Karen’s talk was the highlight of our gathering this year. She brought a heartfelt love of sailing craft to her very professional presentation. She began by giving us some pointers on getting our boats ready for sale, since that is when many surveys happen. She stressed cleaning the boat and reducing the amount of worn-out gear aboard, in addition to understanding how to deal with hull blistering and other conditions found in old boats.

She spoke about the different situations in which a survey is performed and how she conducts a survey. We were very impressed with the time and rigor that she described as she works over a boat’s systems and structure. She brought photos to show how she documents her surveys. Several of the photos were of a Whitby 42 that she had recently surveyed, so she could show us particular areas of concerns on our type of boat. She also discussed how to work with insurance companies and how to document a claim. One crew in our membership has their Whitby in the BVI and is waiting word on her condition after tipping over in a yard during Hurricane Irma, so Karen was able to spend some time answering their questions.

Karen’s experience, gained over a lifetime of apprenticeship in a professional mariner family, is vast. She easily demonstrated proficiency in her chosen craft and impressed us with her interest in her work and continuing education. Our Rendezvous attendees were very pleased with the time and expertise that she contributed to our gathering.

Linda G., Customer in 2018

I knew of Karen when I worked in the marine field in Annapolis, and I had heard about her extensive knowledge of yachts and boats. It was only natural that when my friend from Florida wanted to hire a marine surveyor in the Annapolis area, I suggested Karen and Anchor Marine Surveying inspect it for him. The work was thorough and professional. I expected this because I knew Karen’s family had established this business in 1979; not fly by night. My friend ended up having two inspections completed by Anchor Marine Surveying and we were very happy with both. He bought the yacht he wanted about a year ago and is pleased with his purchase still.

Kirby L., Customer in 2019

From the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU! From the moment my husband first spoke to Karen, we were treated like family. We've used Karen twice now to survey two different boats. She always had our best interest in mind. She's consistent, knowledgeable, and honest. Absolutely everything we could have asked for and more!

David L., Customer in 2020

Karen was referred to us by a longtime family friend when we began searching for the right boat for us. After locating a boat in the Norfolk area, Karen agreed to travel to perform the survey for us. The day of the survey was extremely hot and humid, but Karen spent hours thoroughly checking the boat. During the survey, several issues were identified. After discussing the issues, we decided to not buy the boat.

A few months later, we found a boat in Alabama that we were interested in. During the process of buying that boat, Karen provided a lot of guidance to us and reviewed several documents related to the boat. Karen’s professionalism, expertise, and honesty were invaluable to us. We will definitely use her again the next time we buy a boat!

Theresa W., Customer in 2021

I was thoroughly impressed and grateful for the job Karen Alt at Anchor Marine did in surveying a boat I was considering buying. Karen is very detailed and did a deep, comprehensive inspection and took the time to explain things to me along the way so that I understood what to look for. In this case, Karen saved me from making a bad boat buying decision, and thus saved me from losing a lot of money. From what I learned about the inspection process, I now know a lot more about what to look for and can do a lot of fact-finding myself before investing in a survey (ie, only have a survey done when I am more certain about the boat). I will absolutely use Karen and Anchor Marine in the future for my next boat survey. I wouldn't use anyone else. She is a pro!