James has been working in the specialised Yacht sector of the marine industry since the late 1990s.  He has wide ranging practical knowledge of yacht construction and engineering.  He started his career working overseas in various engineering and repair capacities for Yacht Charter companies, which then led to his involvement in worldwide yacht shipment.  He later worked with a number of leading UK yacht builders in various roles on the production line and later in the Research and Development department working on a conceptual Hull Resin Infusion program.  He returned to study in 2001 at Southampton University and achieved a BSc in Yacht Manufacturing and Surveying, which was heavily focused on the utilization of Composite materials.  James went on to work as a Yacht Surveyor for three and a half years with a large international marine surveying company, where he gained experience of the commercial shipping sector.  He carried out numerous surveys worldwide on behalf of Hull & Machinery Underwriters, P&I Associations and Owners alike, these included insurance claim investigations, Pre-Purchase surveys, Valuations and Yacht Shipment Surveys.

James joined MTD as a Consultant Marine Surveyor in early 2008 and specialises in investigating yacht hull and machinery damages. He has particular expertise in investigating composite failures, spar and rig failures, builder’s process control defects and yacht stowage/securing issues, together with reviewing subsequent repair schedules and costs.   He is presently an Associate Member of the Royal Institute of Naval Architects and is continuing his professional development in this field.