Schiehl & Associates LLC

02/20/2024

When you focus on problems, you will have more problems. When you focus on possibilities, you will have more opportunities.

04/25/2022

Looking forward to sponsoring this unique tournament again this year.

One Team, One Fish, One Million Dollars

09/09/2021

Not the best time to be surveying a Viking 80 in Cabo San Lucas.

05/03/2020

Looking forward to this month's Billfish Classic season kickoff tournament and honored to be a sponsor in step with these great companies!

04/18/2020

Excited to be a part of this unique tournament.

We are proud to welcome Schiehl & Associates LLC as a sponsor partner for the tournament. Thank you Richard Schiehl! Honored to have you aboard from day one!

03/05/2020

Cory Scruggs is roughing it for a few days on survey in Cabo San Lucas..

07/17/2019

Time for Termites

The Formosan termite and some of its cousins had their home in southern China and Taiwan until the 1900’s when developing trans ocean shipping allowed them to hitchhike their way to Hawaii, South America and eventually the US.

I remember the rabid infestation in the 80’s in New Orleans where they traveled historic house to house, eating them to destruction.

Since their arrival at the New Orleans ports, they have made their way across the south. I can remember when termite damage on yachts was pretty much confined to South Louisiana and Mississippi. I saw my first local case in Mobile, Alabama in the late 90’s. Sonny Middleton grabbed me by the arm and told me he needed to show me something.

When I boarded the yacht with Sonny, he simply pointed me into the cabin area and told me to look around. I was taken aback at the sophisticated termite “tunnels” throughout the interior, all leading to the bilges (where they go to water before returning to eat). The wood interior bulkheads throughout the cabin areas were reduced to the consistency of rice paper.

It was years after that before I saw my next case of termites. Even as recently as 6-7 years ago, we inspected no more that 2-3 cases per year in our area.

You would think with the new wood-free boat building technologies we would see fewer cases. Not so.

We now average 20-30 cases per year. I have been involved in termite damage inspections for so long, we are typically the ones called on to determine the extent of damage and to provide a scope of recommended repair.

Based on our tracking of this invasive critter and the boats affected, I have determined most cases 10-15 years ago involved active termite infestation on yachts arriving from Louisiana and “jumping ship” to the boat next door.

Now we have major marinas with multiple yachts affected.

It is time for yacht owners and captains to be aware of the risk and be diligent in their routine inspections of bilge and cabin areas. If you see dirt trails, fine wood dust or any other signs of unusual residue or activity, it is time to investigate further. If in doubt, call us. If you are local, we typically do not charge for verification.

Termite damage can be minimized if detected early and treated. It only takes one bad neighbor at a marina to add your yacht to the ranks of the victims.

It is a rare occasion when your yacht insurance policy covers damage resulting from termites.

Be diligent.

04/15/2019

Cory becoming a boomerang lately. Nassau, Bahamas this week, Palm Beach next week followed by Seabrook, Texas. Viking 72, Hatteras 77 and Maritimo S51. Very busy year.