MARINE SURVEYORS, ENGINEERS, CONSULTANTS 1989 University Lane, Suite I, P.O. Box 359, Lisle, IL 60532-0359 - Headquarters 630-852-7944/800-223-8816 PH 630-852-7128/800-852-7128 FAX Summer 2008 Newsletter Volume 18 NO 1. Offices in USA, Canada, Mexico -click for locations map INSIDE THIS ISSUE: From the Bridge Marine & Specialty Claims The Bear Claim No Fire, No Bag NFPA Marina’s and Boatyards Sprinkler Project NFPA9212008 edition Outboard Expert Bernie Bergen Joins Davis Consulting Outboard Expert Jack Flaig Joins Davis Consulting WOW – Our first electronic newsletter. As you go through the articles you will realize the scope of the Davis & Company, Ltd. marine services. We do not do homes or cars, although surely that would mean much more business. What we do is specialize in marine losses and claims of all kinds. Recreational and commercial hull, cargo, and much more. Our motto is “One Source – One Solution”. If you have any type of marine loss or claim you have one source, us, that provides the solution. Our quality, care for your clients, speed of service, coverage area, and consistent report format from all offices is your “Solution”. We provide an accurate cause of the loss with the marine damage appraisal in an easy to understand report. A "Solution" that will allow you to determine the coverage applicable and then adjust the loss. Or let us do it cradle to grave by using our Marine and Specialty Claims division as your TPA. Phone-FAX-E-Order any and all assignment to us. We are ready to do the job for you.

From the Bridge By: Gregory T. Davis, President In September 2007 we surpassed the 50,000 mark in assignments. A milestone of some significance when I look back to 1977, our first year in business, and recall the total assignments for the year was 110! We picked up another contracted national client in 2007, including catastrophe services. We have a catastrophe team unit established to deal with the special circumstances and needs demanded in a CAT response. If this year differs from the past two we will put it to use. We hired Ahmed Zarnegar in October 2007. We first came to know Ahmed when he was the claims manager for St. Paul Insurance Company in Chicago. Since that time Ahmed had worked at York Claims Service, Crawford and Company, and GAB handling marine claims and using our survey or engineering services from time to time. Ahmed handles marine and specialty claims adjusting for us in a new division set up especially for that purpose. As Ahmed had managed TPA (Third Party Administrator) while at York he is working to establish that for us with a new client. Check our Website and click on “Marine Claims” for more information. We recently completed one of our training sessions for staff and associates spending quite a bit of time on Cargo Surveying. The concentration was on our cargo survey manual, which includes the AAR (American Association of Railroads) blocking and bracing of cargo in containers pamphlets and a review of documentation required to perfect a marine claim. The intent was to get our survey staff “up to speed” on containerized cargo surveying. We have been the USA survey agent for a Bremen, Germany based cargo claims settling agent for the last several years and with Ahmed coming onboard our cargo survey assignments are increasing. We are also working with Virtual Claims Services, New York, NY, Jose A. Guerrero, Jr. President, as their North American survey and engineering source. DCG has worked some very interesting and high profile marine accident reconstruction projects, including the Lake George NY capsize incident. These projects have taken us to Lake of the Ozarks, MO; Grand Lake, OK; Atlanta, GA; and other locales. In an accident reconstruction it is common for us to laser measure (total station) the boats, weight them for trim computations, and then match the models up based upon damage. The end result is a science based opinion as to cause. DCG is still working at the Aker Philadelphia Yard (10 years now) once a month for stage of completion surveys for the lead lender on the tanker ships now being built there. We completed the same survey work on all four container ships now in service for Matson running the LA-Hawaii route. DCG is also involved in a project related to the US Navy’s new Littoral class destroyer. I am pleased with the diversified and rewarding projects we have had the pleasure to be involved on in the recent past. Our New York (Staten Island) survey office is now staffed with two employees as is the Northern California office (Concord). The California offices (2) are now the busiest in the company. We added an associate office in Mexico in 2007. Check out our Website by clicking on the “locations” hyperlink for more information about our 50 offices in Canada, USA, and Mexico.

The Bear By: Jerry Starczowski, SA-SAMS Marine Surveyor Supervisor. Just when you think you saw it all, last fall I received an assignment from Allstate that requested we go look at boat damages from hitting a bear. That’s right a bear!!! The vessel owner was traveling on a four-lane highway in Wisconsin coming home from a fishing trip when a bear ran across the road at full speed. He tried to avoid the bear but was unable to and the bear struck the bow of the vessel near the spare tire mount and went under the tires and ran off moaning. When I looked at the vessel and trailer, skeptically of course, the spare tire was torn from the trailer but recovered. When we saw the tire, blood, hair and fat was dried to it. Additional hair and blood were found under the vessel and on the trailer cross members and axle. I don’t know that this one compares with the swimming squirrels getting sucked into the engine intakes but it has to be in the top ten.

DCG hired as Contractor for NFPA Marina’s and Boatyards Sprinkler Research Project The Davis Consulting Group, a division of Davis & Company, Ltd partnered with Schirmer Engineering, Fire Protection Engineers, was awarded a contract from the National Fire Protection Association for research into sprinkler systems for Marina’s and Boatyards, especially dry stack storage systems. The project, in this stage, involves research into fire experience in Marina’s and Boatyards, boat storage methodology inside and outside and dry stack applications currently in use. The fire experience data in the Davis database will be resourced, as well as industry information. Gregory T. Davis, a certified fire and explosion investigator, is leading the Davis team in this project. Eric Greene, of DCG, a specialist in Marine Composites, is handling the heat release and fire spread data collection. Eric has completed studies for the US Navy in the foregoing areas. Once this preliminary research is complete it is anticipated that the second stage of the project will involve fire testing in an exemplar dry stack storage rack. The data from this research will be used to design sprinkler system/s for Marina’s and Boatyards. The National Fire Protection Association’s standard 303, Marina’s and Boatyards, will utilize this research. Gregory T. Davis is a special expert panel member of the standard.

NFPA 921 2008 edition includes new Marine Chapter The National Fire Protection Association’s 921 “Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigation” new 2008 edition includes a chapter on marine fires. The NFPA 921 panel requested assistance in the authoring of this chapter from the National Marine Manufacturers Association and the American Boat and Yacht Council. These two organizations asked Gregory T. Davis, NAFI-CFEI to participate for them on the NFPA 921 marine task force. The work on this chapter occurred over two years with meetings of four days every three months. The interaction among the marine task force and 921 panel members was a rewarding learning experience. Mr. Davis is especially grateful to the panel members for their interest in marine technology. The chapter needs the input of others now that it is published. Those of you that are involved in origin and cause in marine should review the chapter and provide your input via the NFPA Proposals process. Please go to the NFPA Website and search to the 921 document page. The NFPA 921 marine chapter will benefit from your input.

Outboard Expert Bernie Bergen, Joins Davis Consulting Bernie Bergen, with forty years of diversified engineering, inspection, supervisory, testing, and service experience with a major manufacturer of marine propulsion products, has joined Davis Consulting Group (DCG) marine engineers, a division of Davis & Company, Ltd., as a Consultant. His addition adds to the company's existing nationwide team of 63 marine surveyors and 10 naval architects, engineers that specialize in the areas of engineering and design and accident reconstruction, fire and explosion cause and origin, forensic engineering and commercial vessel surveying. Notes Greg Davis, president, "Bernie brings to us hands-on experience in product testing and operation of outboards and outboard powered boats. He has raced outboard hydroplane boats and this experience will be invaluable in the reconstruction of marine accidents for our clients.” Bergen spent 40 years at Mercury Marine with his most recent work experience as a product application engineer defined as a resource within Mercury for technical and service assistance and support for independent and captive boat companies rigged with Mercury product lines and accessories in support of boat manufacturers. His also worked as a senior technical writer, authoring the complete service manuals for four outboard lines, instruction of field service personnel, senior product assurance engineer, and quality control engineer. Davis Consulting staff is involved in all areas of engineering for the marine environment related to the engineering, design and production of all kinds of vehicles, structures, and systems operating in harsh and demanding conditions. Their practice covers ships, recreational boats and other craft. Davis & Company Ltd. is the largest firm in North America specializing in recreational and commercial marine surveys and engineering. It also performs Cargo and Loss Control surveys. DCG primarily handles assignments for marine lenders, investigates insurance claims and assists legal professionals

Outboard Expert Jack Flaig, Joins Davis Consulting Jack Flaig, formerly with BRP and OMC has joined Davis Consulting Group as a consultant. Jack is a well known within the industry with twenty-five years of experience with OMC in management positions and he has also served on the board of directors of NMMA, AMEM and ABYC. Mr. Flaig served in the US Navy as an engineering officer. Then while at OMC he was product engineering manager for large outboards, VP engineering and Manufacturing, and at BRP director of government and special products. He earned a Masters Business Administration from Lake Forest Graduate School, and Master of Science and Bachelors degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois. His addition adds to the company's existing nationwide team of 63 marine surveyors and 10 naval architects, engineers that specialize in the areas of engineering and design, accident reconstruction, fire and explosion cause and origin, forensic engineering and commercial vessel surveying. Notes Greg Davis, president, "Jacks knowledge in product testing and operation of outboards and outboard powered boats will be of great assistance in our failure diagnosis practice, he also has special knowledge is manufacturing practices that will assist in the R&D area.” Davis Consulting staff is involved in all areas of engineering for the marine environment related to the engineering, design and production of all kinds of vehicles, structures, and systems operating in harsh and demanding conditions. Their practice covers ships, recreational boats and other craft. Davis & Company Ltd. is the largest firm in North America specializing in recreational and commercial marine surveys and engineering. It also performs Cargo and Loss Control surveys. DCG primarily handles assignments for marine lenders, investigates insurance claims and assists legal professionals.

Next time you get a chance to give out a claim to an outside firm please give us a chance to show you what we can do. We look forward to answering any questions you may have. We may have a program for you or we can tailor one to fit your needs. “One Source, One Solution” is more than just words on our brochure.

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