CREDENTIALS
JIM PRITCHARD BSc CEng MRINA MIIMS

Jim Pritchard is a Chartered Engineer and Member of the Royal Institute of Naval Architects. He is also a member of the International Institute of Marine Surveying. He is authorised by the IIMS Certifying Authority to undertake examinations in connection with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency Code of Practice for Small Commercial Vessels.

Jim has been building and repairing boats since 1975 and surveying since 1992. By 2005 Jim Pritchard Associates had completed over 5000 surveys, which included nearly every type of sail and power boat - from the smallest coastal dayboat to composite ocean racing yachts and classic superyachts of well over 100ft in length.

Within his own boatbuilding company, Jim Pritchard built one-off ocean racing and cruising yachts in timber, G.R.P., steel and aluminium. He also built a wide range of commercial craft, employing a workforce of up to 50 tradesmen.  Customers have included the Royal Navy, London River Police, Customs and Excise, Royal Marines and RNLI, as well as many similar home and overseas authorities and commercial operators.

Having built several sailing and workboat catamarans and composite vessels, he is experienced with such structures and is familiar with the forces and stresses to which they are subjected.

With a detailed knowledge and experience of G.R.P. and other composite structures, he has produced a large volume of fibreglass boat mouldings ranging up to 80ft length, with many to Lloyds Certification.

While building this wide range of yachts and boats, Jim Pritchard has also undertaken the repair, planned maintenance and refit of similar vessels. This has required a detailed understanding of all established boatbuilding materials and practices, and has enabled him to gain a wide experience of the repair and servicing of installed equipment.

As well as servicing local club yachts, he has undertaken extensive refits on large timber and steel charter and private yachts, a recent example being a 1967 Bennetti of 190 tons, which has been fully refitted in Cowes to bring her to modern superyacht condition.

Jim Pritchard has been racing and cruising boats for most of his life and holds a Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate. He owns a 34ft timber ocean cruising yacht which he built in 1981 and which has completed 4 Atlantic crossings.

With many years experience representing the interests of both purchaser and vendor, the problems which may arise in the process of purchasing a vessel are fully understood. Jim Pritchard Associates are well placed to bring this process to a successful conclusion.