Who I Am

My name is Manfred “Manny” Bohn, I am an Accredited Marine Surveyor® and the principal Marine Surveyor at Safe Passage Marine and a member of the Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors® (SAMS®). I also hold membership status in the American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) . As a member of SAMS®, I am bound to and follow their published ‘Code of Ethics and Rules of Practice’:

  • Strive to enhance the profession of Marine Surveying.
  • Maintain and enhance their professional knowledge & expertise.
  • Conduct their business in a professional manner.
  • Maintain independence, integrity and objectivity.
  • Avoid prejudice and conflict of interest.

My Experience & Qualifications

My boating experience started when I was a Boy Scout in Los Angeles California. I was happy to receive my merit badges for Motorboating and Small Boat Sailing. However, that was not nearly as satisfying as the time that I spent on the water. That experience instilled a drive in me to learn everything that I could about all things on the water. I started at a young age working on cars for my father’s clients at his Mercedes Benz repair facility which gave me a lot of mechanical experience. Then at the age of sixteen, I received my first payment for helping family friends get their boat running. By that time, I had a fairly good knowledge of what I was looking at, how to fix things and not just break them. Anyway, I got involved with some older friends that were racing boats in an organization called IHBA (International Hot Boat Association), which sometimes was not that organized. Wrenching, preforming set ups and test running an 18’ flatbottom with 1,200 horsepower of blown Hemi with nitrous oxide will surely make you feel alive, and I received my first paycheck! Thankfully, nothing ever went wrong while I was inside these little pieces of plywood and fiberglass. I had fun, I got paid, I was hooked on the boating industry! That was over 40 years ago.

In preparation to become a knowledgeable marine surveyor, I have excelled at being a marine mechanic, service manager, salesman, sales manager, yacht broker, general manager, marina operator and a fix-it guy for everything boats, from rectifying service departments loosing thousands of dollars a month to setting up and operating marinas and sales locations, on both coasts of Florida, its Keys, and in Tennessee. I have also worked with some leading marine boat manufacturers on product improvements. I was brought up to Tennessee to open a marina and fell in love with its people, its geography and stayed.

At this point in my life with, all the technical and practical experiences that I have accumulated, with the help of the ABYC courses that I am certified in, and the continued education courses that I take to increase my knowledge of this wonderful industry, I know that I can:

  • Be punctual for our appointment
  • Care for the vessel better than if it were my own
  • Provide you with the most comprehensive inspection of your vessel and its systems
  • Report the facts and valuation without embellishments or understatements
  • Provide you with a comprehensive document in a timely manner that will be understood by you, your lender, and your insurance carrier.
  • Assist in your selection of a different surveyor should there be a conflict of interest
  • Provide this service to you at a reasonable cost
  • BE YOUR MARINE SURVEYOR!