Today we’re talking to Leo van Klaveren in our Yacht Stories. He is one of our senior surveyors here at CCS yacht.
Besides surveying, he oversees and plans the Dutch projects as New Buildings and Refits and gives technical support to our surveyors.
Where does your love for paint comes from?
I started working in a paint shop when I was only 15 years old. They painted everything, from furniture to small metal parts. After a couple of years I started selling paint and giving technical advice. At one moment I met Joop Ellenbroek, the founder of CCS and he asked me to work for him as a paint surveyor. This has been one big apprenticeship and now I educate surveyors at CCS myself!
What is your favourite port and yacht?
I love MY St. Princess Olga, with her perfect lines. All details are perfect. The port that I love most is Antibes, France. It is a beautiful old little fortress town looking out on the mountains with lots of nice yachts.
What is the best part of your job?
It’s the diversity I love the best; One day I am in a grey water tank or inspecting the blasting of the steel hull. The other day I am executing a Final Survey on a finished yacht and invited to have lunch on board, prepared by a chef!
What have been the most important developments in the industry lately?
The way of measuring and inspecting has changed a lot over the years. First it was all visual and subjective. Now we have high tech instruments to measure the results (DOI, gloss, orange peel, long wave, short wave etc.). This gives us the opportunity to substantiate the results. This is in the interest of everyone involved in the superyacht industry.
