About Us

Richard Gayton Lauded for Excellence in Marine Surveying

Captain Richard J. Gayton channels years of expertise into his work with Compass Marine Surveys, Inc.

A former British master mariner in the British Merchant Navy, Mr. Gayton was inspired to embark on a similar path by his father, who was a member of the Royal Navy. Upon the conclusion of his active seagoing service, he transferred his vast skill set into his work with The Salvage Association, where he worked as a staff surveyor between 1995 and 2001. Over the years, Mr. Gayton expanded upon his industry knowledge in a similar role with BMT and as the vice president of Surveys & Technical Department for the American P&I Club.

Throughout his career, Mr. Gayton has gained valuable expertise in directorial roles for Braemar and Leeds & Leeds Company, and as the owner of Compass Marine Surveys, Inc. Backed by his considerable breadth of knowledge, he presently serves as the principal surveyor and Owner of Compass Marine Surveys. In this capacity, he assess’ damage in order to evaluate it for the purposes of insurance and provides risk assessment and condition surveys for various marine assets, including Ocean going vessels and coastal commercial and pleasure craft. Mr. Gayton also provides risk assessment and loss surveys for cargo and also Expert Witness services. Due to his vast breadth of experiences, Mr. Gayton has also obtained four patents for an anti-piracy apparatus for ships and published various articles through the American Club.

An expert in his field, Mr. Gayton attended Warsash Maritime College and later became a master mariner through Plymouth Maritime College. Driven to remain abreast of changes in the field, he aligns himself with several organizations, including the American and Canadian Adjusters Association and the Marine Lawyer Association.