IAM old enough to remember when a classification society surveyor was treated like visiting royalty. Frantic preparation and tremendous deference gave way to frightful consequences if the great man discovered anything slightly amiss. Nowadays, not enough people actually understand what class does and everyone suffers from this ignorance. Marine Classification Society Surveying is a small book written by surveyor Peter Broad which does a good job in demystifying the work of class and the functions of the surveyors.