What to look for when buying boat insurance

An article from  http://www.rya.org.uk/Pages/Home.aspx

Let’s get started - first of all why do you need boat insurance?

It’s a fair enough question and whilst it is not a legal requirement on many waters, having appropriate cover does make sound financial sense. Marine mortgage companies for instance insist on compulsory insurance as part of their money lending process. However, there are two stand-out reasons why boat insurance is not a ‘would like to have’ but a ‘must have’:

1. Firstly you have to protect your capital investment against loss or damage which ultimately could result in a large and costly repair bill if the worst were to happen!
    
2. Secondly having adequate boat insurance can help to protect you against any third party liability for injury or damage caused by you or your vessel.

What can influence the premium payable?

From a small dinghy to a large super-yacht or a fast and furious Jet Ski, each vessel will attract a different level of risk, so just like car insurance - boats are usually categorised according to their vessel type.

It goes without saying that a ‘Sunseeker’ with powerful engines costing several hundred thousand pounds will be far more expensive to insure than a smaller, much less powerful craft.

A yacht will have a different risk assessment than a dinghy or a jet ski, so insurers will factor in the type of the vessel and any potential repair bills before calculating the premium.

So in general, the actual size of the boat isn't as important as its value, how easily it could be stolen and the potential for damage. If your boat is trailerable and spends a large amount of time safely tucked away on your drive, you'll probably pay a different premium than if it was stored at a marina.

The area in which you intend to keep and use the boat will also have an influence on the level of premium you pay and may have restrictions on cover that are subject to local weather conditions.

Finally the experience of the owner / users, the type of use i.e. whether it is used privately, as a charter or racing vessel and of course any previous claims experiences are all taken into consideration when calculating the premium.

What type of features should I look for in my policy?

• The level of premium is obviously very important but it should not be the sole deciding factor: you must try and strike a harmonious balance between costs vs. benefits
• All policies are different, so make sure the one you choose is going to provide the cover you want and need. Handy tip - assess the very expensive parts of your boat and check not only that your policy provides cover for damage to those parts, but also what deductions may apply in the event of a claim
• Are any replacement costs issued on a new-for-old basis?
• Exclusions - make sure you look out for any exclusions in your policy. All policies have them, so check your wording very carefully
• Ensure that the policy covers any cruising grounds you wish to sail into
• Finally do make sure the insurer is authorised and approved by the regulatory body of the country in which they are based; here it is the Financial Conduct Authority.

Summary of a typical boat insurance policy

Any physical damage covered by a boat insurance policy will usually include your equipment such as hull, sails, machinery, furnishings, on-board equipment, and the trailer if applicable.

Standard cover normally includes:

• Accidental damage, including fire, theft and malicious damage, sinking, stranding, collisions and salvage costs
• Damage to engines
• Transit risks up to 30 feet in length
• Lifting and launching risks
• Loss or damage caused by latent defects
• Frost
• Damage to mast and rigging whilst racing can be purchased for an additional premium
• Personal effects

Third Party

Provides protection for you or authorised persons using your boat from claims made by third parties for death or injury or damage to third-party property for which you may become legally labile.

Typical policy exclusion:

• Damage caused by wear and tear
• Wilful misconduct
• Loss of value due to age of vessel
• Losses caused by corrosion osmosis
• Mast, spars and sails whilst racing unless the policy has been extended
• Damage to machinery following breakdown
• Theft unless the right security devices or locks are fitted
• The policy excess relating to damage caused by you and also on any third party claims.

Where do you buy your policy?

Whether you buy a policy from a specialist insurance broker, direct from the insurer, or via the web - all have their own merits but of course the main point to establish is to ensure you only insure as appropriate, and don’t scrimp on cover if your demands are likely to be high.

Finally

So to summarise: review any potential policy in detail before you commit to purchase, make sure you understand what is covered, but more importantly make sure you understand what is not covered. By undertaking a thorough analysis of every possible scenario including those applicable to your own circumstances, you should be able to get the right cover for your vessel and enjoy peace of mind sailing without unnecessary worry.

Please note this article contains general advice only and is not specific advice for any individual customer. If you are unsure as to which policy is best for you, contact your marine insurance broker or insurers who will be able to advise you accordingly.www.bishopskinner.com

A Distressing Situation

A Distressing Situation 

Development of Electronic Visual Distress Signals (EVDS).

Some of you may be aware of the development and marketing of hand-held non-pyrotechnic devices or Electronic Visual Distress Signals (EVDS) that are being offered as alternatives to pyrotechnic flares.

Pyrotechnic flares are one of a number of methods specified in COLREG Annex IV that can be used or exhibited either together or separately to indicate distress and need of assistance.

Many boaters now buy EVDS - so called “laser flares” - as an alternative to hand held pyrotechnic flares because of cost, safety and ease of testing and disposal.

But are EVDS substitutes for pyrotechnic flares?

From a practical perspective EVDS produce a light pattern that is different to the intense burn of a conventional flare and there is some concern that this might not be recognised as a distress alert.

The advice therefore is that where carriage is not mandatory, EVDS should not be carried as a substitute for conventional pyrotechnic flares if the intention is to use them as the primary means of signalling distress.

Mindful of this limitation, however, commercial and recreational vessels of any size may carry EVDS in addition to pyrotechnic flares for use as locating devices particularly for the ‘final mile’.

Clearly where carriage is not mandatory, boaters are free to carry pyrotechnic if they wish and accept that disposal might well be an issue.

For those who choose not to, then an alerting device listed in COLREG such as EPIRB (ideally with GPS and a homing device) or VHF DSC set (correctly connected to the GPS) which is suitable for the intended area of operation together with some form of EVDS for location in the final mile may be a suitable combination.

International research

In the meantime, work has begun internationally to research the effectiveness of EVDS. The US Coastguard has commissioned a study which is supported by the MCA.

The aim is to work towards recognition of these devices. To do this, EVDS need to be accepted as fit for purpose by the International Maritime Organisation.

A change to Annex IV of the Collision Regulations will also be required to give EVDS full recognition as distress signals.

Stuart Carruthers, RYA Cruising Manager

RYA Training - What is it?

Elements Watersports runs RYA powerboat courses in New Zealand, here is some background on the great scheme that Pete has been involved with for 20 years. 

RYA Training celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2011 and over the years literally millions of people have participated in and benefited from the worlds leading collection of training schemes for a variety of boating activities.

Despite being very well established and well known we are still sometimes asked “what is RYA Training all about?”, so Richard Falk, RYA Training Manager challenged himself to try and answer that question (in about 1,000 words!)

Many years ago some clever boffin came up with the bright idea to arrange some structured, standardised training based around sailing dinghies. I will not begin to guess whose idea this may have been initially for risk of offending someone. Needless to say, this idea was a stroke of genius and RYA Training was born.

The training schemes revolve around a well thought through syllabus, delivered by RYA trained instructors and within the environment of an RYA recognised training centre. Annual inspections of training centres are carried out by the RYA to ensure that vessels meet the required standard and that safety management is effective and appropriate for the activities being undertaken. As a potential student, seeing the RYA recognised training centre logo should give you confidence that the training centre meets the high standards of the RYA and that you are safe in the hands of their instructors. 

Over the years the dinghy scheme has grown, initially through the support of clubs and military operations and eventually through commercial sailing businesses. Following on from the initial success in dinghies RYA training began to spread its wings and has since then developed training schemes covering: Sail Cruising, Motor Cruising, Power Boats, Windsurfing, Inland Waterways, Personal Watercraft, Shore based courses, ELearning, Super Yacht personal watercraft and keel boats.

With a network of more than 2,500 RYA recognised training centres in 46 countries, 25,000 RYA qualified instructors deliver training to almost 200,000 people per year. It is the most successful scheme of its type in the world.

The training is supported by a wide range of publications specifically designed to support individual courses across a wide range of schemes. Whether you are learning the basics of keeping a dinghy upright or the intricacies of meteorology there is an RYA publication to suit your needs. With more than 100 titles in hard copy and a range of digital publications growing by the week, it’s fair to say that we have something to cover just about any need you might have to read or learn about some aspect of boating.

It would be remiss of me to speak of RYA training without mentioning qualifications. All of our courses are designed to build the knowledge, skill and confidence of the student. At the end of the course (subject to satisfactory completion) the student will obtain a course completion certificate that indicates they have a) completed the course and b) met the required standard. There are varying levels of courses so regardless of whether you are venturing onto the water for the first time or looking to further develop your knowledge after years of experience there is something there for everyone.

More and more people are also choosing careers in the marine industry. Whether you’re aspiring to work on superyachts, get involved with the renewable energy sector or any one of a wide range of other industry sectors the RYA Yachtmaster certificate of competence is the ideal starting point. This qualification is a certificate of competence that is recognised both in the UK and in many foreign countries and is obtained after successful completion of a detailed and challenging practical and theory exam. Many people undertake this exam just for the personal satisfaction of knowing that they have achieved this envaiable standard of skill whilst others elect to do it to enable them to work in the industry.

Across all of our training schemes there are clear pathways for people to progress all the way from novice through to actually instructing within those schemes. Some people will undertake their instructor qualifications to enable them to volunteer at their local club to assist others to learn how to sail. Others will earn their instructor qualifications in order to be able to go and forge a career in some aspect of the boating industry. The opportunities are endless. 

We have worked hard over many years to build the name and reputation of RYA training and qualifications. As a result of this we now find that RYA boating qualifications are accepted in most parts of the world as credible evidence of someones boating competence. On the professional front RYA commercial qualifications are the qualifications of choice within the superyacht industry and are accepted in many countries across the globe.

Whether hiring a dinghy off a beach in the Caribbean, chartering a yacht on the Great barrier Reef or starting a career in Superyachts your RYA qualifications will come in handy.

Most importantly RYA training is fun! Our courses are designed to provide particiapnts with the opportunity to learn both practical skills and theory knowledge in an on water environment. As a result hundreds of thousands of people are introduced to boating in some form each year and they do so in a safe and supported way that we hope will encourage them to carry on an activity that most of us are addicted to.

To find out more about RYA Training visit http://www.rya.org.uk/coursestraining

And call Elements Watersports 0800 486 729  for how we can get you RYA trained in New Zealand.

5 Reasons your kid should sail (and nto just for kids!)

Learning how to sail helps kids develop confidence and coordination. Photo by Allen Clark / PhotoBoat.com

 

Vol. 1, No. 11

1. Self-Confidence.  There is simply nothing like being able to pilot your own craft at the age of 9 years old.  Riding a bike is one thing.  Skillfully steering and docking a sailboat is quite another.  All of my athletic endeavors helped to shape my sense of self as a kid, but sailing was without a doubt the most instrumental.   I have not only noticed this in myself; during my ten years as a sailing instructor, I have seen it again and again in my students.
2. Spatial awareness.  When kids learn how to navigate a boat through narrow spaces and tight turns—how to avoid collisions, coast to a dock with finesse, or squeeze into a packed starting line at a regatta—they develop a spatial awareness that will bring them prowess all activities that involve coordination.  Like driving, for instance.
3. Sense of direction.  When I was 10 years old, I would sail all week with my class, and then go out on weekends by myself.  I would pack a lunch and take my Optimist out for a couple of hours to explore.  I believe that it was on those trips that I began to develop a good sense of direction.  Noticing which direction I had come from, picking out landmarks, and knowing how to get back became a regular part of my stream of consciousness.  That awareness is crucial to having a sense of direction.
4. Weather knowledge.  Do you know from which direction thunder storms normally come?  Do you know what the water temperature normally is on Long Island Sound in May?  If your child is a sailor, he or she will know.   Weather knowledge will come in handy both on-the-water and on land.
5. Shipshape habits.  Sailing students learn how to properly rig and unrig a boat.  Kids learn to put things away in the right place, and keep them tidy while on the water.  That’s a skill no mom or dad can argue with.  Longshore Sailing School even has a shipshape award for every class to encourage the behavior.   

So if your kids haven’t tried sailing, have them give it a try. 

-DC

How to Patch a RIB tube

This is so worth doing properly to avoiding constant pumping every time you use your boat.

http://youtu.be/OncFphHZ6oM

Life Jackets on all boats under 6m

This is to advise – in case you haven’t already heard – that Waikato Regional Council adopted their new navigation safety bylaw yesterday.

The key change is that it is now compulsory to wear a PFD (lifejacket) in vessels 6 metres or less while underway, in the Waikato Region.

The area covered by Waikato Regional Council includes all of the Coromandel Peninsula and the Mercury Islands, Slipper Island etc.  This means, amongst other things, that whenever you go ashore in your dinghy, in this area, you will need to be WEARING (not just carrying) a lifejacket.

For any more information, please contact the Waikato Regional Council’s Navigation Safety team on 0800 800 401.