Few people purposely plan a boating excursion amid a storm or when under the threat of severe weather due to safety reasons and potential boat damage. However, weather can be a fickle thing, and many can get caught unexpectedly in situations they aren’t prepared for. Weather conditions, such as hurricanes, can impact your boat while it is docked at the marina or while stowed out of the water. Your storm plan for avoiding damage needs to encompass all possible risks.
How To Address Your Risks
Owning and operating a boat comes with many risks, but comprehensive CA Yacht insurance is the starting point in addressing them all. Yachts aren’t your typical boating vessel, as the standard classification includes lengths between 27 and 30 feet long. This allows them to sail farther than the average pleasure or hobby vessels and opens up the crew and passengers to more significant risks.
Hull damage is a primary concern for yacht owners, but an insurance policy addresses the repair or replacement at an agreed-upon amount. This is determined when the policy is first underwritten and paid out in full if the damage causes a total loss. Partial loss situations could include replacement coverage at a depreciation for the following:
- Canvas
- Sails
- Outboards
- Batteries
- Outdrives
Yacht owners also need to be protected from general liabilities and the exposures encountered through the Jones Act and Longshore and Harbor workers’ coverage. A protection and indemnity insurance policy can address these risks.
How To Prepare a Ship for a Storm
In addition to having financial protection for your ship, you need a physical storm plan for a vessel. This plan should include considerations for how and where the boat is stored, where you may be in the event of severe weather, insurance requirements for risk management and how any of the nearby boats or the marina are prepared for a storm. Once these factors are included in your plan, these are some things you can do on your own yacht to reduce the risk of severe damage.
- Strip off anything that is many of canvas or fabric. This includes awnings, biminis, roller-furled jobs, and mainsails. High winds can exploit the smallest weak spots in fabric and destroy the entire structure and frame.
- Remove anything that is not screwed down. Strong winds will pull at fishing rods, pennants, life-rings, grills, flags, cushions, and more.
- Evaluate your mooring before the storm and double or triple attachment points using through-bolted fittings. Tie off to heavy landside objects like trees or pilings for extra hold.
- Remember to allow storm surge and pull on all spring, stern, and bowlines. Engage nearby boat owners at the mooring to work together to keep boats protected from each other.
Thorough preparation significantly reduces the risk of damage to your yacht. Should you still experience damage, reach out to your insurance company to assist with repair or replacement.
About Mariners Insurance
Mariners General Insurance Group was founded in 1959 to protect boat owners and marine business clients. We are marine insurance experts and insure boats worldwide – in every ocean on the planet. Marine insurance is critical if you own a boat or nautical business. Trust the professionals with all of your Boat Insurance needs – trust Mariners Insurance. Call us at (888) 402-5018 any time you have questions or concerns about insurance for your vessel or marine business.
