Insurance claims in the event of sinking

[LadyG]

55 minutes ago, john.k said:

In general ,you are covered for your  negligence,it is your  wilful misconduct that is excluded.

I understood that it is the policy holders responsibility to act in a responsible way. Including maintenance.

I find it's very difficult to read these policies and to decide which is offering the best deal, or indeed what exactly would be covered.

If you recall my insurance claim, that was due to negligence by the former owner, not something that could have been identified by survey. Most sensible people would pay an experience welder to do a tricky job, not borrow a  portable welding kit to tack weld a rudder stock, but there is no end to stupidity.

Edited August 29, 2023 by LadyG

[john.k]

Possibly 50 % of car crashes involve negligence ,and insurers pay out on them without question.

[LadyG]

1 minute ago, john.k said:

Possibly 50 % of car crashes involve negligence ,and insurers pay out on them without question.

Of course most cars insurance is underwritten at Lloyds, so essentially they don't go to court, it's just a sort of bump for bump. Both parties will probably be recorded as having had an incident.

[Alan de Enfield]

10 minutes ago, LadyG said:

Of course most cars insurance is underwritten at Lloyds,

 

Where do you think that boat insurance is underwritten ?

[MtB]

2 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Where do you think that boat insurance is underwritten ?

 

Or why it makes any difference where the underwriting is done! 

 

 

[Tracy D'arth]

Having read this thread I realised that I had not read my Craftinsure policy document since I declared the increased boat value 3 years ago.

It clearly says that they will pay the agreed price (which is more than twice what I paid for the boat)  in the event of a total loss or  constructional total loss or replace the boat with one of similar age, size, type and condition.

 

I can sleep easier now.

 

Perhaps the OP should read his document?

[wandering]

14 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Having read this thread I realised that I had not read my Craftinsure policy document since I declared the increased boat value 3 years ago.

It clearly says that they will pay the agreed price (which is more than twice what I paid for the boat)  in the event of a total loss or  constructional total loss or replace the boat with one of similar age, size, type and condition.

 

I can sleep easier now.

 

Perhaps the OP should read his document?

Mine says the same !

[Tracy D'arth]

13 minutes ago, wandering said:

Mine says the same !

Bingo!  That is very reassuring, for me; and for you I suspect.

It also says that I retain the salvage, excellent!

Edited August 29, 2023 by Tracy D'arth

[MtB]

2 hours ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Bingo!  That is very reassuring, for me; and for you I suspect.

It also says that I retain the salvage, excellent!

 

That's a double-edged sword. What if the policyholder doesn't want it?

 

 

[Iain_S]

3 hours ago, john.k said:

Possibly 50 % of car crashes involve negligence ,and insurers pay out on them without question.

I'd put that percentage a LOT higher!

[Alan de Enfield]

2 hours ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Bingo!  That is very reassuring, for me; and for you I suspect.

It also says that I retain the salvage, excellent!

 

I would doubt that they will give you full market / insured value and then give you back £10k ( ? ) worth of scrap, engine fitting etc etc.

[Ken X]

The present Mrs X was able to retain her classic car when it was written off but had the scrap value deducted from the payout. 

Due to the damage she had to declare that it was not going to be returned to the road but stripped for parts but this is not relevant in this case. 

It was an extra clause on her insurance that she retained the option to buy the vehicle back in the event of a write off.

[ditchcrawler]

8 hours ago, Lily Rose said:

 

 

My weed hatch is not easy to get at, requiring crawling under the deck of my trad stern, so tends not to get much attention. In 8 years I've never needed to use it to clear the prop. However, when the boat is blacked (not DIY) every 2 years the weed hatch gets blacked as well and the tape is replaced with new. This was last done 14 months ago.

 

In light of this thread I checked it a few days ago and found the screw-down thingy could easily be tightened by almost a quarter of a turn by hand. I suppose it could have been left slightly loose but I also suppose it could have been due to 14 months of vibration. There was no sign of water penetration.

 

I'll be checking it regularly now, probably each time I turn the stern gland greaser which is located quite nearby.

 

I expect the gasket material has compressed, Mine does when new but once a tew months old is always dead tight

[magnetman]

Blue foam camping mat is good because it squeezes down and seals and you can cut a single piece the right size with a knife so there are no gaps. 

 

I'm not convinced adhesive is of any benefit but I suppose if it is really clean and you get a good bond is would be worth it on one side. 

 

I don't like weed hatches. Had a flooded engine bay on my first narrow boat because of weed hatch problems. Best thing with a weed hatch would be to close it tight on a good seal and leave it or have it redesigned to come up to deck level. 

 

Its a basic weakness otherwise and over time vulnerable to inaccessible corrosion. 

 

Most prop fouls can be cleared from beside the boat with a decent boathook. 

 

 

 

Edited August 29, 2023 by magnetman

[Alan de Enfield]

Just now, magnetman said:

Best thing with a weed hatch would be to close it and leave it or have it redesigned to come up to deck level. 

 

 

But then you'd need arms like an Orangutan to reach down to the prop.

[rusty69]

2 minutes ago, magnetman said:

Blue foam camping mat is good because it squeezes down and seals and you can cut a single piece the right size with a knife so there are no gaps. 

 

I'm not convinced adhesive is of any benefit but I suppose if it is really clean and you get a good bond is would be worth it on one side. 

 

I don't like weed hatches. Had a flooded engine bay on my first narrow boat because of weed hatch problems. Best thing with a weed hatch would be to close it tight on a good seal and leave it or have it redesigned to come up to deck level. 

 

Its a basic weakness otherwise and over time vulnerable to inaccessible corrosion. 

 

Most prop fouls can be cleared from beside the boat with a decent boathook. 

 

 

 

Ours is now nearly at deck level now the surveyor recommended it. Totally unusable. I have arms like an orangutan, but keep bashing my head.

 

I cut up Mrs R's yoga mat to make a weed hatch gasket earlier this year.I'm not sure she was that impressed when she went to do her yoga and there was a bit missing.

[IanD]

1 minute ago, magnetman said:

Blue foam camping mat is good because it squeezes down and seals and you can cut a single piece the right size with a knife so there are no gaps. 

 

I'm not convinced adhesive is of any benefit but I suppose it it is really clean and you get a good bond is would be worth it on one side. 

 

I don't like weed hatches. Had a flooded engine bay on my first narrow boat because of weed hatch problems. Best thing with a weed hatch would be to close it tight on a good seal and leave it or have it redesigned to come up to deck level. 

 

Its a basic weakness otherwise and over time vulnerable to inaccessible corrosion. 

 

Most prop fouls can be cleared from beside the boat with a decent boathook. 

 

 

The weed hatches on Tim Tyler hulls (like mine) are a "chute" which comes up to deck level, so no chance of a leak. Access is much easier in one way because you can just lie down flat on the deck instead of contorting yourself down a hatch and under the stern deck in the engine space, on the other hand it's a *long* way down to the prop. Swings and roundabouts as usual... 😉

[GUMPY]

13 minutes ago, magnetman said:

Best thing with a weed hatch would be to close it and leave it or have it redesigned to come up to deck level. 

Loddon is like this, I carried a sharpened patio weeding tool like This 

Meant I could reach the prop boss with ease.

[MtB]

40 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

I expect the gasket material has compressed, Mine does when new but once a tew months old is always dead tight

 

Given the OP only had occasion to look at the weed hatch once he realised the boat was well on the way to sinking, I suspect the seals were under water at this point and seeing the water entering possibly lead him to jump to the conclusion this was the cause. I have my doubts, and suspect there could easily have been some other reason for the sinking. 

 

Is the boat engine raw water cooled? 

 

 

 

[Alan de Enfield]

22 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

I have arms like an orangutan

 

 

I noticed that, but thought they were your canoe paddles, you really do have arms that reach the ground !

[magnetman]

I prefer not to have my hands around an unknown object in cold dirty water. 

 

Boathook with a spike works from above.

Weeding tool is a good idea 

 

Slasher might work and is a good self defence tool. 

[rusty69]

Just now, magnetman said:

I prefer not to have my hands around an unknown object in cold dirty water. 

You'd better not fall asleep in the bath then.

[magnetman]

 

The other one is a shunters pole. Twist it in and pull.

1 minute ago, rusty69 said:

You'd better not fall asleep in the bath then.

I do not bathe. I did once fall asleep in t'bath many yars ago and it scared the word removed out of me . gob full of water. 

Edited August 29, 2023 by magnetman
Typo

[Alway Swilby]

On 29/08/2023 at 17:45, IanD said:

 

The weed hatches on Tim Tyler hulls (like mine) are a "chute" which comes up to deck level, so no chance of a leak. Access is much easier in one way because you can just lie down flat on the deck instead of contorting yourself down a hatch and under the stern deck in the engine space, on the other hand it's a *long* way down to the prop. Swings and roundabouts as usual... 😉

Our boat is also a Tyler Wilson shell (and fitted out by Finesse as it happens) and has the chute arrangement. I like it a lot, it's not difficult to reach the prop whilst lying on the deck. We have a propmate ( https://www.miracleleisureproducts.co.uk/prop-mate-c9.html ) which means you often don't need to get your hand wet. The chute arrangement means that I often don't bother to tighten up the weed hatch at all.

[IanD]

8 minutes ago, Alway Swilby said:

Our boat is also a Tyler Wilson shell (and fitted out by Finesse as it happens) and has the chute arrangement. I like it a lot, it's not difficult to reach the prop whilst lying on the deck. We have a propmate ( https://www.miracleleisureproducts.co.uk/prop-mate-c9.html ) which means you often don't need to get your hand wet. The chute arrangement means that I often don't bother to tighten up the weed hatch at all.

I was thinking of getting a Propmate too, it looks better suited to the job than other suggestions like patio weeders since you can get a much better grip on the handle to turn it and pull things off the prop as well as just pulling/cutting.

 

Anyone else have feedback on them, positive or negative?