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insurance for lifting

juragirl

By juragirl
in General Boating

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juragirl Engager

juragirl

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Good afternoon everyone. Regular "lurker" on here now the proud (first time) owner of a wee narrowboat. She is being lifted for blacking etc in February (30ft). Our insurance policy does not cover any damage caused during lifting and the marina will only cover damage caused by their negligence. Can you buy a one off policy just in case something awful happens and if so where? How do you good people cover your boats when they are lifted? All advice welcome and thank you!

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TheBiscuits Veteran II

TheBiscuits

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By definition if something goes badly wrong during the lift it is the liability of the crane operator/marina.

 

That's why they have to have liability insurance.  The other thing is that they do it all the time and they don't drop that many of them!

 

Don't worry about it, and watch a video to calm your nerves. :giggles:

 

 

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TheBiscuits Veteran II

TheBiscuits

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Just now, Mad Harold said:

The yard's insurance appears to cover damage caused by their negligence.the worst case is if they drop your boat if the sling breaks.

However,I have read of a case of an old rusty Springer cracking the hull on liftout.

I have heard of one or two boats - not all Springers - distorting on sling lift, but all the crane drivers I know all think it is down to operator error.  If a boat is lifted in the wrong places it could happen, but unless the boat is completely scrap it won't snap.  With a 30ft boat lifted on two 14" straps @juragirl will be fine - it's nearly sat in a hammock at that point.  They will sling it inline with the aft bulkhead and just back from the forward bulkhead, and it won't even flex as it clears the water.

 

Video it @juragirl if you will be present for the lift - it looks really cool.  If you are genuinely worried, go and watch a couple of lifts at the yard before yours comes out.

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juragirl Engager

juragirl

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Well I have to say TheBiscuits that was a lot more comforting than the video!!! Seriously thank you very much for the reassurance and the advice. It is much appreciated. It is being done at a boatyard and they do them all the time so hopefully all will be well! Thank you again for your help. I do intend to be there of course! 

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Mac of Cygnet Veteran II

Mac of CygnetDonate to Canal World

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10 hours ago, TheBiscuits said:

I have heard of one or two boats - not all Springers - distorting on sling lift, but all the crane drivers I know all think it is down to operator error.  If a boat is lifted in the wrong places it could happen, but unless the boat is completely scrap it won't snap.  With a 30ft boat lifted on two 14" straps @juragirl will be fine - it's nearly sat in a hammock at that point.  They will sling it inline with the aft bulkhead and just back from the forward bulkhead, and it won't even flex as it clears the water.

 

Video it @juragirl if you will be present for the lift - it looks really cool.  If you are genuinely worried, go and watch a couple of lifts at the yard before yours comes out.

 

Straps?  When the boat in the air came within 10ft of mine in the foreground I backed away a bit.  Cygnet is now back in the water.  I never thought about extra insurance.

Flying Boat.jpg

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Naughty Cal Veteran II

Naughty Cal

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Have only ever had ours lifted once every other time it has been out has been by trailer. Must admit to finding it a somewhat nerve wracking experience having the boat dangling 30ft in the air in slings (not helped by us arriving at the marina at low tide!). Not something I am overly keen to do again in a hurry. We didn't take out any extra insurance for the lift but we did check that our insurers were happy with us getting the boat lifted and launched.

 

20170706-153339.jpg

 

20170706-153413.jpg

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Slim Influencer

Slim

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I'm an evil bu**er sometimes :angry::angry:

When my bare shell was delivered by the builder to the yard in 1996 I was a narrowboat innocent. All my previous experience was off -shore with lifts by travel-hoist. Consequently I left the arrangements to the yard. Unable to get their normal contractor they arranged for it to be lifted by a national crane company. On the day the lift started using slings. A slight lurch followed by a strop sliding resulted in one strop being half sliced through by the bottom plate. Fortunately a sharp eyed bystander noticed it, shouted a warning and the crane operator dropped the boat back on the trailer bed. After several phone calls a set of heavy chains were sent from Guildford to Heathrow from where another driver took them to Harefield. About 5 -6 hours late the boat was dropped into the water. Can't be too sure if spreaders were used or not. Had been assured by the yard insurance was in place but never had to pursue the matter.

Several of us went straight to the pub across the road for a swift pint. :clapping::clapping:

Edited by Slim
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Phil Ambrose Veteran II

Phil Ambrose

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My only experience of accidents when cleaning boats was with a yacht . It was on oil drums at Broomes yard and myself and an oppo were compounding and polishing in readiness for a trip to the Med. All day the skipper was up and down the ladder loading provisions aboard (slabs of tinnies) and come lunchtime having sampled the said slabs he and his mate went to the pub for lunch. He told us to help ourselves to a drink. We removed the washboards and entered the cabin to find every spare space full of booze.

We finished the polishing and the crane prepared for the lift.

The yard wanted him to drop the mast as the stays were in the way but in his pissed state he decided to remove only the stays which were in the way and left the forestays attached, he was going sit in the cockpit and hold a rope attached to the mast to steady it.

So strops on and the lift had barely started when we could all see the mast starting it's journey south, the skipper drunk as he was redoubled his efforts to hold it upright but the mast had other ideas. To his credit he hung on and was launched out of the cockpit and landed on the forepeak.

The mast came down with a hell of a thump and promptly bent at the bows, needed a new one (Ali )

Reckon the skipper learnt a thing or two that day 

Phil

Edited by Phil Ambrose
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Naughty Cal Veteran II

Naughty Cal

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2 hours ago, juragirl said:

Thank you for a great story Phil - though it did little to calm my nerves I will certainly try to remain sober for the lift....

Oh i dont know. i think a little drink might have helped my nerves when NC was in the slings. Unfortunately all of the booze was in the slings with her :blink:

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MartinC Collaborator

MartinC

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On 23/01/2019 at 12:22, juragirl said:

 

Our insurance policy does not cover any damage caused during lifting

A bit unusual to find this exclusion on a narrowboat policy, but there is always a first time. Craftinsure and many others include lifting on their policy.

 

 

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IanD Veteran II

IanDDonate to Canal World

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Not a boat, but we had a big piece of test equipment lifted onto the first floor balcony a few years ago which needed two cranes to get it in (it was in two parts linked by an umbilical with several thousand cables). The crane company only had 500k worth of insurance which wasn't enough, the tester cost over a million and we'd have had to wait several months for a replacement if they dropped it. Cost us 20k to insure it for the few minutes it was in the air, getting on for a hundred quid per second...

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blackrose Veteran II

blackrose

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A yard very nearly dropped my previous boat about 20 years ago and I heard it rumoured afterwards that it wasn't the yard's crane and the cowboys who operated it weren't insured, so it's best to check. You could also ask your insurers how much extra it would cost to cover the lift out and back in for ultimate peace of mind. 

Edited by blackrose
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Naughty Cal Veteran II

Naughty Cal

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On 26/01/2019 at 12:47, juragirl said:

Thank you all for the great stories about your experiences and the advice. I asked the insurer (insure4boats) and they said it was not covered and they do not do a one off insurance. 

Find a different insurance company!

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Alan de Enfield Veteran II

Alan de Enfield

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1 minute ago, juragirl said:

I probably will when the cover runs out! Just another part of the steep learning curve. Saw the one I am with recommended by boaters so went with it - you live and learn!

I have never seen a recommendation for Insure4boats.

 

The seemingly most used by NB's is "CraftInsure" which is the one normally recommended.

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