Interesting insurance clause...

[LadyInBed]

45 days is a long time to neglect any boat afloat.
On a mooring it's a very long time.

Tell me about it!
Mine is on a fore and aft mooring on a river, I've not able to get to it in lockdown. My only consolation is that it's been ok for the last 20 years! I know, that's like the man falling off a tall building - so far, so good. ?

 

[TernVI]

Tell me about it!
Mine is on a fore and aft mooring on a river, I've not able to get to it in lockdown. My only consolation is that it's been ok for the last 20 years! I know, that's like the man falling off a tall building - so far, so good. ?

But this lockdown has not exactly come out of the blue has it?
Don't you think you should have either got the boat somewhere secure or made arrangements to have someone else keep an eye on it?
I'm slightly in a similar position, I have a racing dinghy in club yard which is further away than I choose to travel at the moment. But at least I brought the most valuable bits home, so the amount at risk is pretty trivial, and I'm happy to take the knock if it gets damaged due to my neglect. There will be people more local to the club keeping a loose eye on things.

I believe a certain diver is doing a fair old trade checking and changing anodes, so at least some people are putting some thought into having their boats looked at. I think the current outlook suggests to me that an in-water anode change might be all the 'fitting out' worth planning for this winter???

 

[RupertW]

Well it’s been August 27th since we were last at the boat and no idea yet what month we can get to check it. The marina sent us a few pics after Storm Christoph and all looks good, but who knows.

 

[Solent Sailor]

Gardianage is obviously still going strong in my experience. We went to look at a boat on brokerage down in Lymington a couple of years back and there was a logbook on the saloon table showing the daily visits that the "gard" had done. This involved checking temperatures throughout the boat, checking all hatches, covers, even the engine checks. A thorough tick-box exercise every day. Surprising really, given it was a Sonata.

I jest, it was a 45ft mobo, and whilst no superyacht, clearly was someone's pride and joy. We didn't buy it because it was in strangely in poor order in some other respects (decks, general corrosion and other obvious problems) but the owner was clearly trying. What he was charged for this attention, I really don't know but clearly someone was making a tidy amount from it and presumably others in the haven.

My own experience shows that there is no substitute for checking a boat yourself. I found a fairly serious mains electrical short on my boat during the first lockdown which could have sunk not only my boat, but the ones on the other side of the pontoon and fore and aft of me. In the weeks preceding, several professional engineers had been on board and spotted nothing amiss, whereas I sensed something was wrong the moment I stepped into the cabin because the regular hum of the battery charger was off and the reverse polarity light was on. Knowing your own boat well is invaluable, and the reason why I will continue to check mine periodically. Thankfully, I don't live so far away.

 

[starfire]

I ask because its part of what I do for a living, where I am.
I take the responsibility seriously.

Over time I get to know the boat as well as, if not better than the owner. The marina keep an eye out, but that tends to be a drive by.

Some people prefer to not pay, leave the boat for 6 months or so, then complain when things don't work.

I it compare to leaving your car at an airport for 6 months, then wondering why it won't start & the battery is flat, a boat is a lot more complicated than a car.

I tend to catch things early, before there is subsequent damage & its gets really expensive.

March is normally looney season for me, with people arriving after a long winter & discovering their pride & joy is not just ready to go. 'It was alright when I left it in October!'

Whereas my clients can just start & go

 

[colind3782]

I ask because its part of what I do for a living, where I am.
I take the responsibility seriously.

Over time I get to know the boat as well as, if not better than the owner. The marina keep an eye out, but that tends to be a drive by.

Some people prefer to not pay, leave the boat for 6 months or so, then complain when things don't work.

I it compare to leaving your car at an airport for 6 months, then wondering why it won't start & the battery is flat, a boat is a lot more complicated than a car.

I tend to catch things early, before there is subsequent damage & its gets really expensive.

March is normally looney season for me, with people arriving after a long winter & discovering their pride & joy is not just ready to go. 'It was alright when I left it in October!'

Whereas my clients can just start & go

What would a going rate be? I am toying with the idea of asking a friend who lives in Empuriabrava to go to the boat periodically, look over it and charge the batteries. He would do it for free but I would like to pay him as he's out of work with the lockdown and I can afford it. PM me if you like.