Perfect day... then engine trouble - opinions please?

[BetweenBoats]

Thanks all for the useful comments.

Re the advice on fighting the insurance company, they do seem to be very petty. For example, I insisted both snapped and good shaft were pulled from the boat and inspected to ensure that the remaining shaft wasn't going to fail in the same way. They flat out refused to support me in that approach.

I've now paid for everything myself and boat is back in the water. With dive teams, new shaft, props refinished, rudders dismantled and reinstalled, shafts pulled and reinstalled, props remounted, lifts and relaunches, I've paid out just over £8k.I'm not made of money and run a small business to pay for my boatings. Ten years ago, I would have fought the insurance company tooth and nail on an issue like this. These days, I just don't have the energy or the ability to deal with the stress of such an argument. I will likely chalk it up to experience and try to get on with enjoying my boat. It's a really sad state of affairs and an indictment of our modern world - years ago, someone would stand behind their promise, but today, the first reaction is to be difficult. Disappointing.

 

[Don107]

I would consider changing insurance companies.

Firstly to show them that you are unhappy with the outcome of this episode and secondly because if you have a future problem where you may have to claim they might not accept responsibility

Regards Don

 

[JumbleDuck]

From what i can see it looks very much like a Low cycle fatigue fracture starting from a crack/sharp edge of the keyway at 6 o'clock.
Striations show how the crack has grown.... it's not a sudden bang crack

+1. Definitely looks like fatigue and not an impact.

 

[hector]

+1. Definitely looks like fatigue and not an impact.

I'd still chase them on the latent defect front, a fault In the manufacturing process, rather than fatigue.

 

[Blue Sunray]

I (for one) would really like to know the name of the insurance company as I would not want to us them (likewise it would be useful to know the ones mentioned in the thread that payed out).

 

[Dick Atcherley]

So sorry to hear about the problems; It does seem extraordinary that the insurers are shuffling sideways on their liability here, but depressingly plausible. They bank on a significant percentage of their punters not bothering to pursue them, so they always seem to try it on these days. Please do give us a clue as to who they are, so that we can vote with our feet, in order to discourage further squirrelly behaviour.

 

[hector]

So sorry to hear about the problems; It does seem extraordinary that the insurers are shuffling sideways on their liability here, but depressingly plausible. They bank on a significant percentage of their punters not bothering to pursue them, so they always seem to try it on these days. Please do give us a clue as to who they are, so that we can vote with our feet, in order to discourage further squirrelly behaviour.

In our case it was Yachtline........ Provided an efficient professional service, pleasure to deal with.

 

[Nick_H]

I'm no expert, but i believe some insurance policies have latent defect cover and some dont. i'd start by checking your policy for what it covers. If it is covered then the next question is whether the failure is a latent defect or wear and tear. If the other shaft has done the same hours, and you've had it scanned and it comes out fine, that seems to me to be a strong argument for latent defect.

I understand you dont want a long drawn out fight with ins co, but you could put these things to them in a letter and ask for their response. If you mention you've received advice on this forum you may get a better response.