Plea to save the Harwich Harbour Ferry

[CliveG]

Hi All ECF folk

I am sure you will be aware of the damage to the Ferry.
The owners Chris & Lucy Zemann have discovered that the damage is not fully covered by their insurance with a £20,000 short fall.
If you can could you help fill that gap by giving to.
the Go Fund Me page set up by Alex Sharrett

 

[Chae_73]

Donated. Hope to be able to use the ferry next year.

Appeal seems to be going well so hopefully they will be able to get back into service.

 

[sailorman]

Sent PM Clive

 

[Aquaboy]

Err sorry but maybe get another quote for the work!

 

[DavidofMersea]

Hi All ECF folk

I am sure you will be aware of the damage to the Ferry.
The owners Chris & Lucy Zemann have discovered that the damage is not fully covered by their insurance with a £20,000 short fall.
If you can could you help fill that gap by giving to.
the Go Fund Me page set up by Alex Sharrett

Why isn't the damage fully covered by their insurance with a £20,000 short fall. ?

 

[PeterBoater]

Why isn't the damage fully covered by their insurance with a £20,000 short fall. ?

And why didn't they move the boat before the weather arrived? The fact that the fishing boats and even the All Weather Lifeboat moved to shelter should have been a clue.

 

[Tradewinds]

And why didn't they move the boat before the weather arrived? The fact that the fishing boats and even the All Weather Lifeboat moved to shelter should have been a clue.

Maybe something cropped up and they just couldn't make the move. Sometimes sh!t happens and takes events out of your hands.

 

[pvb]

Why isn't the damage fully covered by their insurance with a £20,000 short fall. ?

Maybe their insurance had a £20K excess?

 

[pvb]

And why didn't they move the boat before the weather arrived? The fact that the fishing boats and even the All Weather Lifeboat moved to shelter should have been a clue.

I think they said that they went to move it but the conditions were too rough. The weather forecast had been pretty accurate though, so why they didn't move it earlier is a question.

 

[DavidofMersea]

Maybe their insurance had a £20K excess?

Pretty useless insurance if they did

 

[pvb]

Pretty useless insurance if they did

I'd agree, it would seem an excessively high figure.

 

[sailorman]

And why didn't they move the boat before the weather arrived? The fact that the fishing boats and even the All Weather Lifeboat moved to shelter should have been a clue.

We commented at home ( Webcam ) the pervious day, that it should be moved from the outside of the Pr

 

[LONG_KEELER]

Perhaps they only had third party cover and the ferry was not covered.

I'll be making a modest contribution. Running costs must be high and our weather fickle .

 

[DavidofMersea]

Perhaps they only had third party cover and the ferry was not covered.

I think that might be the case

 

[steved]

I presume the ferry was insured up to a certain value, and after loss adjuster survey the repair costs would have come in at a higher value, therefore the insurance company would have 'written the boat off'.

I'm sure that the repairs will include other items that will make the boat more user friendly in the future, which will be a good thing, and these other items may not have been possible to achieve (pay for) during the winter months considering the downturn in revenue during the summer due to the pandemic.

I tend to agree that the damage to the ferry was very much avoidable, but every cloud....

 

[sailorman]

I think that might be the case

In that case even more care needed in protecting their property, if they failed to take care of the boat, then sadly, its their problem.

 

[CliveG]

I fully agree with Sailorman on the duty of care but unless the ferry is fixed the valuable service they provide will be lost.

 

[sailorman]

I fully agree with Sailorman on the duty of care but unless the ferry is fixed the valuable service they provide will be lost.

Have they approached the local marinas , boatyards & business`s for possible help ?? i realise everybody is having a hard time at the moment but you never know

 

[steved]

Repairs are underway at Levington, most of the work will be done by the owner himself, and I believe some of the more serious engineering and glass fibre works will be subcontracted out. Ultimately the boat will have to pass the full scrutiny and survey of MCA which will ensure that she is sea worthy and fit for purpose. Whilst the engine was fully submerged for a few days, I believe it was salvageable and that they have had it running.
I've been on a few boats whilst the MCA survey has been going on, and 'thoroughness' is an understatement.

 

[pvb]

Perhaps they only had third party cover and the ferry was not covered.

I'll be making a modest contribution. Running costs must be high and our weather fickle .

The Harbour Ferry is effectively funded by the taxpayer, through grants from 6 town, district and county councils. In 2017, the grant was over £30,000. As a condition of the grants, the Harbour Ferry has to have "appropriate Marine Insurance", so I'd guess it would have had comprehensive cover.