Red boards and boat insurance

Lazy Days

Lazy Days

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I have been told by three people in the past two days that navigating on reds invalidates one's boat insurance however I'm sure that this is not the case. I can't find anything in my policy documents to support either view and google produces divided results too.

Anyone have a definitive answer?

Cheers,
 
Lazy Days said:
I have been told by three people in the past two days that navigating on reds invalidates one's boat insurance however I'm sure that this is not the case. I can't find anything in my policy documents to support either view and google produces divided results too.

Anyone have a definitive answer?

Cheers,
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Only from an ex-broker we know and he said it was an old wives tail. That was 5 or more years ago though and things "may" have changed since H&S became more of an excuse for not doing anything.
 
As with all of these things I think one should read their policy documents. I don't see any reason for an outright ban however if you are deemed to have acted negligently the insurers could always challenge you. That I assume would depend on the conditions, boat etc and why damage occurred.
 
If you go through a lock on a red board I thought the lock keeper would automatically give you a red strong stream card advising you to tie up and don't move because they say its not safe. Say you carry on and have a accident and your insurance found you had been advised not to move how dose that work . I don't have a clue to the answer just wondered how it works.
 
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A couple of years back I was stuck at Temple Marina, waiting to move my boat down to Bray. The river was red boarded in sections, but I and other boat owners were coming under increasing pressure from the marina owner to move out regardless, as our annual term was up and we had elected not to renew our mooring contract (hmmnn, I digress!)...

Anyway, red boards were beginning to be eplaced by yellows and it really did look like it was reasonable to move the boat now, and frankly we couldn't wait to get out of Temple and back to a more friendly environment at Bray (oops, I digress again!)...

So, back to the question raised by the OP. I called my Insurers to equire if I was indeed insured to go out on red boards. They said: yes. Because I had a policy which included tidal cover (actually a 30 day coastal/tidal allowance as I recall) then I was indeed covered to go out under red boards. Of course, usual caveats to apply about sensible and reckless etc, but basically I was covered because I had a policy that included tidal cover. They further commented that if I had a standard river-only policy, I would not have been covered.

Of course, things may have changed and insurers and their policies may vary, so I would definitely recommend you check your own policy conditions with your own insurer. Hope this helps, perhaps. :)

And as a footnote. Only one red board in operation for my short trip by the time I left. And as someone else recommended at the time, I rang the relevant lock keeper and asked his advice before leaving. Interestingly, he said: you should be alright, but if not sod Temple Marina and come and moor here if you like until the water flows recede! ;)
 
PS: yes, I did get one of those formal notices from the lock keeper about transiting on red boards. He wa actually most apologetic about it, but said it was policy and he had to give me the piece of paper. Nice chap! Actually, I so wish I kept it as a momento! :o
 
The pieces of paper are understandable but not tailored to individual boats. Hence , in themselves, they mean nothing. As always, the responsibility is on you as skipper. If you have a proper tidal-equipped and capable boat, then it may not at all be unreasonable to go out under reds. If you have a small single engined river launch, it may not be.

Read your insurance and make your own decisions.
 
jecuk said:
The pieces of paper are understandable but not tailored to individual boats. Hence , in themselves, they mean nothing. As always, the responsibility is on you as skipper. If you have a proper tidal-equipped and capable boat, then it may not at all be unreasonable to go out under reds. If you have a small single engined river launch, it may not be.

Read your insurance and make your own decisions.
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and beware of others who may never have experienced such conditions
 
Saw a little Shetland yesterday with a Honda 15hp battling against the flow outside the lock , trying to get up the weirstream.

Decided better of it alongside the lock ( in the wide turning area ) and attempted a turn , only some full throttle shenanigans prevented them from broadsiding the pontoons opposite.

A few brown trousers on board i would suspect..

Soon as they had turned across the flow , they were away at an almost comical speed sideways.
 
watson1959 said:
So to go out for a run on the section along TVP in Reading to experience what handling is like in these conditions is not advised?

Or just with great caution?
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The reach is probably OK down to nearly the lock.
Coming out of T&K might be a challenge - you're unsighted - and you'd need a bit of welly to punch the stream let alone avoiding other boats doing silly things. Could be awkward picking up a mooring outside Tesco's.....
 
TrueBlue said:
The reach is probably OK down to nearly the lock.
Coming out of T&K might be a challenge - you're unsighted - and you'd need a bit of welly to punch the stream let alone avoiding other boats doing silly things. Could be awkward picking up a mooring outside Tesco's.....
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OK thanks. I think it's something I need to experience in the (relative) safety of a big wide open each like that. Run up to Reading Lock then back down a way....always worth trying to moor at Tescos as well .....we shall see.
 
watson1959 said:
OK thanks. I think it's something I need to experience in the (relative) safety of a big wide open each like that. Run up to Reading Lock then back down a way....always worth trying to moor at Tescos as well .....we shall see.
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I mentioned Tesco's (as a joke - refill with booze), but more practically because there are no bollards to lasso and you may be obliged to approach more slowly to merge into whatever space the "residents" have left.

Caversham ("Reading") is interesting as there can be quite an eddy on the layby which will tend to suck you out when you slow to pick up a bollard.

I'm talking for my experience, being long, heavy and no bow thrusters make me more aware of what the stream is doing.

(My Management is very good at making up for the lack of a BT - can (often) lasso a bollard after I've lost it!
 
TrueBlue said:
I mentioned Tesco's (as a joke - refill with booze), but more practically because there are no bollards to lasso and you may be obliged to approach more slowly to merge into whatever space the "residents" have left.

Caversham ("Reading") is interesting as there can be quite an eddy on the layby which will tend to suck you out when you slow to pick up a bollard.

I'm talking for my experience, being long, heavy and no bow thrusters make me more aware of what the stream is doing.

(My Management is very good at making up for the lack of a BT - can (often) lasso a bollard after I've lost it!
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Useful info...thanks TB.
 
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