Seastart ?

[Nick2]

Being fairly mechanically incapable is an organisation such as Seastart (or at least one other similar company that I am aware of ) worth subscribing to which promises to bail me out of mechanical problems, fouled props etc ?

Has anyone had experience of such organisations please?

Nick

PS I am not banking on requiring this sort of assistance but I fall squarely into to cowardly boater camp........

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[jonnyflybridge]

I just carry a big tool box and a load of spares, and make sure that everythings serviced and checked over regular.

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[BrendanS]

Think of Seastart as AA/RAC for the seas.

If you have problems starting the boat on a mooring, they'll come and fix it (if it's fixable on spot, just like AA).

If you break down out at sea, they'll come and fix it on the spot, if it's fixable, and if not, they'll tow you somewhere (just like the AA)

For the price, it gives a great deal of peace of mind, and saves calling out the RNLI when what you've got is spark plug problem, busted belt or something equally trivial. Especially if you're out on your own, and don't have mates with you to give you a tow.

The caveat is, look at the map on their website. They cover pretty much the whole solent area. Outside that you need to look at the areas they cover, and decide where you are going to be cruising. e.g. They cover a whole bunch of south coast and french ports, which is great if you're broken down at mooring, but they only cover the sea areas around these ports within a 3 mile radius.

If you break down between one of these coverage areas, your either on your own, or will have to try and limp into a coverage area, or try and sweet talk them to coming out anyway if the weather is nice (no guarantees on the last one)

They have a great reputation with the people I know who are members. I'm a member though fortunately have never had to use them.

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[Solitaire]

I can't praise Seastart enough. I had a bad boating year in 2002 and they got me out of a lot of trouble. Membership gives great piece of mind. I notice from your personal file you have two young kids. Breaking down can be traumatic and you want to know that if something happens you can get quick response. As Brendan says, they are the AA of sea. If you are based in Hythe then they are on tap. Brendan's boat is still new (relatively!), but!!! And they also will come out and help you get rid of those lobster pots around your props!!

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[Nick2]

Thanks guys - Im gonna join !!

Nick

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[Guest]

Although they do not cover the eastern channel where I am based, I phoned the owner of sea start Nick a couple of years ago when I was having trouble with an outdrive and he kindly talked me through my problem which I was then able to solve,very very helpful people and if I were based in the Solent area I wouldn`t hesitate to join.

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[Happy1]

Does Seastart cover the BOAT or the PERSON? The reason I ask this is that I have been looking for something similar as seastart do not cover Chatham. MDL promote Marine Support Services who claim to cover all the UK mainland up to 3miles offshore. They charge about £130 for this but cover the applicant and one nominated skipper, so if you have a family that use the boat they may not all be covered. The RAC cover the person for whatever car they are in and the AA cover the car. The Marine Support cover is an odd mixture as they state they cover the applicant and the boat, but not the applicant on any other boat! Although they would not cover you on any other boat and only your own one, what is the sense in saying you are covered and not the boat?. I contacted them as I could not understand what the difference would be as to who was driving as I thought the boat would be covered, they said that any Tom Dick or Harry could drive it if they left it open, but what is odd is that they don't know if I am the Tom Dick or Harry as they do not ask for any confirmation of certification. The problem I have is that my 16yr old son, my wife, her father and myself are all trained and would use it, but only myself and one other could be covered, so will be expensive to cover everyone.

Best to ensure you read all the small print on these services terms and conditions /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

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[tcm]

It is not true that they can only cover one or two people driving the boat. For example, if you charter a sailing boat from fairview and many other places, the boat is covered, even whilst I am driving and not called tom nor dick nor harry. I personally don't think that they check anywhere near as tiough as one might think. Yoiu get a sticker, quote the number and that's that. The helm will just have to call themselves whatever you are called if it comes to it, or say that you are the skipper, but died at sea, and now after a quickie burial at sea they have taken over and would like to return to chatham before closing time, please. But I called them and quoted only the name of the charter company. I think that the sticker goes on the boat and that's that.

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[claymore]

Beyond the grave

If you were the skipper, and you died and were buried at sea...
How come you are calling sea start then?
Did I miss something here....here? Do I come here often?

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Claymore
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[tcm]

Re: Beyond the grave

I meant, you were the replacement skipper, having buried the original at sea.

Oh, and yes you do come here often. Last summer showing off about going to visit students "working" in the Alps. Let us know if any of them have managed placements nearer the med and we can show you some proper boating, with nice gin and tonics and a rubber of bridge at 30 knots.



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[claymore]

Re: Beyond the grave

AAhh!
I appear to have upset the Boss and at present it's not looking likely that I'll be making visits to anywhere other than Le Meridien in Widnes and the Hilton in Scunthorpe.
Dear Heart has decreed that if 2003 turns as inclement - by that I mean what she said was 'If it pisses down half as much as it did last year you can stick the boat, I'm off to the sun'
A rubber at 30 knots, you must have to hold them close and deal them low to do that

<hr width=100% size=1>regards
Claymore
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[Happy1]

tcm,

I am sorry but you are talking out of your bum hole. I spent 52 minutes on the telephone today with Janet Hoskins who is the operations manager at Marine Support Services, so don't come on here with all that nonsense. You may suggest people do things on the cheap and cheat people pretending to be a dead skipper, but I do it properly and can sleep at night. Now if you have confused my comments on Marine Support Services with Seastart which I know little about then that is your problem, you should read the message properly. But please only comment on what you KNOW is CORRECT on the forum.



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[claymore]

Well...

That's not a very nice way to speak is it? Talking out of his Bum Hole, cheating people - tut, tut.
Anyway, Laddie - when and if you get to the Firth of Lorne this summer you'll find out there's no safety net up there so best pack a spanner or two and get familiar with how it all works

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Claymore
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[BrendanS]

Seastart cover by boat. If you call for assistance they'll ask for your boat name and membership number.

I looked into several schemes when I joined, and liked seastarts plain english description of what they do, combined with clear transparent maps of areas they cover, and also their excellent reputation.

MSS's scheme was so full of legal jargon and options (like paying extra to cover you if prop fouled, or at mooring coverage, etc which hiked the price up considerably), I decided that while their service might be superb, anyone that needed to put that much rubbish in, was likely to try and use it to duck out.

Can't remember which scheme I looked at that took an other approach. You were covered for limited cost (capped payout per call out, capped payout per year) with no fixed prices for the call out, you never knew what you were covered for, and when you'd have to dig out cheque book to pay for the services you were being covered for.

Seastarts scheme won't suit all because of the limited coverage, but they are upfront and honest about what you're covered for (better than most schemes) and most of all I know they deliver because so many boaters I now sing their praised

Can't remember any posts from users of equivalent services posting about what wonderful service they've received?

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[Happy1]

Brendan,

That is the reason that I wanted to get all the jargon explained by MSS. I am out of the Seastart area so do not have much choice, it is interesting that Seastart cover by boat as that seems to be the common sense thing to do, but I only realised after some questions as to the limitations of MSS and the fact that it only covers two people, the applicant and a nominated skipper. As you say they operate different levels of assistance, I thought I may as well go for the national 3 mile limit, goodness knows where the tide could take me /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

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[tcm]

Hm. I often talk from my bumhole. Nonetheless, as an ex-member, and otherwise having only called on the services of Seastart from a charter boat, I do know that they do cover a boat, and not just a member. So they do cover "a boat". I also know I called them at 1am from outside Cherbourg. So I know they cover more than the Solent. Excuse the flippancy. Please don't accuse me of cheating them. I haven't.

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[Happy1]

tcm,

PLEASE READ my message properly, I AM NOT talking about Seastart, I can't get cover from them at Chatham, I am talking about Marine Support Services. Best you read the message again and help by clearing up the confusion here.

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[msimms]

"and the AA cover the car"

I think you'll find the AA is covers the person/partner/family rather than the car.

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[tcm]

In the solent area I'd join seastart, and did so. As with your fuel filters, this ensured I er never ever had to call them from my own boat in three years. Loads of positive vibes hereabouts over the years if you use a search. I also think that they have operatives who are very boaty, determined to get boats home regardless, hence the "maybe, if we can" cover for x-channel and so on. Most pop thing is of course a flat battery first thing saturday morning, and they are slick and quick (faster than the AA) at this, havving seen others callem in the hamble at 8 am and been going within 30 mins.

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[tcm]

ok ok. The thread, your messages and the first line this and of your earlier post mentions seastart.

You asked "does seastart cobver the person or the boat" and off I went.

No. i have no exp of your other orgainsation. Never seenem, and have no earthly idea how they would easily cover "uk 3 miles off", a bizarre area to cover, I think? They must do it by orgainsing tow-ins with locals. Not seen livered RIBs etc except Seastart. Apologies for the confusuion, tho nicks thread was bout seastart. Your worth separate thread?

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