What I learned about Insurance

As most of you know from my previous posts we had a small accident on our way back to Nova Scotia this summer which resulted in us making a insurance claim.  This is some of the things I have learned from this experience.
1.  Get everything in writing from anyone that is involved in your claim.  This includes the insurance company, marine survyor,  claims adjustor and company doing the work.
2. As it has been pointed out to me, you are the captain of the boat and when it comes to getting the boat repaired you get to choose where that is done at.  Don't go with what the marine survyor recommends there maybe a conflict of interest there.
3. Just because your boat get hauled out at one port it doesn't mean they will put it back into the same spot.  Once the boat is sail able claims adjustor will only pay for shipping to the closest water.   So when get the boat repairs done choice the closest place to your home port encase there is delays getting your boat fixed.
4. My policy allowed for $5,000.00 in towing.
5. My policy allows for hotel, travel back to my home if stranded.
6. In our case there was a boat right behind us when the accident happened.  They offered to help us by pulling us off the shole.   In hind site this was not a good plan and may have caused more damage to our boat.   After an accident if everyone is safe and the boat is safe take a breath and survey your options. Don't rush into a solution before you look at all of your choices. Easy to say now!
7. Read your policy, Read your policy and from the start find out who is responsible for what if a accident happens.
8. Make sure after an accident you take your boat to somewhere safe and secure it.  Have someone watch it if you need to leave the boat for an amount of time.
9. Insurance company will not make partsual payments on a claim.   So when you are making arragments for repairs,  towing, mooring etc...you will be out of pocket for expenses until the claim is settled.
10. Remember that the marine suryver and claims adjuster are working for the insurance company.  They are looking to settle the claim at the lowest dollar amount,  not what is best or fair for you.
11. Since I never made a claim before I was not aware of what to do or how to do it.  I found the whole process very stressful and no one was helpful besides for the company that was doing the repairs.

As you can see I have learned a lot about this process the hard way.  I guess as they say you learn from your mistakes.  I have learned a lot about this whole process and what to look out for if it ever happens again.

The companies that we're involved in this claim were;
1. Broker was WCL Bauld - They were not very helpful at all.  But they did sell me a good policy.
2. Insurance company was RSA - claim was open fast and payment was fast once the claim was settled.
3. Marine Suryver was Fulcrum Marine Consultancy Ltd.  I would never work with this company again for many reasons.  If he is assigned to your claim ask for another company is all I can say.
4. Claim Ajuster - Blair Gautier - same as above would not deal with this person again.  Doesn't answer emails in a timely fashion.  Lost information and very hard to deal with.
5. Repairs done by Beddeck Marine.   They were great to deal with and did great work on my boat.  I would recommend this company.
6. Phil Foils - this is the company that made my new rudder.  A little slow in making the part but finished product was very we done.

I hope that some of this information will be helpful to someone alone the line.

Home at last

Happy Crew

Clean paint keel

RaeAnn watching for her baby to show up

Resealed and newly bedded keel

It is now late in October and our boat has just arrived home for Baddeck, NS.  She was there for over 12 weeks getting a new rudder, cutlass bearing, hole fixed and a few other little items.  We were planning on sailing her back to Halifax when she was completed but because of a few factors we were not able to do that.  This time of the year the weather is not so nice and also the lock as Saint Peters is closed after October 1st which meant we would have had to sail all the way around Cape Berton.

We hired Allpoints to move our boat back home.  The truck would pull our boat on a hydraulic trailer the last 369 km.  Everything went well for the trip home for her.  We plan on trying to launch our boat with trailer as well in the spring.

 

Middle of September

It's the middle of September and our boat is still out of the water.  Most of the repairs have been completed and things are moving along.   The biggest item on the list now is the rudder which was ordered 6 weeks ago.  We were up too see the boat on Saturday and things are looking good.

Still not sure when we will get the boat home.

A stop at Sandy Point

So picture this, the perfect morning to depart Port Hawksberry. The weather was clear and the sun was shinning.  When we departed the marina we thought that we would have the boat home is less than two days of sailing.  So there we were motoring down the Straits of Canso towards the Atlantic ocean.
An hour and a half later we found out that Sandy Point was not so sandy after all.  That's right we ended up hard aground on Sandy Point. Which is at the very end of the Straits of Canso.  So there we are stuck on the point.  But as luck would have it there was a fishing boat behind us which came to our assistance.  So at this point our boat seems to be fine, no water coming into the boat after a quick inspection.  The only problem is that we are stuck. As I was saying there is this nice couple on the fishing boat who offered to pull off of the point.  So they passed us a line and I attached it too our boat.  But when they pulled with their boat it caused our boat to rotated and we think that at this point the rudder came hard up again the point and bent the shaft of the rudder.
The fishing boat did manage to extract us from the point but now our rudder is hard over to port and the wheel will not move.  So the fishing boat towed us about 1/2 mile to Eddy's cove where there is a public wharf.
I went for a quick swim and I was able to see that the keel was marked up.  But the biggest problem was the fact that the rudder was all the way over to the port side and was pushed up again the bottom of the hull.  So we were unable to steer the boat.
Since we were on the outside face of the wharf in an unprotected part we didn't feel it would be safe there until we could get the boat looked at.  So we found a lobster fishermen who we paid to use his boat to tow us back to Port Hawksberry marina. This is were things went from bad to worst.  Because of the damage to the rudder the boat would not take a tow from the front.  So when the boat came along side of us to tow us from the side he came in to fast and punched a hole through the hull on the Starboard side.  The good news is that it is on a small hole, better news it was above the waterline.  Best news is that we made it back to the yacht club where we were able to secure the boat at a mooring.

So there we were stranded in Port Hawksberry.  Thanks to my best friend Piet who offered to come and get us bring us home.  So the boat was left at the mooring in Port Hawksberry for 11 days until we could have it haul to confirm the damage.

After talking with the insurance company and having a marine survey done on the boat it was decide to have the boat moved by land to Baddeck to have the repairs done. This is were she is sitting now on the hard.  The rudder has been removed and shipped to Quebec to have a new one made.  I now know that you can't straighten a bent one.  The whole in the side has already been repaired and the keel is being painted this week.  Hopefully the boat will be back in the water by middle of Sept.

So what I learned from this accident.
1. Check and double check all hazards and tracks;
2. After an accident stop for a moment before any actions are taken.  (things are never as bad as they could have been);
3. Electronic are great but they do fail. (mostly when they are needed the most);
4. Communications with a tow vessel must be very clear and understood.   

So now we wait until she goes back into the water so we can complete our sail home.  Good thing we have many friends with boats that have support us through this mess and that have taken us sailing to help us from not getting to sail this summer.

Booth Bay, Maine

Well since our boat is laid up in Bedeck we decide to take a trip down to Booth Bay, Maine to visit Andy and Judy on their boat and spend a few days visiting with them on their boat.
We drove down to the states from Halifax and it took us 10 hours to get there.  Andy and Dave were waiting for us when we arrived at the dock.  They wisp us away in there dingy's to their boat and we had a few drink and they told us all about their trip down from Nova Scotia to Maine.  So far everything is going as planned. 
We spend two days exploring the area and visiting with Andy, Judy, Zoie, Dave, Libby and Corrine. The their two boats were anchored in the habour outside on of the three marina's that were in the habour.  It was a great spot with lots of things to see within walking distance of the dock.   Andy and Judy are settling into the sailing life very well and enjoying themselves ever much.

What a way to start a day!

Dave and Libby

RaeAnn, Judy and Andy

Booth Bay

At Last at anchor

Booth Bay

Eisenhower Lock Video

A real time video of our transit through Eisenhower lock.

Situated along the St. Lawrence River and the border between the United States and Canada, Massena, New York is the gateway to “America’s Fourth Coast.” Eisenhower and Snell Locks in Massena, the only American-owned shipping locks on the St. Lawrence Seaway, were built in the late 1950's and are a vital link to the uppermost portion of the St. Lawrence River and the five Great Lakes which create the “Fourth Coast.” Each year, thousands of visitors climb to the observation deck at Eisenhower Lock to enjoy the view as ships pass by and to extend friendly greetings to crews from nations around the world.                
 

Just a mile away, the incredible force of the St. Lawrence River spins the giant turbines that generate millions of kilowatts of cheap and clean hydroelectricity each year at the New York Power Authority’s St. Lawrence-Franklin D. Roosevelt Power Project. Built at the same time as the Seaway, the Power Authority facilities also house a large visitors center with displays on the history and development of region and the giant hydro facilities. Massena is also home to major manufacturing plants at Alcoa, Reynolds Metals and General Motors Power Train. Friendly and accommodating merchants offer a large variety of shopping opportunities at the St. Lawrence Centre Mall, an adjoining strip mall, Wal-Mart and BJ’s Wholesale Club, the nearby Harte-Haven shopping plaza and a host of specialty shops throughout Massena’s downtown business district. 

 

http://www.megapixeltravel.com/2012/07/st-lawrence-seaway-eisenhower-lock-massena-ny/

 

Week Two on STV Tuna

Week two started slow.  All the cadets went to CFS last night so they ate breakfast late today.   So we go a slow start this morning.  The weather is foggy and no wind.  But we anchored off a waterfall in the Bay of Fundy for lunch so life is good.

Day two was a great day on the water.  We had a good wind all day.  We even had the spinnaker up for a good down wind run.

Day three was canceled because there so much foggy that all we could do with the cadets is jetty approaches all morning.

Day four was a great day in the water with the cadets.  That night we took part in the Weds night racing at the Digby yacht club.  We had a good start but after 2 hours the winds died so the race was called.

Day 5 was the last day for training for the cadets and Tuna.  We had alright winds and it was sunny so who can complain to much.  

Friday we stored the boat and departed Digby at 9:44 am.  We passed through Digby neck before the tides changed.  Bay of Funny reports 44 feet of tides in some places.   We motored sailed all night and arrived in Shelburne around 1 pm.   We took on fuel 66 liters and also enjoyed a nice hot shower and some good food.   We will leave here tomorrow early in the am for Chester. 

We motored into the wind from 5:30 am till 8:30 pm at which time we arrived in back habour of Chester.   It was a great day to finish off the trip.  The Tuna will be staying in Chester for a week to compeat in Chester race week.