Was that your boat? Oops, sorry mister!
We recently attended an event in which classic boats were displayed along a very popular river that flows into a larger body of water. It’s a favorite destination for summer tourists – and their rented boats – so navigation can be tricky, to say the least.
A larger fiberglass boat was berthed behind one of the classics on display. As the skipper of the fiberglass boat attempted to pull away from the dock, he was suddenly cut off by another vessel. When he tried to power away, his stern swung into the stern of the classic, and the impact split the second and third rear planks on the port side and caused damage to the rear corner frame, splash rail and chrome.
Of course, the skipper of the fiberglass boat felt sick about the accident. He took the time to locate the owner of the classic and was cooperative with police while they documented the damage. But the entire incident could have been avoided with heightened awareness of the other boats in the vicinity.
Since the planks needed to be replaced, the classic had to be stripped and refinished in order to return it to pre-loss condition. Of course, the owner’s Hagerty policy covered the repairs (less deductible), but the case isn’t closed. In situations like these, Hagerty will subrogate to recover the damages for the claim and also attempt to recover the deductible from the at-fault party so the policyholder can be reimbursed.
Whenever you’re trying to maneuver in congested waters, put your head on a swivel and anticipate trouble. If the other skippers are doing the same, everybody wins.
To find out more about Hagerty’s Classic Boat Insurance, click here.
