FAQ

Your most frequently asked questions… answered.

Editor’s notes (2019)

The FAQ and discussion below has been mildly edited to eliminate typos, make it clearer who the authors are and which boats they themselves have (by hull number and boat name if known). Wherever possible alternative (i.e. current) references to products & suppliers are provided.

The bulk of this FAQ was originally generated as a Q&A in the period 2005 – 2015. In this period Lester Helmus acted as a clearing house for questions and responses, but some respondents would also write direct to each other, hence some of the overlapping answers you see in the FAQ. In places there are 2019 and subsequent comments, drawing either on my own experiences, or from other Corbin 39 owners and sources, including our Corbin 39 Group on Facebook. More comments are most welcome and this FAQ will inevitably grow.

We have attempted to contact all contributors to the 2015 version of the FAQ. All responses have been most supportive, thank you. If you are a contributor who has yet to respond please contact us.

As will be apparent there are multiple viewpoints on some topics. Sometimes, but not always, this can be traced to differences in arrangement between the boats of the various authors. Some of the topics raised are not so much a Q&A, as simply being a statement of why a particular owner thought something was a good idea, which of course it may not have been at all. Make your own mind up.

If you have further comments or suggestions on any of these questions, or wish to pose new questions, or describe various issues you have faced and/or overcome, then please contact us either via the Facebook Group or via the Website.

[Remark as of November 2019: Quite a lot of the links to drawings & photos are not yet reinstated due to workload. However I also know quite a few of the relevant images have gone astray. You may find the relevant photos in the individual boat’s entry. Please email us if you have any of the missing photos, drawings, etc.]

FINANCE and MONEY

Last Aug. while at anchor at our Benjamin Islands in the North Channel we experienced one heck of a storm. It blew 65 kts + through the anchorage. Fortunately, we all, that monitored the VHF had time to prepare and we held our own on our 65 lb. CQR and all 3/8 chain. During the height of this Biblical thing, several boats got loose, and in the process picked up the rodes of other boats. So, we had a number of these guys just drifting around. I fended off 2 Albergs ( one of them twice ); however another boat, a Catalina 38 named Voila of WI registry, got me !. I just could not get my hands on him to hold him off us. His anchor roller made a long deep gouge on the starboard bow of our boat just barely missing the forward window. I met this person again a few days later, turns out he only had a 10 kg Bruce anchor with virtually no chain on the nylon rode. Long and short of it Lester, I may have to eat this thing. Although the guy does NOT dispute the incident, he refuses to pay for ANY of the damage ( 3500.00 ), his insurance. Co. says that because it was a storm, they do not deem him to be negligent and are not compelled to cover any damages either. As of now, since the legal opinion here is that a sailor is just as negligent in bad as in fair weather, I have filed in the Small Claims Court in that jurisdiction and we will see what happens. The purpose of all this is as point of info to others, that the Boat Insurance Industry is very convoluted, one enters the land of denial, procrastination and obfuscation, also, if you get your own insurance. Co. involved in any way, even to seek assistance, ” it’s a claim against you. ” IT IS TOTALLY UN-LIKE the auto Insce., where there is No Fault. YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN Opinion: If that happens to you, don’t leave the scene, settle it on the spot, you are on your own, insurance. wise, as I don’t think that there is any honour among sailors / boaters. I am of the opinion now !! that a boat insurance is only for LIABILITY and in event of TOTAL LOSS, the collision part of it seems worthless as you ( to make it affordable ) have to carry Hi Deductible and in any event, after 1 or 2 claims, you are no longer deemed insurable. EVERYONE that I have spoken to about my issue, was NOT aware of the ” you are on your own ” position, as all thought that it would be similar or identical to auto insurance. Post it if you like, as everyone should re visit their boat insurance. policy, especially the small print, exclusions, more exclusions, etc. etc……….. rest assured that if one does read it all, one wonders what exactly are you covered for ???….. Back to LIABILITY and TOTAL Loss, and if anything that I have learned …… watch out for the other guy !! Best regards, Frank Bryant, s/v #186, Visitant ( 186 ) a. Frank– This is an blatant case, my opinion, of someone denying responsibility (the dragging boat and the insurance company). I am not sure where this incident happened, but if it occurred on the ocean or related navigable waters, you probably have an issue under admiralty law. A small claims court could well find in your favor, but just try to collect. I would suggest that you contact an admiralty attorney who can offer counsel and might very well get your claim paid, including all related costs (attorneys, etc.). Doug Archibald (S/V #158, CHAOS !!) b. Apart from pressuring your own insurance company (the policies may differ), I would file a lien against the title of the offending boat for the cost of repair. This should induce some action if the owner has any thought of resale. If there is no action, then I would move to force a sale to satisfy the lien. While this may not work in some jurisdictions, it is worth the effort if the amount in question is sizeable. Ronald Jacks (s/v Yankee)
Category: FINANCE and MONEY

I am looking for boat insurance for sailing offshore and into the southern Caribbean. Our current supplier will only cover us for the eastern US and the Bahamas. Would you pls. inquire with the membership about who they may be working with for a more extensive boat insurance package? Thanks for your help. David and Wendy Hibbard, Endorphin #195.

a. I was in a similar boat and was able to get insurance for the Caribbean and pacific from Blue Water Yacht Ins in Jupiter Florida. Also here is another potential insurer for David. They are used by a number of rally boats. Pantaenius Yacht Insurance, Contact Scott Stusek at sstusek@pantaenius.com or 914-217-7991. Note that the World Cruising Club requires you maintain third-party liability coverage and most foreign countries will allow entry only if you’re insured (as with most marinas). Check out Pantaenius, with whom many rally boats are insured, and whom Mia and I use for Arcturus. They’re world-class and offer the best rates & services we’ve yet encountered. Cheers, Willi Steinke (#050, Arcturus).

Category: FINANCE and MONEY