Marine Insurance

[After Midnight 0]

Does your insurance specify that your mooring should be lifted and inspected at intervals no greater than 3 years?

Pretty impossible in Welly at this point in time!?

I've tried getting the insurance to remove the word "lifted" but they want something in writing from Council and I can't seem to get a response out of the Council!?

Anyone else have this problem or maybe an insurance that doesn't require this?

[Guest]

If it's a mooring administered by Greater Wellington Regional Council we could provide a letter advising that we don't require lifting, but do require an annual inspection by an approved commercial diver. Contact the Harbourmaster's office on 04 381 7760

[Guest]

One of the reasons for this is so that it can be inspected and swivels etc replaced with ease, but generally if you can have a diver inspect it and service it regularly then usually that would satisfy the insurer, The reason they usually insist on this is as you may know there are tons of vessels that do not do so and this causes many a problem in heavy weather

[After Midnight 0]

That's the answer I want "if only" unfortunately it's not a GWRC one.

I'm quite happy and agree with the need for inspections 3021, just don't want a legal clause in my policy that is a practical impossibility at this point in time.

[Guest]

As a 'general rule' but with some specific area differences, most Authorities want you mooring checked every 2 or 3 years. I don't know of any that allow longer than 3 years and most are moving towards 2 years.

 

Again as a general rule - most require the mooring lifted clear of the water during the inspection. This is due to many mooring having multiple weights and/or connections 'through' the weights. If it doesn't come clear of the water you can't check those. Generally those connections will last a few cycles quite easily but there is more and more 'freaky' type events happening around the place. By that I mean areas are suddenly getting accelerated wear or electrolysis where there has been bugger all before. Usually this can be tracked back to a boat leaking volts, mis-matched metals or just sh*t products used.

 

And a 3rd 'general rule' - The std fine print in the std mooring insurance specifically states things including -

 

Moorings will be checked every XX years or as required by the local Authority. and

Diving on moorings to check them is specifically a no-no.

 

But there have been cases where the fine print changed to say something like 'must be checked every 18months' and no connection to the local authority at all. One dude got caught with that and didn't get paid out. So it pays to check your specific policy to make sure it's knot a sneaky one. I'm told the company who changed to the 18 months has no changed it back to the usual.

 

And when you dive on a mooring you can't always tell just how good or bad it is hence that's why many exclude it I suppose. The hassle is marine growth can be strong so when diving you don't really have the horsepower to find that out. When you lift a mooring you bash the crap out of it with a large hammer and many would be surprised to see just what drops off. I dived on mine and it looked OK. A month later we lifted it (we do use it for a bit of R&D) and smacked it hard. I was both surprised and spooked at just what fell off. Needless to say I was happy I had no boat in it at the time.

 

So maybe you could PM Crews 'Grant' he's in the GWRC marine side somewhere and ask him the rules. He's a good dude and I'm sure more than willing to help you give him less grief

 

And I'd defiantly be checking the fine print on your Policy to make sure it does allow diving to check and has no specific timing on inspection cycles.

[grant 46]

After Midnight, are you still in Clyde Quay? if so I would call that a 'fore & aft" rather than a swing mooring. The insurance company probably doesn't know the difference, but (all being well) you don't 'swing'

 

In welly we specify commercial divers as unfortunately there is no simple method of lifting the moorings.

[Guest]

Can the council confirm their current position on this in a letter to Clyde Quay mooring holders?

It seems we are probably exposed to not being paid out at present.

[Guest]

If you do have a policy with strict limits and no 'Or as required by the local Authority' option, I'd be speaking to the insurance company to sort it one way or the other.

 

Same with diving as a way of checking. Surely if a region doesn't have the capability to actually lift a mooring the Insurance company must make some allowance for that.

 

From what I've heard Welly doesn't have boats floating all over the show after a blow so they must be doing something OK and mean the Insurance companies should find it hard to say no or at least one would hope.

 

Worth reading that fine print so at least you know what limits you have, if any.

[Guest]

John,

 

As you know, the WCC currently requires all boats at Clyde Quay to be insured. If it is impossible to insure your boat due to the lack of equipment to lift your mooring then the council’s contract terms are unconscionable – which is their problem, not yours. I suggest you make them aware of this. The result will likely be that they provide the necessary equipment without delay, as councils rarely like to open themselves up to any risk (hence the strict contract terms in the first place).

 

Your other option is to play around with the definition of the type of mooring you have. Generally, swing moorings are prone to a lot of stress and, as a result, tend to wander off now and again. The insurance companies know this (hence the requirement to properly inspect). However, your mooring is not a ‘swing’ mooring, but rather a type of mooring that has two points, and is therefore far less prone to stress and far more like a berth than a swing mooring. I’d guess that, if this was properly explained, the insurance companies wouldn’t have an issue. Also, the council (considering the problem with its contract terms) would likely back this up with a declaration letter or similar.

[Guest]

Suggest a PM to Mariner Marine Insurance

 

Aaron knows his stuff...

[After Midnight 0]

Many thanks guys!

Lots of good thoughts and suggestions!

I'll post if and when I am successful!