Sailboat Accident

Tally Ho · Jul 13, 2020

Bummer. Hate to hear that.

What insurance co?

Can you argue that the forestay failure was the “impact” that brought the mast down? Way cheaper to be responsible for the stay, rather than the mast.

Greg

cb32863 · Jul 13, 2020

I had a ring come out of the pin on my starboard lower shroud a few years back just before the start of a race. Pin came out, shroud went slack and the mast snapped in half and came down. Told the insurance guy what happened, they covered the new mast. American Family is my insurer.

Captain Larry-DH · Jul 13, 2020

Sorry to hear. What insurance company?

jmce1587 · Jul 13, 2020

Hey I feel your pain and frustration. I had similar issue when I lost my mast and claimed with insurance on my H31 same vintage. Mast and rigging components denied. Consequential damages covered but not much was not “consequential”. Issue was exclusions in policy contained statement that “rust, wear and tear and fatigue” were not covered. On boats this old, there’s bound to be any of these exclusions. My response was they (Progressive) should not be insuring boats this old with that type of exclusion. It’s basically a “get out of claims free” card. This is why I caution all boat owners to carefully read and understand their policies before issues arise. Wish you the best of luck. I was fortunate to part out a hurricane damaged H31 and hit the mast at a great price.

rgranger · Jul 13, 2020

dlochner · Jul 13, 2020

The insurance company will claim the rigging was past its end of life and that is what caused the accident. Because rigging is not a permanent part of the boat, like the hull or cabin top, its failure is either due to poor maintenance (inspection and replacement), faulty workmanship at the rigging company, or simply age. In any case, they will not pay for damage due to poor maintenance, but will pay for consequential damage, i.e., the damaged caused by the failing part. This is a pretty standard practice in marine insurance.

If you have evidence of the standing rigging being recently replaced or inspected by a rigger you will have a better argument for reimbursement, but unless the rigging is only a couple of years old, don't expect much. If this is the original rigging and the boat is more than 10 years old, you won't get much.

It sucks, masts are not cheap, and their lawyers get paid more than your lawyer.

Rick D · Jul 13, 2020

I tend to disagree and would seek legal advice after trying once again. I had something similar happen many years ago. A swage cracked on my O'Day and the mast bent. The insurer, whom I cannot recall, initially denied the entire claim stating the damage was due to mechanical failure. I pushed back and maintained that the stay was the mechanical failure and the damage to the mast was consequential and covered. They covered the mast.

Kings Gambit · Jul 13, 2020

In my opinion, people should get (or do) a rig inspection probably every two years for an older boat (> 10); perhaps annually even. That may or may not prevent failures, but at least you’ll have an assessment. That said, I think I’ve had only three or four done in the 16 yr I’ve owned the present boat; two or three in the 11 yr owned of the previous boat. But, it’s like people should wear PFD’s, etc

. My last inspection was in 2018 where the forestay and backstay were replaced due to damage; chain plates re-bedded at the deck. Shrouds still good. But I‘ve routinely applied corrosion block at the swages.

Kings Gambit · Jul 13, 2020

cb32863 said:
I had a ring come out of the pin on my starboard lower shroud a few years back just before the start of a race. Pin came out, shroud went slack and the mast snapped in half and came down. Told the insurance guy what happened, they covered the new mast. American Family is my insurer.

Sail riggers tape that area so pins and rings do not fall out.

ontherocks83 · Jul 13, 2020

Kings Gambit said:
Sail riggers tape that area so pins and rings do not fall out.

As a minor thread drift. What is the difference between sail riggers tape and white electrical tape? Seems like the same thing to me, but I have not investigated it very much.

Kings Gambit · Jul 13, 2020

ontherocks83 said:
As a minor thread drift. What is the difference between sail riggers tape and white electrical tape? Seems like the same thing to me, but I have not investigated it very much.

Rigging tape stretches tight and sticks only to itself, not requiring much overlap or many wraps, and does melt off from gooiness like electrical tape can. But what I was saying is that after a sail rigger does a rig inspection, he tapes the shroud turnbuckles so rings and pins do not fall out or get knocked out. This also protects the jib some from abrasion against the shrouds, pins, and rings.

dlochner · Jul 13, 2020

ontherocks83 said:
As a minor thread drift. What is the difference between sail riggers tape and white electrical tape? Seems like the same thing to me, but I have not investigated it very much.

Kings Gambit said:
Rigging tape sticks only to itself and does melt off from gooiness like electrical tape can. But what I was saying is that after a sail rigger does a rig inspection, he tapes the shroud turnbuckles so rings and pins do not fall out or get knocked out. This also protects the jib some from abrasion against the shrouds, pins, and rings.

There are 2 types of tape, the Self-amalgamating tape KG refers to, which is neater and cleaner than sticky tape and the vinyl rigging tape chandleries sell, which is essentially the same as the high quality 3M vinyl tape, usually sold along side electrical tape at half the price fo WM and even Defender.

ontherocks83 · Jul 13, 2020

dlochner said:
There are 2 types of tape, the Self-amalgamating tape KG refers to, which is neater and cleaner than sticky tape and the vinyl rigging tape chandleries sell, which is essentially the same as the high quality 3M vinyl tape, usually sold along side electrical tape at half the price fo WM and even Defender.

Thank you, I apparently I have the latter of the two. Thanks for the clarification

srimes · Jul 14, 2020

I got some clear silicone tape from the hardware store but haven't tried it yet. Anyone use something like this?

Rescue Tape Clear 12 ft. L x 1 in. W Silicone Tape 6 - Ace Hardware

www.acehardware.com

dlochner · Jul 14, 2020

srimes said:
I got some clear silicone tape from the hardware store but haven't tried it yet. Anyone use something like this?

Rescue Tape Clear 12 ft. L x 1 in. W Silicone Tape 6 - Ace Hardware

www.acehardware.com

Self-fusing is a synonym for self-amalgamating. It would probably work for securing cotter pins and rings. I don't think I'd trust it for a permanent or long term plumbing repair.

WayneH · Jul 14, 2020

I used Rescue Tape on my forward stanchions to prevent wear on the genoa. When I replaced my lifelines three years later, I had to cut it to get it to release from the stanchion. It was still in good shape after three Gulf Coast summers but it was starting to fail.

jon hansen · Jul 14, 2020

" sails are expensive, tape is cheap "

srimes · Jul 14, 2020

dlochner said:
Self-fusing is a synonym for self-amalgamating. It would probably work for securing cotter pins and rings. I don't think I'd trust it for a permanent or long term plumbing repair.

lol yes I got it to try as rigging tape! I would not recommend it for plumbing!

JRacer · Jul 14, 2020

Sorry to hear of your mishap. Good luck on the claim.

In Wichita, we always called the amalgamating tape, "F-4 Tape". Reason was that the aircraft manufacturing guys on my crew swore that is all that held those old F-4's together. Great stuff. Periodically, my crew would show up with a roll of it from an unnamed aircraft plant. We were thankful!