My boat was at anchor near my home when someone took one of the two anchors I had deployed. I never liked the setup with anchor locker and anchor banging the boat whenever I hoisted it. It also interfered with the forward running lights, so much so that an inexperienced crew was likely to knock the light off its mounting. So I took advantage of my misfortune and turned it into an opportunity to upgrade the whole anchor system. Now I have an anchor platform that holds the primary hook 2 feet in front of the boat. It is made of starboard and has a dolphin striker stiffening the whole thing. Now I'm a much happier boater.
theft from boat
- Thread starter trainmanjess
- Start date
It you do not have a contract OR it does not say that the property owner is not responsible then buy your equipment and file a small claims suit for full replacement against the owner.
He is running a business renting the slip and the local judge will likely find that he has obligations unless you waived them away. The filing will cost about $50 bucks and the owner might be happy to split the replacement cost rather that admit in court that he's running a cash business ;-)
Pat Blue Skies NH USA
He is running a business renting the slip and the local judge will likely find that he has obligations unless you waived them away. The filing will cost about $50 bucks and the owner might be happy to split the replacement cost rather that admit in court that he's running a cash business ;-)
Pat Blue Skies NH USA
It's always somebody else's responsibility ...
this attitude really sucks ... I would never assume that the property owner would be responsible for preventing petty theft. Am I the only person who would accept the loss without reaching into another innocent person's pockets?
Meanwhile, good luck finding another place to dock your boat.
If you choose to leave your boat unattended, expect this crap to happen every now and then.
Why is the homeowner leasing the dock? To make a few extra bucks. It's not their job to provide 24/7 security. If you want that, spend the extra money and store it properly.
I'd hate to raft up next to your boat. I might scratch it and get sued.
Your friend was a "gratuitous bailee" with regard to your boat. Putting your boat on his property does not make him liable for it, nor does it make him (or his HO insurer) your insurer. The fact is, the coverage for your boat is your own marine policy (whether you have one or not) -- exemplified by the fact that you did have coverage for the loss. You can either be disappointed the damage was below your deductible -- or grateful; either way you'd be out the $500 (or most of it). It's the deductible you chose and are paying for.
The only thing which might have made your friend liable would be extreme negligence, like posting a sign that said "free batteries -- help yourself!"
The only thing which might have made your friend liable would be extreme negligence, like posting a sign that said "free batteries -- help yourself!"
I wouldn't be jumping all over Trainman ...
he's not the one advocating for suing the homeowner. I feel for Jess 'cause he certainly isn't to blame for the theft, either. He's merely pointing out that renting from a homeowner has some pitfalls.
to the litigious responses -- a judge isn't likely to assign liability to a person whose only sin was to help a friend.
Had the incident happened at a commercial marina, the same would have been true -- marina not responsible for insuring or replacing your property, save gross negligence (pretty unlikely) -- this is the reason a prudent boat owner carries insurance.
I agree that the boat owner was not at fault in his own loss, but it is still his own loss. One person had a good comment about not always trying to reach into another person's pockets to solve your own problems.
The boat owner had insurance . . . it was a covered loss (deductible notwithstanding) . . . he should move on.
Had the incident happened at a commercial marina, the same would have been true -- marina not responsible for insuring or replacing your property, save gross negligence (pretty unlikely) -- this is the reason a prudent boat owner carries insurance.
I agree that the boat owner was not at fault in his own loss, but it is still his own loss. One person had a good comment about not always trying to reach into another person's pockets to solve your own problems.
The boat owner had insurance . . . it was a covered loss (deductible notwithstanding) . . . he should move on.
The Pleasure Of Keeping You Sailboat Docked At Your Home
Likely the thieves boarded you boat by water and not by walking through a yard. We live on Terra Ceia Bay in South West Florida which is a deep water waterfront community of over 200 houses all with bay and gulf access. I have my Hunter 456 docked at my home. The only break-ins have been in the houses and not the docked boats or boats on lifts. I have the house gated off so no one can enter from the street. I also have solar flood lights all along my 60' dock that lights it up like a x-mas tree after dark.
I would never rent out my dock as I prefer my privacy and I do not want to allow people on the property especially if they plan on sleeping on the boat at my dock.
Likely the thieves boarded you boat by water and not by walking through a yard. We live on Terra Ceia Bay in South West Florida which is a deep water waterfront community of over 200 houses all with bay and gulf access. I have my Hunter 456 docked at my home. The only break-ins have been in the houses and not the docked boats or boats on lifts. I have the house gated off so no one can enter from the street. I also have solar flood lights all along my 60' dock that lights it up like a x-mas tree after dark.
I would never rent out my dock as I prefer my privacy and I do not want to allow people on the property especially if they plan on sleeping on the boat at my dock.
Attachments
I too have a healthy ins policy on my boat. I always leave it locked up. But even better than that, I leave a large bubble of white light surrounding the entire boat all the way up the 40 foot mast. The protective bubble of light, though invisible, causes anyone who is up to no good to first become confused and then forget what he/she had planned. They then are awe struck by the beautiful boat and it's surroundings. They then feel a kinship with the eternal collective sailors soul. Some are marked forever by the experience and find themselves not kicking the dog and not mistreating their wife/hubby and family After a hard day.
You could always mount twin 50 cal automatic laser guided machine guns on the cabin roof that are actuated by motion sensors. If that doesn't stop them nothing will. Of course, it also has the potential to take out neighborhood children and pets.
On the other hand, why don't you just sell the boat and be done with all the hassle?
On the other hand, why don't you just sell the boat and be done with all the hassle?
People in my neighborhood rent their docks mostly because someone asks them and they are not using them. You very seldom see a homeowner on a million dollar lot desperate to lease his dock out for $500 a month., and then expecting his insurance to cover your Boat. That is just crazy. To the person suggesting suing the owner i say , you sound all too familiar with small claims court.
Part of what you pay for in a good marina is security. I pay a fair amount for my moorage but the docks have security doors and cameras everywhere with someone on duty 24/7. Hate to say it but your situation is no different than having your car broken into on the street.