Wing Keel Weeping, My boat Sank on Land

[Birchy]

My boat sank on land this year. Long story. My boat yard shrink wrapped my boat and didn't shrink right away. Rain, snow and ice collected and severly bent 3 of my stanchions. Two port side, one starboard. Boat yard agreed to replace as thier workmanship was root cause for damage. The boat yard took damage stanchions off in late fall early winter and installled wood frame to support the shrink wrap for the winter.

Shrink wrap removed recently and new stanchions installed by boat yard. I went to inspect work and found my bilge filled to the floor boards. Could see lots of staining on port side wood work. My batteries were sitting in 4 inches of water as well. The port side storage filled with water.

While sanding and putting on new paint I noticed the keel had cracks where the keel meets the thru hull mounting bolts. Water found its way down the bolts and behind the fiberglass and froze. Fiberglass had crack lines and water was weeping out.

My question: How do I make my boat right now?

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

The damage could be irreversibly extensive. If it were mine, I'd first call my insurance and then a surveyor.

It's impossible for us to know what the true damage is from an internet description.

Parenthetically, how does that much water enter a boat given that it should not be possible had it not been covered at all?

 

[Birchy]

water got in thru the holes from mounting bolts for stanchion. (eight holes total) Sat that way all winter.

 

[jrowan]

That sounds like major structural & water damage. I would be calling my insurance company, as damage like that which isn't repaired properly could easily get worse. Sounds like your boat yard is on the hook for that damage, as they originally caused the problem.
Incidentally, I live in Va. so we don't get your huge amounts of snow & ice down here like you do up in Mass., but since boats have been stored over winter for decades, if not centuries before the advent of shrink wrapping, why is it so popular, considering the annual expense? Your example of the damage it actually caused seems to show that its not that it's "cracked up" to be.

Good luck on your repairs.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

water got in thru the holes from mounting bolts for stanchion. (eight holes total) Sat that way all winter.

You admittedly removed the bent stanchions yourself but apparently did nothing to plug the holes?...

Be prepared for your underwriter to ask -Can we spell contributory negligence?

 

[Calif. Ted]

Afraid Don may be correct.
Make a list and pictures of everything you've found so far, call insurance and the best, most OCD surveyor in the area. Do not offer them any of your conclusions as to how the damage occurred, just the facts and timeline. That's a lot of water if it all came thru the stanchion mounts, let the surveyor come to his own conclusions and don't offer him any info he may not want.
He may say "water intrusion thru deck" instead of "owner states he left holes in deck and damaged shrink wrap covering over winter".

 

[Jackdaw]

And hope the underwriter does not read internet sailing forums. Depends on who actually took them off.

 

[Birchy]

Don, No! correction. I hired my boat yard to shrink wrap. They removed the stanchions not I. Poor workmanship on their part.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Don, No! correction. I hired my boat yard to shrink wrap. They removed the stanchions not I. Poor workmanship on their part.

Your credibility might come into question now that you revised your original post description in which you stated you removed them. Now you say the yard did it.

This isn't looking good.

 

[Birchy]

I want to make the post clearer. Bottom line is they did so their is no question......

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Looks like you "revised" the story twice now.

Why not give us the name of the marina so we can clarify who did what? As a minimum, getting their side would help to better assess what really happened to the boat and who did what.

 

[Fred Villiard]

Don, may I suggest that you read the first post again, it clearly states that the yard did the work, not the owner.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Don, may I suggest that you read the first post again, it clearly states that the yard did the work, not the owner.

Fred
It does say that now but in his original post, he stated clearly that he removed them. He has since revised the scenario, now twice as far as I can see, after I and others made our original comments about contributory negligence. If you note the bottom of his OP, it indicates revisions. I have a copy of the original one for record purposes.

The price we all pay for insurance is high enough.

 

[weinie]

Fred
It does say that now but in his original post, he stated clearly that he removed them. He has since revised the scenario, now twice as far as I can see, after I and others made our original comments about contributory negligence. If you note the bottom of his OP, it indicates revisions. I have a copy of the original one for record purposes.

The price we all pay for insurance is high enough.

Really Don?

 

[Birchy]

Don what is your problem....you angry?? I dont get it. I never said I did the work. I did edit it to be real clear of that. I am at no fault here....really Don....move on and leave me alone please.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

I think we both know the truth so I won't waste any more time on this

 

[Jackdaw]

Wow.

From a financial perspective, only three interested parties in this deal are 1) The original poster 2) His insurance adjuster 3) the boatyard. They will all talk, and settle what is a private matter.

The rest of us should stick to discussing his keel and stanchions.

 

[Charles Erwin]

Notions of 'fault', 'negligence', 'contributory negligence' are completely irrelevant in an insurance coverage case.

Make your claim with your insurer, If they deny coverage then read your contract - and most particularly the part they rely on for denying coverage.

The only thing relevant is what does your insurance contract exclude (or limit.) For example, freeze damage is typically limited n amount but in your case freeze damage was not the primary problem. Freeze damage can have occurred but that is only because of water intrusion. Water intrusion might be excluded but you will find that is so only if the event is due to wear and tear. Your case presents a sudden, immediate event not normal wear and tear.

It is impossible for anyone to give you solid advice unless they read your insurance contract, So - if your insurer denies coverage - then the better idea is to consider a professional in insurance coverage questions.

Charles