Someone said they attempted to use the anchor bridle to secure to the ball. I mean, if it was one of the hook snubbers and they tried to just grab the eye with it, that could have done it.
I own the Pneuma. The hull was declared a total loss by the surveyor this week. We have a 6 year old, 7yo and a 9yo and we love sailing in the Sunsail program. We are very sad. I have asked Sunsail to consider allowing us to buy an identical boat to replace the Pneuma and keep her in the program. Insurance should pay much of our damages but not all. Does anyone have suggestions from a similar experience or have advice for me? The photo is of my boys hiding in the life raft compartment in January. The boat was chartered by people from Minnesota. If anyone knows who they are, I would like to share some pictures of my family enjoying the boat they destroyed. Because of the pandemic we only sailed her 3 times.
I own the Pneuma. The hull was declared a total loss by the surveyor this week. We have a 6 year old, 7yo and a 9yo and we love sailing in the Sunsail program. We are very sad. I have asked Sunsail to consider allowing us to buy an identical boat to replace the Pneuma and keep her in the program. Insurance should pay much of our damages but not all. Does anyone have suggestions from a similar experience or have advice for me? The photo is of my boys hiding in the life raft compartment in January. The boat was chartered by people from Minnesota. If anyone knows who they are, I would like to share some pictures of my family enjoying the boat they destroyed. Because of the pandemic we only sailed her 3 times.
I really feel for you, so sorry about what happened to your boat. I happened to be passing by in the channel when the boat was towed out of Great Harbor and towards Virgin Gorda. I have pictures in the unlikely event (insurance) you should need some more.
Your owner statement should show the last name of the charter party. Maybe ask for a copy of the charterer statement.
As the skipper, if anyone on board screws up, it is ultimately your fault. You are responsible. I don't like to leave the boat to go ashore. I will leave the boat for a short time if I am confident that she is well secured, but I never fully relax when I have left a boat without a proper watch aboard. I would rather be in the boat with a drink on the rocks, than in the drink with the boat on the rocks.
I don't share the certainty of others that we have enough info to know that operator was plainly out of bounds here, as likely as it may seem. I was in BVI this winter for a stretch and ended up hanging out with some of the captains from Tradewinds who work down there. TW at that time was not allowing their captains to use mooring balls at all because they'd gotten so unreliable. Not a great situation when many charter captains are required and probably better off using them than anchoring. Whether the captain must keep watch over a boat whether at mooring, anchor, or even dock (!) also does not pass the sniff test.
[quote=SVNorthStar]I don't share the certainty of others that we have enough info to know that operator was plainly out of bounds here, as likely as it may seem.{/quote]
I don't think anyone has implied he was out of bounds; rather he failed to properly attach to the mooring.
The boats at Sunsail and the Moorings are well insured. Monthly owners statements show the name of the charterer. Looks to me like they just want to know what happened. I kind of wonder how a boat drifts away from Cooper Island and not one person notices. I have fetched two drifting boats over the years.
Well insured is not fully insured. Our fleet is well insured as well but boat insurance certainly isn’t like home owners insurance. With all the crap I have seen out there, especially over the last two years, I am starting to rethink having a boat in charter. For many it is a business decision - for me it is a little more than that. I get emotionally attached - yeah my bad - but the disregard I have seen on Facebook etc for others personal property just amazes me. There wouldn’t be boats for people to charter if all the owners pulled out.
In all the situations I am aware of with Moorings/Sunsail boats the insurance made them whole and generally actually better off assuming the owner has been applying the full lease payment against the boat note. The insurance pre Irma was actually fantastic. Post Irma it is not quite as good but should leave the owner in decent shape.
It sounded like they were looking for replacement value, as they mentioned that yacht costs had risen. If 90% of charterers are terrific, treating the boat as though it were their own, then 10% will still be a hazard. Potentially a very big hazard. If the rental company is not trying to weed out that 10%, then owning a boat in charter will come with risks.
We have a new neighbor, rebuilding an Irma-wrecked house, who plans to rent it short-term. I pointed out that the biggest problem is abuse of the boat that comes with the house, which he has already seen with other properties. It's the number one issue.
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