Factors That Can Affect the Cost of Commercial Boat Insurance

With over 90,000 miles of shoreline surrounding the U.S., and thousands of commercial boats operating off those shorelines and on inland waterways, commercial boat insurance is a virtual necessity to protect your investment in a commercial vessel. Commercial boat insurance is available to protect your watercraft and cover your liability if something goes wrong.

When discussing commercial vessels, you need to consider the categories and weight classes to determine the insurance protection that may be needed. The variety is enormous, and so are many of the vessels within each category. Here are just a few categories of commercial watercraft that insurance companies cover:

• Inshore fishing vessels
• Offshore fishing vessels
• Sightseeing charters
• Waterski/wakeboard schools
• Boat rental services
• Excursion vessels
• Dive charters  

What Influences the Cost of Commercial Boat Insurance?

Insurance companies take many factors into consideration before determining the premium for commercial boat insurance. Here are a few things they look at when putting together insurance quotes:

1. Value of the vessel. If new, the purchase price or market value will be used for the replacement value, but if used, the underwriter will typically order a survey by an experienced survey provider for information regarding the value and overall condition of the vessel.
2. Length and age of the commercial boat
3. Type of vessel. The construction material and style of the vessel will be considered. For example, is it a V-hull, catamaran, sailing yacht, or fishing vessel?
4. Type and horsepower of engines
5. Mooring location
6. Intended area of navigation
7. Claims history of the owner or navigator
8. Intended use

What Type of Coverage Does a Commercial Boat Need?

Although many types of coverage are provided by a commercial boat insurance policy, there are two primary or basic coverages that should always be considered:

• Liability coverage: Often called protection and indemnity coverage, it provides coverage for legal obligations to third parties. Your legal liability typically arises from bodily injury, loss of life, or damage to another's vessel or other property as a result of operation of your vessel. The liability coverage is also available for defense costs if an action is brought against you or your business.
• Hull coverage: This part of a commercial boat policy pays for physical damage to your vessel and is best purchased on an all-risk basis, which means that if the cause of the loss is not excluded under the policy, it will be covered. The coverage will provide protection for the hull, attached equipment, and unattached equipment and belongings. It's important to note, however, that the owner is responsible for maintaining the vessel, which means normal wear and tear is typically excluded.

Along with the basic coverages, there are additional coverages that should be considered as well:

• Vessel disposal and pollution liability: Typically, when a vessel sinks offshore or in a waterway, the owner is responsible for removing or disposing of the wreckage, especially if there are any materials aboard that may be considered hazardous. You and your business may also be held responsible for clean-up expenses that result from oil pollution or contamination. This coverage provides liability to pay for these expenses up to the limits you select when purchasing the policy.
• Medical payments coverage: Owners should also consider an appropriate amount of medical payments coverage that will pay for medical expenses for third parties who are injured on your vessel, whether you are found liable or not. This coverage pays on a per person basis rather than per accident. You should also determine whether this coverage is available for persons boarding or leaving the vessel and for water-skiers if needed.
• Maritime coverage: This is a type of employer’s liability protection for the vessel owner for injury to the crew of any commercial boat. It responds to liabilities imposed by the “Jones Act,” the federal law that applies the common law of the seas to ship owners.
• Uninsured boater coverage: Liability coverage is not mandatory for some commercial vessels and most personal ones. This means that you and your passengers are at risk for injury expenses resulting from an accident with an uninsured boater. By selecting uninsured boater coverage on your commercial boat insurance, you can make a claim for your own injuries or those of your passengers against your own insurance policy.

It’s been over 40 years since Apollo 11 touched down on the lunar surface. Many myths have sprung up about the Moon landing over time.

I guess to be politically correct, One might even call them "alternate facts” these days.

So let’s see if you can tell the truth from the alternate truth.

TRUE OR FALSE

1. The Apollo program and Moon landing were extremely popular
2. Neil Armstrong's quote was preplanned
3. "Good luck, Mr. Gorsky" was uttered before leaving the moon
4. Armstrong was the first man on the moon because he was a civilian
5. The American flag is flapping in the breeze
6. It was FAKE

So don’t peek, take the Test. Answers will be below

 So How did you do?

1. Most Americans in the 1960s thought the Apollo program wasn't worth the cost. The highest approval that the Apollo program received was 53%, after Apollo 11 touched down on the Moon in 1969. Yet, as more time passes, more and more Americans view the Moon landing as "worth it." In 2009, on the landing's fortieth anniversary, CBS found that 71% of American thought that the trip to the Moon was worth the money spent on it.
2. That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind," is one of the most recognized and cited quotes in human history. According to Neil Armstrong, he didn't formulate what he was going to say until after the lunar module, Eagle, landed on the surface of the Moon. He was too busy landing on the Moon to think of anything cute to utter once he got there.
3. Allegedly, before leaving the Moon, astronaut Neil Armstrong uttered the phrase, "Good luck, Mr Gorsky." The story goes that this enigmatic phrase is said to be an inside joke, based on an occurrence during Armstrong's childhood. When Armstrong was a kid, he overheard an argument between his neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Gorsky. The wife apparently promised the husband a sexual favor he requested, but only if the kid next door — meaning Armstrong — ever landed on the moon. Thus, Armstrong was wishing Mr. Gorsky luck that his wife would go through with the bet. It's an entertainingly ribald yarn, but the fact is that Armstrong never said this.
4. NASA choose Neil Armstrong, and not his fellow astronaut Buzz Aldrin, to be the first human on the Moon? Some speculated at the time that NASA chose Armstrong because he was a civilian. Armstrong had flown missions during the Korean War but, unlike Buzz Aldrin, he was no longer active-duty. The idea behind this theory was that a civilian stepping out on the Moon would show the world that America's space program was not a mere military endeavor, but rather something for all mankind. In reality, NASA chose Armstrong for other, more boring reasons. For one, Armstrong held seniority as an astronaut and was Apollo 11's mission commander. Old leader gets the glory. Second, the lunar module simply opened in such a way that the commander — Armstrong — had to get out first before the pilot — Adrin — could follow.
5. The Moon doesn't have an atmosphere that could facilitate wind. So why does the American flag appear to wave in the breeze in the videos of the Apollo 11 astronauts planting it? There are a couple reasons for this, and none of them are "they filmed it in a studio."For one, NASA actually promoted this illusion when it designed the flagpole. They made the flag extra-stuff so it would stay up horizontally. After all, why plant Old Glory on the Moon if it unimpressively rest limply on the pole? Also, some of the "waving" was caused by the inertia of the astronauts moving it into place.
6. A 2013 by the firm Public Policy Polling found that 7% of Americans think that the moon landing was faked. This is a small number, but it's still 7% too high. One piece of "evidence" that hoax proponents often use to back up their claims is that that there are no stars in any of the Apollo 11 photographs. NASA must have filmed the lunar landing elsewhere then, right? Perhaps on a soundstage in Burbank, California? In reality, there are no visible stars because of the camera's fast exposure settings. The stars simply don't give off enough light compared to closer objects for the camera to pick them up.

Ran across an article in the Boating Times. Some great advice on not getting ripped off this boating season.

Ever had anything stolen from your boat? This article is for you. Never had anything stolen from your boat? This article is for you.

The secret to good marine security is to think like a crook and then do the opposite.

The light-fingered set is opportunistic, and any scenario is nearly perfect for grabbing the goods and disappearing within a minute or two. So, make it tough for burglars to operate. The easiest items to steal are electronics and gear in open view that is small enough to be quickly stashed in a tote bag.  If you own an open runabout, make it your habit to remove all valuables every night. If you have a cabin, don’t leave anything in view — draw your curtains over windows and portholes and stash the small but expensive stuff out of sight in drawers and lockers.

Whether you remove portable equipment or not, take the time to engrave your name, home port, driver’s license number, state registration number, and hull pin on your VHF radio, GPS handheld, chart plotter, binoculars, and other valuables.

Batten down the hatches before you leave the boat. Fasten companionways with strong locks attached to hasps. Cockpit lockers should also be secured, particularly if they contain items like batteries and expensive life jackets. A burglar will pass your boat by for an easier mark if he has to spend time breaking or picking a lock. Many captains hide an extra set of keys onboard. Don’t. Lawbreakers know all the hiding places.

Ideally, keep your boat in a well-lit, secured anchorage with locked doors to docks, cameras, and personnel on site 24/7.  If security and cameras aren’t present, or you’re out on a mooring, install an alarm — even the simplest of set-ups will scare most crooks away (provided there are people about who’ll hear the alarm).

Every boater should be observant of strangers seemingly lurking around their home marina or boatyard, particularly those in non-nautical dress (street shoes are often a giveaway). Let a dockhand or the yard manager know if you suspect someone’s potentially up to no good. If you’re selling your boat, don’t hang a For Sale sign on it.  It affords nefarious characters the cover to snoop and return when no one’s about.

What do you do if you have been hit anyway? Report the burglary to the police immediately. Savvy officers in marine units may know where to look for sales of stolen goods, especially if you provide them with a list of all equipment by make, model, and serial number. Let them know all about the engraving on the stolen items as that will help to prove any recovered goods are yours.

I’ve been talking about boat burglaries, but entire boats and other watercraft disappear. The most likely vessels to be nicked are boats under 26 feet in length and jet skis. Owners must be diligent in immobilizing their crafts. Again, assess your setup like a thief would and then do all you can to make removal difficult or impossible.

Want a novel way to decrease the likelihood of a dinghy or inflatable being stolen? A veteran Caribbean sailor I know advises boaters to paint these items a weird color — a pink dink will make a crook rethink!

The Easter bunny is often considered a part of Easter because of the notable ability of bunnies to proliferate. However, there are roots back to the actual name of Easter. A goddess of fertility, Eostre, (who may have been one of the inspirations for the name Easter) is said to have been accompanied by a hare. Although many sources debate this connection. The tradition of the bunny was brought to the U.S. by German settlers to Pennsylvania.

Hot cross buns and other breads marked with an X to symbolize the cross are a tradition on many Easter tables. Different sweet breads are also used all over the world. Try these: Choreg (Armenia), Paska (Ukraine), Babka (Poland), Tsoureki (Greece). Also try a traditional Italian Easter Bread (shown above) with eggs baked right in. These bread are conspicuously risen breads which may also show a desire for Easter traditions to be different from Passover which includes unleavened breads.

This is a little disconcerting. What do you think?

In November, The Bahamian government announced it is considering a joint venture that would grant Chinese commercial fishing vessels licenses to fish Bahamian waters.

A public firestorm erupted when this proposal first became known shortly after the passage of Hurricane Matthew in early October. Since then, the government has vigorously backpedaled and downplayed the deal. Initially he called the news reports “utterly false” and then said he had authorized a discussion, but there was nothing before the cabinet for approval. However, in November he suggested the proposal was still on the table and hoped the Chinese would not be deterred by widespread public criticism.

The proposal seems to indicate that rights would be considered to catch migratory fish in Bahamian waters (species were not specified). Although these are not traditionally exploited by Bahamians, they are an important resource for tourism.

The Chinese fishing proposal is being discussed in China despite this underestimated long-term pressure on Bahamian marine resources. The Bahamas National Trust has said in a public statement on this proposal (November 5, 2016) that local fisheries were already under pressure, and noted that Chinese fishing fleets threaten the sustainability of global fisheries. The BNT said scientific assessments of pelagic fish stocks would be required before any informed discussion about a possible expansion of the fishery sector can take place.

The Bahamas Reef Environmental Education Foundation said the proposal prioritized short-term foreign goals over long-term Bahamian economic, social and environmental sustainability, and would undermine national sovereignty. “(We) put great effort into protecting our marine resources for the benefit of current and future Bahamians through regulations, marine protected areas, and by reserving this industry for Bahamians only. This proposed initiative would be a major leap backwards.”

Marine biologists at the University of the Bahamas said inadequate legislation and lack of enforcement made it “hard to imagine” that commercial fishing on such a scale would abide by any prudent catch limits. Lisa Benjamin and Dr. Adelle Thomas of the university’s Climate Change Initiative said The Bahamas could join the “long list of failed fisheries sectors” in the Caribbean “well within a ten-year period."

The opposition Free National Movement has condemned what it calls a ”secret deal” to give fishing rights and public land to the Chinese and has demanded that Minister Gray step down for his lack of transparency.

Prime Minister Perry Christie has so far avoided speaking directly to the proposal.

Tourist demand for local fish (through recreational fishing and hotel restaurants) from 1950 through 2010 accounted for 75% of reconstructed total catches. Almost two-thirds of this demand was driven by recreational fishing by stopover visitors, and the remainder was a result of seafood consumption by both stopover and cruise visitors.

I read this article by Brandon Steiner and found it made me reflect.

How about you?

The most important thing is to find out what's important, and who's important, and you have to pay attention to them everyday.

Our tendency is to get caught up in the not-so-important, the people that bug you the most or scream the loudest. What that translates to is you not paying attention to the most important things

I came across the below from a good friend of mine, Peter Shankman. It should tell you a little something about the people you have around you.

--
 I thought I'd share this note I received from a good friend of mine, NYPD Transit Chief Joseph Fox. It really resonated with me this morning, and I hope it does with you, as well. Have a great day! -Peter
--

Who packs your parachute?

Charles Plumb was a US Navy jet pilot in Vietnam. After 75 combat missions, his plane was destroyed by a surface-to-air missile. Plumb ejected and parachuted into enemy hands. He was captured and spent 6 years in a communist Vietnamese prison. He survived the ordeal and now lectures on lessons learned from that experience.

One day, when Plumb and his wife were sitting in a restaurant, a man at another table came up and said, “You’re Plumb! You flew jet fighters in Vietnam from the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk. You were shot down!”

“How in the world did you know that?” asked Plumb.

“I packed your parachute,” the man replied. Plumb gasped in surprise and gratitude. The man pumped his hand and said, “I guess it worked!” Plumb assured him, “It sure did. If your chute hadn’t worked, I wouldn’t be here today.”

Plumb couldn’t sleep that night, thinking about that man. Plumb says, “I kept wondering what he might have looked like in a Navy uniform: a white hat, a bib in the back, and bell-bottom trousers. I wonder how many times I might have seen him and not even said Good morning, how are you?’ or anything else because, you see, I was a fighter pilot and he was just a sailor.”

Plumb thought of the man hours the sailor had spent on a long wooden table in the bowels of the ship, carefully weaving the shrouds and folding the silks of each canopy, holding in his hands each time the fate of someone he didn’t know.

Now, Plumb asks his audience, “Who’s packing your parachute?” Everyone has someone who provides what they need to make it through the day. Plumb also points out that he needed many kinds of parachutes when his plane was shot down over enemy territory – he needed his physical parachute, his mental parachute, his emotional parachute, and his spiritual parachute. He called on all theses supports before reaching safety.

Sometimes in the daily challenges that life gives us, we miss what is really important. We may fail to say hello, please, or thank you, congratulate someone on something wonderful that has happened to them, give a compliment, or just do something nice for no reason.

As you go through this week, this month, this year, recognize the people who pack your parachute.

Everyone should have insurance to help them through those unexpected things that come up. But insurance doesn't replace good old fashioned preparation.

Here's some information based on an article in BoatUS about getting ready this spring.

Overlooking small things during spring commissioning can translate to big problems.

It's spring — when all our plans for the boating season ahead are positive and hopeful. This is an important time; statistics show over and over that it's the little things missed during spring commissioning that can lead to serious problems that will not only lighten your wallet but also rob your family of precious time on the water.

Check Thru-Hulls

Springtime is the right time to check each of your composite (plastic) thru-hulls for cracks and deterioration. Degradation due to ultraviolet light is the main culprit; however, stress caused by an unsupported hose bouncing around inside also can be a factor. Failure typically begins as a crack where the body of the thru-hull fitting joins the outer flange, often progressing until the flange simply falls off. Once that occurs, there's nothing left to keep the thru-hull in place, meaning that it will eventually be pulled inboard, leaving a gaping hole. The thru-hull shown here was located near the waterline; the resulting hole reduced the vessel's effective freeboard from feet to inches.

Inspect your hose clamps

The devil is in the details. Don't forget to refit the hose clamps for the engine's raw-water intake hose (which often is removed while winterizing the engine in the fall). A Loose hose can slip off after launch,and result in a partially sinking vessel. Nothing helps more to reduce slipups than a detailed checklist

Continually check for corrosion and get rid of it

Routine maintenance not only prolongs the service life of your equipment but can also keep you out of trouble. The corrosion on a battery post can get so bad that it prevents the battery from charging, which keeps the engine from starting and results all too often with the owner to call for a tow