Protection for your marine business

There are risks to owning a business and owning a commercial marine business is no exception.  With over 30 years of experience, Maritime Coverage Corp, Island Wide Marine Agency, Pro Cap Insurance understands the risks and liabilities you are exposed to in your commercial marine business, and has developed comprehensive insurance coverage to help protect it.

Some example business risks that would fall under the Marine Tradesman program include:

• Rental facilities
• Charter (guides, bareboat, sightseeing, sportfishing)
• Bed and breakfast boats
• Boat clubs
• Boat schools
• Commercial fishing boats
• Owner/operator (environmental, artisan, weed control, etc.)

Maritime Coverage Corp, Island Wide Marine Agency, Pro Cap Insurance

• Dedicated marine underwriters and claims specialists who provide quick, responsive service
• Flexible coverages to fit your specific needs
• Flexible payment options including automatic and online payments
• Electronic policy delivery

We will insure everything from commercial fishing boats to bridge repairer barges, to boat rental facilities.

When Does Spring Begin?

The March equinox is Monday, March 20, 2017 at 6:29 A.M. EDT.

Astronomically speaking, the equinox falls on March 19 or 20 every year, marking spring’s beginning in the Northern Hemisphere (whereas it announces fall’s arrival in the Southern Hemisphere). The equinox happens at the same moment worldwide, even if our clock times reflect a different time zone.

Meteorologically speaking, in the Northern Hemisphere, the official spring season always begins on March 1 and continues through May 31. Summer begins on June 1; autumn, September 1; and winter, December 1.

• Weather scientists divide the year into quarters this way to make it easier to compare seasonal and monthly statistics from one year to the next. The meteorological seasons are based on annual temperature cycles rather than on the position of Earth in relation to the Sun, and they more closely follow the Gregorian calendar. Using the dates of the astronomical equinoxes and solstices for the seasons would present a statistical problem because these dates can vary slightly each year.

What is an Equinox?

At the Vernal Equinox, the Sun crosses the celestial equator on its way north along the ecliptic.

All over the world, days and nights are approximately equal. The name equinox comes from Latin words which mean “equal night”—aequus (equal) and nox (night). 

Enjoy the increasing sunlight hours, with earlier dawns and later sunsets. On the equinox, Earth’s two hemispheres are receiving the Sun’s rays about equally because the tilt of the Earth is zero relative to the Sun, which means that Earth’s axis neither points toward nor away from the Sun.  (Note, however, that the Earth never orbits upright, but is always tilted on its axis by about 23.5 degrees.)  

St Patrick's Day is a global celebration of Irish culture on or around March 17. It particularly remembers St Patrick, one of Ireland's patron saints, who ministered Christianity in Ireland during the fifth century.

Every year on March 17, the Irish and the Irish-at-heart across the globe observe St. Patrick’s Day. What began as a religious feast day for the patron saint of Ireland has become an international festival celebrating Irish culture with parades, dancing, special foods and a whole lot of green.

St. Patrick’s Day was first celebrated in America in 1737, organized by the Charitable Irish Society of Boston, including a feast and religious service. This first celebration of the holiday in the colonies was largely to honor and celebrate the Irish culture that so many colonists had been separated from.

This holiday is celebrated every year on March 17th, honoring the Irish patron saint, St. Patrick. The celebrations are largely Irish culture themed and typically consist of wearing green, parades, and drinking. Some churches may hold religious services and many schools and offices close in Suffolk County, the area containing Boston and its suburbs.

People all over the world celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, especially places with large Irish-American communities. Feasting on the day features traditional Irish food, including corned beef, corned cabbage, coffee, soda bread, potatoes, and shepherd’s pie. Many celebrations also hold an Irish breakfast of sausage, black and white pudding, fried eggs, and fried tomatoes. Common traditions include:

• Parades – This event is most often associated with the holiday. Cities that hold large parades include Boston, New York, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Savannah, and other cities worldwide.
• Drinking – Since many Catholics are Irish-American, some may be required to fast from drinking during Lent. However, they are allowed to break this fast during the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. This is one cause for the day’s association with drinking heavily.
• Dying water or beer green – Chicago dies its river green for the festivities, and many bars serve green-dyed beer. The White House fountain is also dyed green.
• Other incorporations of green – In Seattle, the parade routes are painted in green. Observers are supposed to wear green or else risk being pinched. Parade floats and decorations will feature the color green.

The spring boating season will kick off soon. Before it does, make sure you and your boat are ready. Advance preparation will help to ensure you’ll squeeze every ounce of fun out of the upcoming boating season. This handy checklist  explains what to take care of now so you can sail right into spring!

1. Vessel Preparation and Maintenance. What exactly this step should entail will depend on the type and size of your boat. At minimum, though, have your engine and all other critical parts and mechanical systems evaluated by a professional and have all fluids changed or topped off.
2. Navigation and Safety Equipment. Your navigation lights are critical to your safety on the water. Make sure they’re operational and that you have replacement bulbs on board. Check that your emergency equipment like radios and fire extinguishers are in place and in good condition.
3. Trailer Maintenance. Check the condition of your trailer tires and ensure they’re properly inflated. Also check all lights, signals, and safety chains.
4. Trip Preparation. Nothing puts a damper on boating fun like procrastinating to plan your trip and discovering that your intended destination has no available boat slips. The time to plan and book reservations is now!
5. Additional Tips. The more experienced you are as a boater, the more you learn about the little things you can do to set yourself up for a successful season. As you discover these gems of wisdom (ie: playing cards help pass the time during a long journey, packing detergent and a roll of quarters is a time saver for the laundromats in port), write them down and keep a running list. Refer to that list and add to it from year to year.

Thanks to Discover Boating

March Madness 2017

It's the last day of the week for some, but for those in the know, its’ a harbinger of warmer weather to come, and it means one thing: March Madness is almost here.

That's right; Selection Sunday, is on March 12, and soon we'll know the entire field of play for the 2017 NCAA men's basketball tournament.

That means we can still have some time to pour over the dates of the schedule, and plan our viewings and happy hours.

If you're already working on your bracket, the NCAA.com has you covered with some key stats and trends. Check them out. For instance, did you know you're going to want to pick about six upsets within the 10-15 seeds?

The NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament is a single-elimination tournament played each spring in the United States, currently featuring 68 college basketball teams from the Division I level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), to determine the national championship. The tournament was created in 1939 by the National Association of Basketball Coaches, and was the idea of Ohio State University coach Harold Olsen..Played mostly during March, it is known informally as March Madness or the Big Dance, and has become one of the most famous annual sporting events in the United States.

So get those brackets ready, stock up on your beverages of choice, and make sure you know your allowable sick days.

Enjoy March Madness!

What Boat Insurance Should I Get?

Try Agreed Value Coverage

Perfect for Cruisers, Yachts and Sport Fishing Boats

Choose Agreed Value Coverage for the best protection for your boat, engine and gear. Available for almost any boat type, and recommended for larger boats including Cruisers, Yachts and Sport Fishing Boats. Sorry this Not available for Personal Watercraft (PWC).

Featured Coverage's:

• Agreed Value Coverage

You'll always know what your claims check will say with this coverage that pays to replace or repair your boat up to its agreed hull value, determined at the onset of your policy. Covers your boat, engines, machinery, dinghy and boating equipment.

• Broad Cruising Area Options For Larger Boats
  
  

No Cruising Limits - Boats under 40 ft. are free to cruise in US and Canadian Coastal and Inland waters.

• Medical Payments Coverage

In the event of on-board injury, your policy includes up to $10,000 in per person, per occurrence medical coverage, and up to $25,000 for Family Members

• Liability Coverage

Enjoy up to $500,000 in per occurrence liability coverage (higher limits may be available).

• Consequential Damage Coverage

• Covers immediate damage to the insured boat resulting from fire, explosion, sinking, or collision, even when the initial cause of the loss was excluded — such as wear and tear or deterioration.

Marina Contracts Part One

It's almost Spring, and the migration to the marina will again take place. I came across a good article which points out the importance of knowing what you are signing.

 BASED ON AN ARTICLE IN BOATUS

Reading a marina contract, especially the fine print, is about as exciting as watching paint dry. But this contract is every bit as important as any other major contract you're likely to sign, and you need to know what your responsibilities are, as well as the marina's. To complicate things, marina contracts may trigger the application of "maritime law" rather than state law, as in most consumer contracts. Maritime law is a specialty field with different types of remedies, recoverable damages, and even lawyers, so it's especially important to know what you're agreeing to.

A marina contract is much like any other contract, in which each party is responsible for something — you agree to give the marina money, and it agrees to give you something in return, namely a place to keep your boat. But it's worth noting that such contracts are usually written by lawyers whose focus may be more aligned to benefit the marina than the customer. Discussions about legal liability and how it may be limited or shifted can be woven throughout the contract. What provisions are enforceable will vary, depending on your jurisdiction, and with that in mind, it's important to be alert to how those provisions might affect you.

Marina Contract Basics

Marina contracts often have many basic similarities. As an example, they're usually very specific about what you can do with the slip you use. It may say you can't sublease it or carry on any business there. It will also say how much your fees are and what the consequences are for not paying.

If you're not sure about some of the liability language in your contract, talk to your insurance company.

Marina contracts almost always require that your boat be covered by a marine-insurance liability policy with a certain minimum limit, and many marinas require that your boat also be covered by hull insurance. You'll usually be required to have the boat state-registered and/or have a state-use decal. Often, there is language that requires a boat to be operable, and some marinas require that the boat actually leave its slip once or twice a year. Be aware that the contract may require you to pay for such things as fenders or docklines if yours are deemed inadequate or even having your boat pumped out and raised if it sinks. If you hire someone to work on your boat, the contract may require that you have that person present his or her worker's compensation or liability-insurance certificates before entering the premises.

Many marina contracts have what may appear to be one-sided clauses. Some may say that the marina can cancel the contract for any reason beyond its control (for example, after the marina is damaged by a storm), though that same right is usually not extended to the slip holder. The marina can usually terminate the contract for cause, which means that if you don't abide by the marina's rules (say, if you don't pay your fees, or even if your guests fail to abide by the marina's rules) you can be kicked out. The contract may say that it doesn't have to give you a pro-rated refund. If you get behind on your slip fees, the contract may say that the marina can file a lien on your vessel and may even be able to "arrest" it, preventing you from moving it until your fees are paid. Such liens also may make you responsible for the marina's legal and other expenses. While most of these clauses are pretty easy to understand, in recent years, marinas have begun including new language that is often full of hard-to-comprehend legalese, which may leave you on the hook for damages.