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BA double mooring policy and effects to insurance


ranworthbreeze

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Hello Everyone,

In responce to the Broads Authority on double moorings at certain 24 hour mooring locations and the various debates on the Broads Forums I contacted our insurance broker with regards to our Syndicate stands with regards to any issues caused whilst double moored in these locations.

Please see the reply below.

Regards

Alan

Dear Alan

Please find email below from Holmans regarding the double mooring. In addition please find attached revised documents noting the doubled excess whilst doubled moored & left unattended.

I trust you find all in good order.

With kind regards

Lisa

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Chris Bassett [mailto]

Sent: 03 September 2012 16:09

To: MMI

Subject: Insurers policy on Double Mooring outlined in Broads Authority policy.M78531

Hi Lisa

This is noted and agreed. However, please note excess is doubled whilst the vessel is double moored unmanned afloat. Whilst insurers have stated double moorings can give rise to a higher frequency of claims they appreciate the reasoning behind the new policy and will continue to monitor.

I trust you find this all to be in order and I duly attach an updated cert. Please let me know should you have any queries.

Kind regards,

Chris

Chris Bassett Cert CII

Marine Underwriter - Marine

John Holmans & Sons Ltd.

Web: www.holmans.co.uk

Address: London Underwriting Centre, 3 Minster Court, Mincing Lane, London, EC3R 7BB

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I am sure if you were to send it to BA they will gladly refund the extra expense you have incurred through their actions in the event of a claim.

Just another nail in the coffin of the Broads, along with non opening bridges and access to sea which is becoming more and more restricted.

I have always wondered why insurers have not seperated the Northern and southern broads.

Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using Tapatalk 2

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I think Dan was being facetious Matt :grin: I am very surprised at your insurers attitude Alan, most are perfectly comfortable with rafting (or double mooring as you call it) it is not unusual in some marinas and harbours, particularly on club visits or when busy to raft four or more deep.

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this seems to be quite a serious problem which affects some (not all) private boat owners.

I have come up with one solution which ought to work in two ways, it would keep insurance premiums down AND leave public moorings free for hire boats and unaffected private owners.

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I think Dan was being facetious Matt :grin: I am very surprised at your insurers attitude Alan, most are perfectly comfortable with rafting (or double mooring as you call it) it is not unusual in some marinas and harbours, particularly on club visits or when busy to raft four or more deep.

I had clocked that! I was trying to portray my exasperation at the situation!

Double mooring has long been permitted in several places trouble free as far as I am aware. It seems that there could be a little bit of "profiteering" going on.

We had a week inboard a couple of weeks ago and double moored several times. All trouble free and in most cases very enjoyable.

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this seems to be quite a serious problem which affects some (not all) private boat owners.

I have come up with one solution which ought to work in two ways, it would keep insurance premiums down AND leave public moorings free for hire boats and unaffected private owners.

OK Clive, I'll bite. :grin:

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Clive, I would submit that if one is mooring on the outside of my boat then it is my boat that is the mooring and I as I own it I have to give permission. Why should someone presume they have a right of way across my property? As I understand it even the BA are saying permission should be sought and from what I have read re insurance some companies are saying that the excess doubles if a claim arises from a rafting when the boat is unattended - that seems quite a powerful statement as it presumably means you cannot safely leave your boat and go out for lunch without increasing your risk exposure cost-wise. What happens if I am moored up at a designated rafting point, go shopping and somebody decides to tie up on my and outside causing damage in the process.

I am not against rafting and have benefited from it many times. I have always sought permission though and understand if it is not forthcoming. The current position seems to arise from an oversupply of boats and/or an undersupply of moorings. It is that that need to be addressed as far as I can see. Richardsons help by making overnight mooring available to all (subject to turn round days). That is really good - do all yards do that?

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Hello Soundings,

Yes quite a lot of the yards will do that for other hire craft, but I am not sure if they will allow private craft.

Maybe Clive will let us know.

I asked once if I could moor at a yard that hired yachts, I was shown the door, I went further down the river where 3 people helped me to pull the boat in, all four boats moored spent most of the night knocking in the archors, we also had the mud weights down, it was a bad storm that night.

Regards

Alan

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Hi Colin,

Not many yards let private boats moor free, some dont have the space to even let them in...

Maybe private boats should only allow hire boats double moor against them if the hire boats home yard allows private boats to moor in the yard.

Or even better Levi the same charge!

For a Royalls boat charge £10 for an overnight double mooring (at least I think it is £10). If it is a Barnes boat charge by the foot!

Obviously I don't actually mean this.....

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Silly question time?

If I have given someone permission to moor and use my boat as access to the shore, how do I stand if they trip, slip, or fall whilst on my boat. Health and safety.

It depends.

If somebody is moored outside you, and you (implicitly or explicitly) give permission for them to cross your decks, then you owe them a duty of care. So, if your foredeck is cluttered with spare mooring ropes, rhond anchors, and other stuff, and they trip over that stuff, or if you spill polish on the deck and don't clean it up and they slip over on it, then they may have a claim against you (although in practise this would be covered by your insurance). In other words, you must have been negligent in discharging your duty of care.

Having said that, they owe themselves a duty of care, so if they slip over because they're wearing unsuitable shoes, or doing something stupid, or are crossing at night without a torch, then any claim is unlikely to be upheld. The same goes if they simply trip over a mooring cleat or something else that could reasonably be expected to be stowed on the foredeck of a Broads cruiser.

Please note that I am not a lawyer and the above does not constitute legal advice.

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Hello,

As teadaemon says if you have invited them to moor then you have to be aware of the pitfalls that can arise.

We have been well aware of issues with ropes and mooring on the canals for years, it is common practice to put white plasic bags tied around mooring stakes as a warning for towpath users, I have seen this done on the Broads occasionally.

This is something we do if mooring in this manner , if we are using the power hook up to power posts again then you have to use common sense and make sure the cable is neat and tidy and well out of the way of other mooring users.

The electric posts at Beccles Yacht station are ideal with the channels to put the cables in is well thought out and safe.

Regards

Alan

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Im not too up on the double mooring idea only been a renter and I would not like to do it to another persons boat then walk all over their boat ect. surely tress pass??

But Say I moored up to get some shoping, Came back to find another boat moored to mine, What do i do if I want to carry on my way especially if they have gone into the town on a water up??

Richard

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Hello Richard,

I suggest that you go on the Broads Authority website and check out the 20 mooring places that they are suggesting to double moor at busy times and how they suggest to tying up .

The ropes (warps) on most hire craft are short, so this can present a problem on private craft there is usually a number of differing lengths of ropes.

In the case you suggest you would have to wait for the crew off of the other boat to return or you would have to move your boat and moor them to the bank, not ideal and crews are not keen on someone messing about with their ropes.

If I take a rope to pull someone into a mooring I hold onto it until a crew member ties it off or just do tempory hitch if I have to get another rope for them.

Regards

Alan

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i must say I find it a little sad that rafting is now frowned upon these days :cry ( for whatever reason )

for many many years I've rafted alongside other craft in busy moorings like Reedham etc

and had some great times with my temporary neighbours.

I don't know about you guys but It does feel a bit uncomfortable these days to even think about double mooring

and you can just read it in the faces of some boaters that to come alongside is in breach of their human rights

or something.

Rafting is the only way in some of the smaller ports like Southwold and still remember getting out my oil lamp

to hang on the boom before the dreaded electrickery was installed there. Alas, those days although not that long ago

seem to be gone forever and a little more of the richness in being afloat with it.

Rich

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