Boat damaged

[Mike Kuder]

I received a call from the dockmaster at my club yesterday to inform me that the boat next to me (Beneteau 36.7) blew over in its cradle Wednesday night onto my C34.  The boat is on Lake Erie and there were extremely strong winds mid week this week.  The weather station at the club (EYC) clocked a gust of 72 knts. 

I am about 2 hours from the boat and haven't been able to get up there yet.  However, the club did send some pictures.  It appears that my boat was pushed about 1 foot laterally in the cradle.  One of of my jack pads on the cradle broke off, and the boat appears to be resting on the post.  It is hard to tell what other damage may have occurred, such as stanchions, as the cover is still on the boat. 

I expect that the other boat's insurance carrier will have an adjuster at the club once they are able to lift the boat off of mine.  I will certainly be present of have someone present when the adjuster is there. 

My question for this group.  Other than the obvious damage, stanchions, rigging (both boats had have their rigs up), bottom where the jack pad broke off, anything I should look for?  Has anyone else been through a situation like this and have any suggestions?

Thanks.

[Mike and Joanne Stimmler]

I think it would be a good idea to have a surveyer with you

[Jim Hardesty]

Mike,
I agree with the surveyer.  I would call the insurance company and get them to pay for the survey.
I'm also from Erie.  Last winter many boats went over,  from what owners tell me the insurance company called it an "act of god" and the repair was up to the owners insurance. 
If you need a surveyer I can give you Charlie Miller's number.  I think that he is the only surveyer in town.
Hope it works out for you.
Jim

[Stephen Butler]

Definitely get a surveyer!  Our C34 went over on her side (on the hard) when Wilma came through and having a surveyer stopped many of the potential disputes before they could occur.  Good luck!

[Ted Pounds]

Who's your insurance company?  I had BoatUS when the same thing happened to me 13 years ago (except it wasn't a Benneteau that fell on my boat).  BoatUS didn't send an adjuster they sent a surveyor, which, as others have said, is what you want.  They know how to look for non-obvious damage as well as estimate the costs to fix.  BoatUS paid all the surveyor's costs.  It is in the insurance company's interest to make sure all damage is found and repaired so that the boat remains seaworthy since that will limit the risk of future losses.

[tonywright]

Sorry to hear of the bad luck. I would be worried about any delamination in hidden areas under the floorboards, and under the tanks. So you want to be sure to look under these in any suspicious areas. Could be a bit of work involved to pull them up though. Did it look at though the masts may have collided at all? Any impact on the mast would be a concern, and could require replacement of the spar, never mind the rigging and chainplates.  You want to be sure that any survey is thorough.

If we could turn to lessons learned here, could this have been caused, or at least contributed to, by leaving the rig up during the winter season? All that windage aloft is not good when a major storm comes through. The hull cannot shift its weight like it does when in the water. You might want to think about whether the club's policy in allowing this is somehow responsible, given the previous history of such problems in the area as Jim mentioned?

Tony

[Hawk]

Mike,
Call your insurance company and they should retain their own surveyor. Depending on your particular state law it may be that the other boat owner and his insurer will not have to pay your damages if you are unable to show that the collapse occurred by the other boat owners negligence.  However,that is more your insurance company's problem once they pay for your repairs.
Hawk

[Jon Schneider]

Not to be too paranoid, but the thing I'd really want if a similar accident happened to my boat would be an x-ray report of all of the stringers, the deck-to-hull joint, and the keel bolts.  I don't know a surveyor who does radiology though, and I don't know a radiologist who does boats.  In lieu of that, I'd have the surveyor "ping" the stringers to the extent he could reach them, and also thoroughly examine the deck-to-hull joint (again to the extent he can). 

[Mark Wey]

Mike

Sorry to hear about your bad luck.

All the previous comments point to a survey. I concur! One more piece of advice though. In my experience. You have one shot with your insurance company. If you come back to them with additional and previously undiscovered damage. They will probably not even talk to you. When I had an issue with an insurance claim a few years ago. My brokers advice was, "to make the claim a good one." I did, and when I found small effects of the incident a year or so later. I did not feel taken.

Make the best of an unfortunate situation!

Cheers,

[Mike Kuder]

Thanks for all the great advice.  I concur on the survey.  Shamrock, I actually bought the boat 2 years ago and Charlie did the survey for me when I purchased.  Once I hear from the other owner I will give him a call.  Hopefully his carrier will cover the loss.  I knew some boats went over last year, at least at EYC.  Ironically, one of the boats that went over last year knocked the boat beside it into my Dad's trawler.  We are 2 for 2 the last 2 years.  I told the dockmaster if there is someone at the club he doesn't like to put them beside either the C34 or trawler.

A friend who does boat repair stopped by the club today.  The hull is gouged where the jack pad was knocked off my cradle and the boat is sitting on the steel post.  Does anyone know if our hulls are cored or solid glass?  I seem to recall reading that they are solid glass but am not sure.  Hopefully they are able to get the crane in tomorrow and get the boat off so we can get the pressure off that post.  The club put a couple jack stands on that side, but I don't think they will do much with the Beneteau still resting on my boat.

Thanks again for all the suggestions.

[Michael Shaner]

I would want some coordination between the parties so that I could be there with my surveyor and my insurance representative when the yard lifted the Bene off my boat...

Sorry for the trouble Mike...

[Ron Hill]

Mike : Sorry to hear of your plight.  You asked about the hull - yes, it's solid glass lay ed over layers of mat.  The cored parts are in the upper half - deck, cabin top and some of the cabin & cockpit vertical sides/floor. 
As other have said get a surveyor involved.  If the rigging was intwined check all of the 1-19 shroud wire for broken strands.  Good Luck. 

[Stu Jackson]

This goes to: http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,4785.0.html

[Mike and Joanne Stimmler]

Mike,
I would think that if the insurance company offers to provide a surveyor, unless they let you choose the surveyor, I would want my own surveyor to confirm what their's says.
Their surveyor is going to be looking out for their interest so I would look at this as a conflict of interest.