Boating Accidents

Every year, the United States Coast Guard compiles information regarding boating accidents in the United States. These studies are very comprehensive and are based on accident reports filed by boaters who have been involved in boating accidents.

There are certain regulations that the USCG has set forth regarding the reporting of a boating accident. You must report the accident under the following conditions:

* A person dies
* A person is injured and requires medical treatment other than first aid
* The damage to a vessel is more than $2,000 or there is a total loss of a vessel
* A person disappears from a vessel and circumstances indicated there may be a death or an injury

It’s a good idea to report the boating accident within the first forty-eight hours. Regulations differ as to the required time frame, but a responsible boater will take care of the situation as soon as possible.

In the year 2005, there were 267 fatalities directly attributed to boating accidents. Of those fatalities, seventy percent of them were due to drowning, and eight-seven of those who drowned did so because they were not wearing their life jackets.

The most reported boating accidents were the result of collisions with another vessel. However, capsizing and falls overboard were also among those most reported and contributed also to the drowning fatalities overall.

Overall, carelessness, reckless driving, operator inattention, excessive speed, and operator inexperience were the most prevalent contributing factors to boating accidents. That is why the Coast Guard highly recommends all boaters take a certified boating safety class as well as qualified boating instruction classes.

The most common types of boats involved in boating accidents were open watercraft, personal watercrafts (Jet Skis), and cabin motorboats. There was a marked increase also in sailing accidents, houseboats, and fishing boats.

Alcohol was also shown to be a huge contributing factor in boating accidents. Impaired captains were shown to have a larger incidence of the possibility of accidents because of lack of judgment, inattention, and reckless behavior. In fact, one-fourth of all boating accidents could be directly linked to the consumption of alcohol by the driver.

Boating accidents can be prevented rather easily if more people would take boating safety classes and receive proper boating instruction. Because of the various factors that are involved in boating, it can be dangerous if you don’t know what you are doing. If you want to be a responsible boater, they way to prevent boating accidents is to stop them before they start. Get educated and then put that information to use – all the time!

Boat Insurance Coverage

Coverage of a watercraft can range from total replacement of the vessel if destroyed, to personal liability coverage, and everything in between. When deciding on what policy is right for you, consider what your needs and risks are, and how much you are willing to spend to protect them.Coverage of a watercraft can range from total replacement of the vessel if destroyed, to personal liability coverage, and everything in between. When deciding on what policy is right for you, consider what your needs and risks are, and how much you are willing to spend to protect them.

Full coverage boat insurance is the safest route for the boat owner who wants to insure his valuable property. With full coverage the boat owner can opt to ensure the cost of replacing the vessel if it is totally destroyed. Coverage can also include damages to either the boats structure, or engine. Coverage for loss or damage to personal property while on the vessel may also be included. Other options can include injury protection, salvage or wreck removal, loss of use reimbursement, towing costs, and even investigative services.

Liability insurance covers you in the case of accident responsibility. Generally a boat owner can choose either boat liability, also known as indemnity insurance, which will cover only damages done by the vessel, or personal liability, which will cover damages done by the boat owner, regardless of where or how they occur.

While liability insurance is generally the least expensive, it is important to remember that it will only cover the cost of damages/repairs to third parties. Your own property is not covered under liability insurance. In this way, even though liability insurance often appears to be the most inexpensive option for the boat owner, if the vessel were to be destroyed, the cost of replacement would far out weigh the savings on premiums.v

Custom Built Boats

Almost all boats are constructed on a production basis, as this is the most efficient means of production. There’s only one set of molds and many
boats being built from the mold, reducing the cost of tooling per boat. Normally, there are a limited number of options to make assembly line production more efficient in terms of cost.

Leaving the ranks of production boats, there are several types of custom construction. There are many boats built with a limited budget, which is normally by amateurs. If you don’t want to build the boat yourself, the next level available is what sailors call “semi custom” boats.

These semi customs are normally built by small or mid sized shops out of one set of molds so the hull and decks could end up being identical. The builders will however, allow the owner to pick out the interior and other options.

The true custom built boat, or one of a kind boat, is specifically designed and built from scratch for a single customer with an unlimited budget. A true custom boat is a one on one project, and can get very expensive before you know it.

Before you decide to go out and buy a custom boat, you should give the used market another look. Those who have built custom or even semi custom boats in the past do put them on the market for sale at some point or another.

This is a much less expensive way to go, simply because you won’t be paying a professional to design the boat from scratch. You can find used boats that offer one of kind features and options, all you have to do is look around.