Why Shrink Wrap?

[comsnark]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

My 2x4 system has worked the last 8 years between the two boats. . .but honestly I want something a bit classier. Good thing I have a month or two before I put the cover on. . . .

 

[Henry Boyd]

I thought I'd revive this topic. I happened to be looking at my boat insurance policy yesterday and noticed the following:

"Exclusions:
freezing, or thawing, pressure or weight of water, snow or ice, whether or not driven by wind which occurs while the vessel is:
a) afloat
b) on a lift located over water
c) ashore, but not professionally winterized"

Sounds to me like an endorsement for Mr. Shrinkwrapper, as most of us pay for this service.

Suggest everyone take a look at their insurance policy and give it some thought before making the decision to DIY your winter cover.

Henry

 

[Sundancer]

I thought I'd revive this topic. I happened to be looking at my boat insurance policy yesterday and noticed the following:

"Exclusions:
freezing, or thawing, pressure or weight of water, snow or ice, whether or not driven by wind which occurs while the vessel is:
a) afloat
b) on a lift located over water
c) ashore, but not professionally winterized"

Sounds to me like an endorsement for Mr. Shrinkwrapper, as most of us pay for this service.

Suggest everyone take a look at their insurance policy and give it some thought before making the decision to DIY your winter cover.

Henry

I don't think it matters if you shrink wrap or not, the insurance company just doesn't want water, ice or snow to crush it. They certainly don't exclude or endorse one type of cover versus the other. It wouldn't matter, I'd be out their making sure it was clear anyway. With the proper slope on the tarp, I don't get any buildup of snow. It causes it's own avalanches! :grin: I KNOW I've done it right when those happen!

 

[mike472]

Is there a size beyond which covering it yourself becomes unpractical? What about 41 feet by 14 foot beam? I think bigger boats present a bigger problem when it comes to DIY covers. This got me thinking about how to cover my intended new boat a 2000 370EC. This at least has a hartop that helps protect. I think the shrinkwrap route is best with this one.
My 93 270WE is pretty easy to cover with a tarp, but I've still had problems, although I havnt taken the trouble to engineer the excellent pipe frame that Rondds did.

 

[Henry Boyd]

I don't think it matters if you shrink wrap or not, the insurance company just doesn't want water, ice or snow to crush it. They certainly don't exclude or endorse one type of cover versus the other. It wouldn't matter, I'd be out their making sure it was clear anyway. With the proper slope on the tarp, I don't get any buildup of snow. It causes it's own avalanches! :grin: I KNOW I've done it right when those happen!

The operative words are 'professionally winterized'. I agree that many people can cover their boats with tarp systems as good as, or better than some boat yards. I would add the insurance company probably knows this as well.

But when the boat is professionally winterized it is done by a business, who carries insurance. Insurance companies have a practice called subrogation. That is the practice of going after the entity that caused the reason for your claim. In other words after your insurance company pays your claim, they will then contact the boat yard either with a law suit, or a bill, that the yard will then submit to its insurance company. The two then duke it out.

However when you DIY, there is no one to subrogate except you. Depending on policy, a whim, the weather, or whatever, they may, or may not decide to pay your claim. In that circumstance it is entirely their choice.

I posted the material because:

1) I didn't know about this exclusion and only found it by accident, and felt others might be equally unaware,

2) shrink wrapping is generally done by boatyards for a fee (i.e. professionally), and tarps and framing systems are generally DIY.

My message is read your insurance policy, and if yours carries the same exclusion then make your mind up of one vs the other recognizing the potential additional risk.

 

[comsnark]

Crud. I think you need to get a different insurance policy, . . . . do you also have a "layup" clause which mandates haulout during October-April? My policy has neither clause.

I wonder if the snow clause is a regional thing. . .I notice you are in an area that gets much more snow than my area.

And bigger boats definately are harder for the DIY. At some point. . .you are talking multiple large tarps. And handling these tarps if there is any kind of wind can be an adventure.

 

[Henry Boyd]

Yes we have a November 1 to April 30 layup clause, but that is just about our season in Massachusetts, so it actually is a money saver on the premium. I wouldn't be surprised that the snow clause is regional because it was on an addendum page, not in the body of the basic policy.

As for getting a new insurance carrier, I don't think so. The reason why I was reading the policy was that one of our neighbor's lost the engine this summer on their Mainship Trawler. The raw water pickup sucked up a plastic bag and the engine cooked. Anyway their insurance company picked up the tab ($ 52,000.00) without complaint and were pretty quick about it as well. According to my friends the only part of the experience that worked on time and professionally was the insurance process!

After talking with them about their problem it turns out their boat insurance company is the same as ours, hence my re-reading of our policy. So my neighbor's bad luck this summer is in a sense good news for me because now I know they will come through if we have any problems.

Henry

 

[JVM225]

Because its quick and easy.

:thumbsup: I agree!
Bak in the old days I used to construct a support system for a winter tarp, cover the boat up, and go down and check it every once in a while.
These days I pay to have the shrink wrap done, walk away, and don't worry about the boat until it's time to unwrap it for the next season.