Safeguard Against Damage And Theft

Boats sometimes are satirically referred to as “holes in the water into which you throw money.” For the addicted boat owner however, a boat represents an investment in unmatched recreational activity for family and friends.

But like any other investment, there needs to be safeguards in place for protection of the investment. Insurance is one such safeguard.

A talk with David Brown, who heads up the American Automobile Association Insurance program, revealed a number of discount programs available from most insurance companies that can cut the cost of boat insurance.

There are discounts for completing a boating safety course, and this may become mandatory. The Oregon Legislature passed a bill this year calling for proof that a boat owner had successfully completed a boating safety course before they will issue a license for the boat.

Ten other states have passed similar legislation, but nothing yet in Idaho or Washington.

Other discounts to be aware of in purchasing insurance include savings for accepting a higher deductible, protective device discounts, diesel engine discount, and a certified vessel safety check as discussed in an earlier column. In addition, several companies provide policy discounts if you have home, auto and boat policies with the same insurer.

Unfortunately, many boat owners fail to contract for sufficient insurance. They will buy hull insurance to protect their own boat but forget about liability insurance to protect against damage or injury to other people and properties.

For instance, the law clearly states that a boat operator is fully responsible for any damage caused by the boat’s wake and there are many “no wake” zones in local waterways. Some areas are not marked, but common courtesy calls for no wake in or near marinas, private docks, boat launch areas, swimming areas and along environmentally sensitive areas such as river banks and shorelines.

A growing problem around marinas is theft. Many marinas have adopted locked gates as a way to provide security for boats and equipment stored on the docks. However, it is virtually impossible to protect against invasion by pirates who come in from the water.

The attraction for theft also is increasing as boats are outfitted with the latest in high-tech electronics. A couple of more dollars spent on quality locks and dead-bolts can pay huge dividends.

One boat owner suggested that he placed one of those small fireproof document safes on his boat and he puts his binoculars and small electronic gear in it. The safe, of course, needs to be securely mounted. Close windows and drapes when you leave your boat to prevent “window shopping.”

Marine engines can be hot-wired as easily as the family car, so there’s more reason to have a secure key lock cutoff switch in the battery link wiring than just fire prevention.

You may even want to consider a burglar alarm. Obviously, a motion-sensitive device such as is used on some automobiles is impractical, but there are some ingenious light bars that could trip up someone trying to crawl around on your boat when you are away.

Property in the parking lot also can be attractive to someone looking for something to loot. There’s no better signal that there’s ample time to break in and steal than an empty boat trailer attached to a towing vehicle in a parking lot at night.

The trailer needs to be locked to the towing vehicle and more than usual attention paid to securing items inside the towing vehicle. Outboard engines left on a boat need to be locked on to the boat even at home, and trailer chained to an immovable object.

Lastly, as recommended for your home, keep an inventory. Make a list of your equipment by make, model and serial number. Keep photos of your boat, trailer and other equipment at home.

Inexpensive scribing pens are available to personalize items with a number or other identifying mark (do not use your Social Security number). These measures can help law enforcement authorities identify your property if taken and later recovered.

This sidebar appeared with the story:

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We want this column to be your column and request that you send information about events or regattas on Kootenai County waterways, along with your questions to: The Idaho Spokesman-Review, 608 Northwest Blvd. Suite 200, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814. You can reach us by fax at 765-7149 or by e-mail at rbka@televar.com.