Yacht insurance companies provide a wide range of coverages that protects the vessel owner against accidents, injuries, property damage, and storms.  It also protects against some very tricky circumstances that can end badly such as docking the vessel when the situations are less than ideal.  Obviously, no one wants to be in the next YouTube video that goes viral by highlighting their epic fails on camera.  Nor do they want to suffer the embarrassment of filing an insurance claim. And that is why care has to be considered when you are on your yacht.

Docking Difficulties

The bottom line is that no one wants to see their yacht get damaged, but no matter how hard you try to avoid them, accidents are still going to happen.  Unfortunately, power yachts are famous for the difficulty involved in docking them.  Naturally, if you’re one of the more experienced boaters out there, you probably have sufficient yacht insurance coverage and know how important it is when confronted with situations of this nature.

Furthermore, you’re probably aware of all the elements that can make docking such a difficult endeavor, including:

  • high winds
  • mechanical issues
  • strong currents
  • treacherous shorelines
  • unfamiliar marinas

This is why it is extremely important to have a comprehensive yacht insurance policy.  Not only does this protect your investment, it protects you financially as well.

5 Helpful Docking Tips

If you’re a first-time yacht owner or a more experienced boater who wants to sharpen their docking skills, here are 5 helpful tips that just might help make things a bit easier:

Avoid taking any unnecessary risks – sometimes it’s better to stop, retreat, and take a deep breath before continuing with your docking maneuvers.  Avoid frustration at all costs as this could lead to costly damage to your yacht.

Be watchful of your surroundings – if you’re inexperienced, you need to watch out for a number of different hazards that can be a yacht owner’s worst enemies when docking.  These include other boats who are being careless, pilings that exist in unfamiliar waters, and stray mooring lines.

Ensure that all lines are secure prior to shutting down – experienced yacht owners will make sure that they are knotted and tied securely before turning off their engines so they don’t drift out of reach.

Learn how and where to position your fenders – this is truly a docking art.  You have to know the areas to protect to avoid scraping against a pier or piling so position fenders exactly where they need to be.  Don’t get caught up beneath the surface or swing in too high.  The slightest miscalculation can result in very costly yacht insurance claims.

Take it easy – if you move too quickly, damaging your yacht is inevitable so take it easy at first and save that little burst of power for dealing with high winds or strong currents out on the open water.

Call 1-800-585-1665 today to request a quote from InsureAnyBoat.com