Joe Coons
The word got out fast! In early August, a charterer on my boat Skylark II hit a rock near Winchelsea Island in the Straits of Georgia, damaging a shaft, prop, rudder, and a little fiberglass. An experienced boater (I'm going to let him charter next year!) he got a little disoriented and went on the wrong side of a buoy. BANG. His deposit was gone, just like that! (Charter boat deposits equal the insurance deductible.)
He's a nice guy, and he spent that night tossing and turning trying to figure out how he'd made such a mistake? He finally realized that he had gone from a detailed, small-scale chart to a large-scale chart, and so what looked like one little island was actually a larger one in another spot.
Frankly, I can think of a few times when it could have happened to me! So it's especially important to plan your course carefully in unfamiliar waters.
I've never hit a rock, though I've come close several times. But I have definitely found myself being complacent. After seeing this chap's distress, and realizing how much time and money it took to get the boat absolutely fit again, I'm going to redouble my efforts to stay clear of them for many moons to come.
About the post-accident process: We needed a notarized accident report. After the boat came back to Bellingham (we had a diver check it in Nanaimo) on one engine, it was hauled, surveyed, and our wonderful local craftsmen went to work. Prop, shaft, rudder, and rudder stock (which had cracked) were ordered. The minor fiberglass repairs were made. The surveyor checked the work and approved all the bills, which were submitted to the insurance company.
By the time all this was done, three weeks had elapsed. I'm looking forward to having it over!
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Last updated 12/4/99 by SCR