Keeping on top of maintenance is part of owning any boat. But putting off seemingly minor jobs can have consequences beyond an inconvenient breakdown.
Marine insurer Pantaenius says it continues to see maintenance-related problems including corrosion and damage associated with a lack of servicing. Importantly, these aren’t necessarily matters that insurance will cover.
“Insurance is designed for sudden and unforeseen events, not deterioration or a lack of maintenance,” the Pantaenius team says.
So what are some of the problems boat owners should be keeping an eye on?
The maintenance problems that keep appearing
Some of the issues Pantaenius encounters repeatedly will be very familiar to experienced boat owners.
They include deteriorated hoses, blocked drainage systems, corrosion, ageing standing rigging, neglected through-hull fittings, poorly maintained batteries and water entering through seals or deck fittings.
None sounds particularly dramatic in isolation, but left unattended they have the potential to develop into much more serious problems.
Pantaenius recommends owners regularly inspect mooring lines and seacocks, keep bilges clean, monitor batteries and electrical systems and make sure loose equipment is properly secured.
It’s also important that everyone operating the boat has an understanding of its systems and emergency procedures.
Maintenance and your insurance
One misconception Pantaenius encounters is the assumption that comprehensive insurance means everything that happens to a boat will automatically be covered.
That’s not necessarily the case.
Damage resulting from a lack of maintenance or a failure to carry out necessary repairs may not be covered. Insurance is intended to protect against unforeseen and accidental events rather than damage that develops gradually through wear, deterioration or neglected maintenance.
As the Pantaenius team puts it: “Good insurance and good boat care go hand in hand.”
Keep your maintenance records
Looking after the boat is one thing. Keeping a record of what you’ve done can also be important.
Pantaenius recommends retaining invoices, photographs, service reports and other maintenance records.
If something does go wrong, good records can make it considerably easier to establish what happened and provide a useful history of the vessel’s maintenance and condition.
It’s a simple habit that may prove valuable when you’re trying to piece together the circumstances surrounding a claim.
Can technology help prevent problems?
Increasingly, owners have access to technology capable of identifying a developing problem before it causes major damage.
Onboard monitoring systems can alert owners to water ingress, loss of shore power, low battery voltage, fire, unexpected movement or unauthorised access.
That can be particularly valuable when a boat is sitting unattended on a marina berth or mooring.
There is, however, an obvious catch.
The technology is only effective if alerts are actively monitored and somebody acts on them.
Pantaenius expects remote vessel monitoring to become increasingly common over the next decade, alongside collision-avoidance technology, integrated navigation systems, electric and hybrid propulsion, advanced battery systems and automated emergency alerts.
While some of these technologies may help reduce risks, Pantaenius points out that they can also introduce new repair and technical challenges as boats become increasingly complex.
A little prevention can go a long way
Most boat owners don’t need reminding that boats require maintenance. The challenge is often keeping ahead of all the jobs competing for attention.
The experience of an insurer dealing with incidents after something has gone wrong provides another reason not to ignore them.
Hoses, seacocks, batteries, rigging, bilges, drainage systems and corrosion may not be the glamorous side of boat ownership, but keeping on top of them can help prevent a relatively minor issue becoming something considerably more serious.
And when it comes to insurance, don’t assume that every failure will automatically result in a claim.
Good maintenance and good insurance perform different roles — and both matter.
MySailing Marine Insurance Series – with Pantaenius
This article is part of the MySailing Marine Insurance Series with Pantaenius. Read our first article, Beyond the Fine Print: What Every Australian Boat Owner Should Know About Marine Insurance, and look out for further articles covering yacht racing, overseas cruising and preparing your boat for severe weather.
Find out more about Pantaenius and its specialist marine insurance for Australian boat owners at pantaenius.com.
#PantaeniusAustralia #MarineInsurance #BoatInsurance #YachtInsurance #SailingAustralia #BoatOwnership
Interested in seeing more Boat & Gear News?
