Insurance needed for transient (temporary) dockage?

[Mike OReilly]

Certainly seeming like insurance is more the rule than the exception for transient dockage. Keep it coming though.

Enforcement seems erratic in some places according to reports here. I guess that's to be expected.

[David Mathis]

The only place we've ever been asked for insurance was the Mohawk Harbor Marina in Schenectady, next to the casino on the Erie Canal. I told the dock boy that we've never been asked for insurance and don't carry the policy. He was a new employee and was surprised that boats didn't have an insurance card like cars. He looked at the document (never saw a document, only a state registration), shrugged his shoulders, took our credit card, and assigned a slip.

[BobFord]

Insurance requested at every marina East coast Australia and Tasmania , in my experience. Most draconian was Airlie Beach where insurance was needed just to take on fuel at an auto card dock !!

[Mike OReilly]

I'm beginning to think Canada is the last land of the (insurance) free.

[hjohnson]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

I'm beginning to think Canada is the last land of the (insurance) free.

I certainly have never been asked for insurance anywhere in BC, public or private marinas. I have it, of course, but I've never been asked.

[sv_pelagia]

Originally Posted by HeywoodJ

Forgot one, Prince Rupert YC in BC wanted insurance certificate at check-in for one night.

Not for us when we visited PRYRC in June 2022....

(indeed, same time as Kelkara)

[sv_pelagia]

Originally Posted by Kelkara

Interesting ... They have never asked me about insurance in 4 separate visits.

In fact I've never been asked about insurance at any marina I've stopped at in BC.

[emoji106][emoji106]

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Many people on CF report that liability insurance (at a minimum) is needed to enter a marina, or temporarily rent a dock; in other words, transient dockage.

I have never experienced this demand.

Neither have I but I have read the small print on the contract I've signed when I checked in. I've seen that by signing this agreeement I ackowledge blah blah marine insurance.

[thomm225]

This is from Little Creek Marina near me.

https://www.thelittlecreekmarina.com/dockage/

Transient dockage is allowed for a maximum of 1 month, at which time a regular dockage lease must be signed.
Transient Electricity is $9.00 / 30 Amp; $15.00 / 50 Amp or Twin 30 Amp.
All dockage will be taxed at 6% not including electricity charges.

A copy of your insurance must be provided at time of check-in along with current documentation.

Please notify the marina office if Customs must be contacted, or contact (757) 533-4211 for Coastwise arrival or (757) 533-4218 for Foreign arrival.

I was never asked about insurance at some of the outlying/rural marinas I have stayed at either transient or month to month but it's different in the city marinas

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

Neither have I but I have read the small print on the contract I've signed when I checked in. I've seen that by signing this agreeement I ackowledge blah blah marine insurance.

Yes, good point BP. It could be that the requirement is embedded in whatever one signs. Much like all the agreements we all sign these days, I bet few would stand up in court, if it ever came to that.

I realize I'm a poor example in all this, but I'm quite sure most of the transient docks I've stayed at didn't even require me to sign anything. The only times I recall having to sign things was at some places in Lake Ontario and Erie. But it was always pretty perfunctory, even there. Certainly, insurance was never mentioned, but maybe it was in the small print (as you say).

I do think the more rural, and out of the way, one travels, the less these kinds of legal 'cover-thy-hiney' contracts are encountered or enforced.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

I do think the more rural, and out of the way, one travels, the less these kinds of legal 'cover-thy-hiney' contracts are encountered or enforced.

That makes sense, as the out of the way places are less likely to place you in a slip surrounded by other expensive boats. So the risk of something happening to your boat and causing a bunch of expensive collateral damage is lower.

[Simi 60]

And while your at it, why not ask about maintenance yards?

Everywhere we have enquired about always asks for insurance docs before you can come out for maintenance.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

That makes sense, as the out of the way places are less likely to place you in a slip surrounded by other expensive boats. So the risk of something happening to your boat and causing a bunch of expensive collateral damage is lower.

Makes sense.

I do wonder if there is a character difference at work as well. The further one is from dense urban areas, the more relaxed people tend to be about all this legal stuff. I'm not trying to paint some idyllic view of rural/remote folks, but I find that people in the hinterlands tend NOT to want to run to a higher authority to solve their problems, and are more likely to just work it out themselves.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Makes sense.

I do wonder if there is a character difference at work as well. The further one is from dense urban areas, the more relaxed people tend to be about all this legal stuff. I'm not trying to paint some idyllic view of rural/remote folks, but I find that people in the hinterlands tend NOT to want to run to a higher authority to solve their problems, and are more likely to just work it out themselves.

That may be a factor as well. But I'd expect a lot of the push on this comes from the marina's insurance. It's a lot more expensive to insure the marina if it's full of uninsured boats, as the marina's insurance is on the hook for damaged docks, etc. after a fire (vs being able to go after the insurance of the boat the started it). So the more dense the marina gets, the more that becomes an issue.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Makes sense.

I do wonder if there is a character difference at work as well. The further one is from dense urban areas, the more relaxed people tend to be about all this legal stuff. I'm not trying to paint some idyllic view of rural/remote folks, but I find that people in the hinterlands tend NOT to want to run to a higher authority to solve their problems, and are more likely to just work it out themselves.

It's not about the people or the higher authority in rural areas, it's simply they don't usually care about it because there are so few accidents.

And the higher authority is many miles away.

Also it's because in rural areas there are so few boats.

The same applies to working in boatyards.

In rural areas, you don't need a tarp or a vacuum sander for the same reasons say when doing a bottom job because the yard isn't being inspected regularly like a boatyard in the city.

I bought my boat about 8 miles outside a town of maybe 1500 people.

The yard isn't even known by most much less inspected I simply knew it because I'm from there and we used to buy our peeler crabs from the carb houses there for fishing in the Bay and seaside (Ocean side)

photos are of where I found and bought my boat at the rural marina and where it is now in the city.

Doesn't take much to see the differences