Post Collision Repair or Total

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by boatman61

$30k..
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ml#post3866186

sold!!! come get it

[JPA Cate]

Our experience was different from what McHughV described. Our rigger was working at a marina nearby to our marina, and we took the boat over there, the riggers made the mast ready to lift and the crane took it ashore for inspection and a welding job. We took the boat back to our marina and went to it to inspect progress, continuing to live on the boat was much harder when we did the repair on the previous boat.

However, following the dismasting, we jammed a bucket inside the halyard ring at the base of where the deck penetration for the keel stepped mast was, to keep rain out, and we were offered to live aboard a local catamaran till we got the boat back together, which we did. (Thanks again, Jacques, RIP.) We were allowed into the shop to do the work on the new mast that we could, which involved sanding the new mast in a way that shined it up by walking the sandpaper the length of the mast without lifting it at all, and then they sprayed it with a clear spray. Our mast just glowed after the treatment. It was rigged with Sta-Loks and we used dieformed wire. This info is here just to show that recovery is possible where it is desired.

Good luck with it all, Don.

Ann

[Dr. D]

Go with option (1).

Sad to see you leave the forum.

[sailorboy1]

If my boat had had keel stepped mast the whole top of the boat would have ripped open!

In fact the CG came to inspection my boat to verify it was seaworthy and it wasn't till the end that we realized they were thinking the whole deck was ripped open because they were thinking a keel stepped mast.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

If my boat had had keel stepped mast the whole top of the boat would have ripped open!

In fact the CG came to inspection my boat to verify it was seaworthy and it wasn't till the end that we realized they were thinking the whole deck was ripped open because they were thinking a keel stepped mast.

That's a good point. Depending on the strength of the mast extrusion and the deck, a keel stepped mast could have either snapped at the deck penetration or done significant additional damage. Or in a less likely scenario, depending on the actual impact speed, impact height above the deck, and strength of the components (such as a strong deck and an old school stiff telephone pole for a mast), the boat might actually have just stopped when the mast hit the outrigger pole or potentially broken the outrigger pole.

Deck stepped definitely has the cleaner, more predictable failure mode in a situation like this.

[flightlead404]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

From an earlier thread; I had a collision with a fishing vessel that ripped all my mast/sails/rigging away. I have now gotten the estimate, which I feels misses things. I am pretty sure my wife and I are out of boating after this so it comes down to how to handle getting out.

My Agreed Value is $59,900 (under insured because of being in Florida). Right now the estimate is $56,250. I can see missing items on the estimate that would I feel once added will exceed my insurance value. So the choices I see are:

1 - Press to get the estimate increased to more than the Agreed Value, get a check check for $59,900 and walk away easy.

2 - Repair the boat and risk that it will be more than Agreed Value that I have to make up the difference of (if it costs less it means nothing bottom line to me). Then sell a repaired boat that will have new sails, mast, boom, standing and running rigging,new mast lights, radar, VHF antenna. Currently the lowest priced Hunter 410 list for sale is $85k. I don't want to draw out my pain of selling holding out for the highest price so was thinking $80k. Assuming the repair runs $5k over the Agreed Value I would away with $75k

So do 1 and get out easy and collect $60k, or do 2 and HOPE to sell easy and walk away with $75k. $15k is $15k, but I am not sure it is the real driver as there is a lot of emotion still in play.

What would the faceless forums members do?

Its an incredible shame and I'm really very, very sorry for you.

That said, is it worth the time, immediate expense, irritation, and risk to try and get an extra $15k out all the while knowing you're done anyway? Only you can make that determination.

If you're truly done, and there's no chance of salvaging your dream if it were me I'd just want to wash my hands on it. That probably means trying to push them over the line on the agreed value.

[MicHughV]

Curious to know your wife's take on the matter ?

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

Curious to know your wife's take on the matter ?

If talking to me my wife is ready to be out of boating. She has been going along with it for a while, but I can not expect her to after this. The day of the collison we were on day 1 of our last trip.

[MicHughV]

I can relate.

Seems like there is your answer then.

To my eye, the sailboat market is quite flat at the moment and selling any boat is likely to take time, especially one that has had to be repaired.

This may sound silly, but I've been considering this for a while. I'd love to see all the US and have been toying with the idea of getting a camper to keep me on the move, see new places, meet new people, etc.

It may not suit everyone, but some boating friends of mine recently chose this option, and my wife and I have driven out to meet them here and there in various campsites and there is a certain attraction about it.

An idea to consider ????

For my wife, there is the security of being relatively close to medical facilities, considering my age, etc.

[P3sailor]

"Take the check and collect the interest for a few years!" Now, that is funny considering the interest rates are so low the person wouldn't make zilch point sh-t with that.
It appears the individual isn't interested in continuing sailing, so I would think it would be prudent to just to total the vessel, take the money, and run. Though it would mean taking a loss but it would free the owner of the headaches getting the vessel repaired properly.

[OS2Dude]

Do not recall your earlier post. What is the condition of the hull and deck? I can't imagine the damage is limited only to the rigging, mast and sails. I would guess you will have a hard time finding insurance for a 'rebuilt' boat. Not having the emotional attachment you do, my first inclination would be to strip her of anything still usable (if ins allows) and total it.

[TabbyCat]

If the damage is over 50% of the Agreed Value, the insurance company is highly likely to consider the boat a total constructive loss. At that point, it is their option whether to take possession of the boat. So if you want to take the money and leave it, be sure they take possession, otherwise you will be liable to the yard for future storage costs of the vessel. Many people do opt to purchase the boat back from the underwriter for a nominal fee, then fix it up using the funds provided, and thus end up with a boat that is better than it was before the accident. They key is getting, as you said, enough to complete the repairs, plus cover the time in the yard.

[sailingharry]

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

Repairs always cost more in time, money, and aggravation than estimated. Cost overruns of 50-100% are not uncommon. I'd take the $60K and walk away.

This raises an interesting twist. Although since the boat is insured for less than market value, that may make even more twists.


I think (suspect) that if they agree on repair, they are on the hook regardless of cost. At least with full insurance, they can't say "your boat is $100K, damage estimate is $75K -- bummer it cost you $125K to fix it." I think this is why cars get totaled at 75% -- they don't want inevitable project creep to result in having to pay more than the car value.


If this premise is correct, fixing it may well be a good approach. You might very well get much more value added than the policy limit would indicate.

[Stewie12]

Take the money and walk away with less hassle.

[TPG]

I really feel for you man, as I would for anyone in this situation. If this happened to me in the circumstances you describe here, I would take the payout and sell the boat as-is.

One would think that you could live aboard in a marina while selling, at least that would be my take.

Best wishes to you regardless what you choose to do.