# Boat damaged at marina. Happen to anyone else?



## mellandry (Aug 17, 2012)

Keeping the details light while this plays out, but I wanted to see if anyone else ever experienced this, and what the outcome was.

The boat is stored on a rack at the marina. Went to take it out and there was significant damage. More damage than could have been overlooked last time it was put away (the boat is not seaworthy).

Anyone ever have the experience of going to take your boat out from the marina where it was stored and finding damage that you did not inflict? If so, how did the marina handle it?

Thanks for your help.


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## Patriot (Jun 4, 2009)

Your contract should spell it out.


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## JoshH (Sep 28, 2007)

well, is it obvious its from the lift driver smashing it into something? 
your contract and marina manager should spell it out as stated above. gotta know, what marina


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## Frenchy (Oct 2, 2007)

I feel for you, been there several times at the marina I use, only punctured the hull once, bent a trim tab, broke my outriggers 4 times and the list goes on, got sorted in the end by the marina owner, apart from the water intrusion through the exhaust manifolds, ended up rebuilding my engine twice, next time I am dropped in the water, very soon, I am gone...
My advice to you, always be there when they handle your boat, especially when picked up prior to be set in the rack. On a typical day, the fork lift operators are very busy, just another boat coming in, not theirs, probably try their best but you don't make a race horse out of a donkey.
Granted I am a difficult customer, I was told that even if my boat was dropped and seriously damaged, not their problem/responsability !!! bit like in a car park where they are not liable/responsable for lost property... Sad to see we evolve in a world where no one is accountable for their actions. Shoot me a PM , curious to know which marina it is ?


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## mellandry (Aug 17, 2012)

JoshH said:


> well, is it obvious its from the lift driver smashing it into something?
> your contract and marina manager should spell it out as stated above. gotta know, what marina


Lets say it wasn't a puncture the shape of a forklift tine, but we know we didn't do it.

Would rather not mention the proprietor yet. Just trying to see if anyone had a similar experience they'd like to share to learn from.


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## JoshH (Sep 28, 2007)

I am a dry storage forklift operator, I treat every boat like my own, and make sure my dock hands do the same. I have broken a few minor things, but Im also the first guy to call the owner of the boat to tell them, and usually it is the owner of the boats fault anyways. frenchy Id appreciate it if you didnt put all operators in the same "I dont care" classification. I run 87k and 163k pound machines, and its not about being a race horse its about being efficient. Learning how to be clean and careful comes first, quickness follows.


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## halo1 (Oct 4, 2007)

Sadly,it's all about the contracts..read every last word..bud of mine got hosed on not reading his contract..boat got big scratches from fl, he blew up and almost got into fistcuffs with manager on site. He lost,contract stated NOT liable for any damages moving..just sayin..it's an eye opener


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## Faithnfishin (Dec 5, 2010)

JoshH,
It is good to know that you take pride in what you do. Just like any industry you are going to have those whom try to be the best at what they do and those whom are just waiting for the 8 hours to be over. Sounds like you try to do it right. If I owned a storage marina it would be standard practice to inspect boats when pulled out and own up if my employees screwed up. I would think they would have to carry insurance for this stuff.


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## Telum Pisces (Sep 27, 2007)

I just don't understand how any dry storage place can not take resposiblity for damage caused by their operators or actions. That's like a car dealer saying they are not resposible for an accident in your car while they were test driving it after a repair or somthing. That's freaking crazy. I would never leave my boat at such a place.


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## grouper1963 (Feb 28, 2008)

Demand to see any security films


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## doradohunter (Aug 8, 2010)

I would file an insurance claim and have my insurance company do the legal fighting for me. Way to much hassle to go through to try and battle it out with a marina that is denying fault.


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## wareagle50 (Aug 2, 2008)

+1 doradohunter


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## TOBO (Oct 3, 2007)

I agree insurance company.


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## johnsonbeachbum (Oct 1, 2007)

Telum Pisces said:


> I just don't understand how any dry storage place can not take resposiblity for damage caused by their operators or actions. That's like a car dealer saying they are not resposible for an accident in your car while they were test driving it after a repair or somthing. That's freaking crazy. I would never leave my boat at such a place.


When one facility is signifigantly cheaper per month, one reason could be that their contract/policy absolves them of all responsibility.
And as long as they have customers waiting for space, there is no reason to be responsible.


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## nextstep (Jun 27, 2008)

i bet if you looked at all of their contracts they would be very, very similar.


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## baldona523 (Mar 2, 2008)

Wow that blows me away they don't have insurance, I agree with knowing what you are getting into but I would bet most people don't know that if the Forklift operator drops your boat you are responsible and not them. I have never stored there but I know many friends that do, I am going to ask them if they know their contract. I would bet most just assume.

I can see the company not covering things like outriggers, trim tabs, etc because the boat owner could leave them down and the forklift operator have no idea or control. But a dropped boat not being covered? That's absurd imo.

Does normal boat insurance cover dry storage accidents?


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## First Cast (Oct 8, 2007)

My boat had obvious forklift/storage rack damage that I noticed one day, showed the marina owner, and they had it fixed without any conflict or cost to me at all. Things happen, and most people are reasonable when they do.


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## JoshH (Sep 28, 2007)

I gotta know these marinas that dont seem to cover anything they break. Anything that has been broken since Ive been around dry storage, has been covered, at least partially. Obviously every situation is different, but boats dont just get broke and then it gets shrugged off. I find it hard to believe its different anywhere else. As for a boat being dropped, a marina carries liability insurance. It would be a claim on the marinas insurance, and the marina would pay the deductible. Then depending on why it happened, (operator or equipment failure) it would go from there. Contrary to what most people think it is REALLY REALLY hard to drop a boat. The only way I could see it happening is backing out of a rack up high, and not having the hull parallel to the bunks and not watching the load as you back out, so youd pull it say halfway and then the bunks would grab the hull and hold it and you keep going and bingo. If a marina actually drops a boat I wouldnt even consider storing a kayak anywhere near that place. I gotta know what marinas these are.


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## Jet fishin (May 5, 2012)

doradohunter said:


> I would file an insurance claim and have my insurance company do the legal fighting for me. Way to much hassle to go through to try and battle it out with a marina that is denying fault.


Let the carrier subrogate:thumbsup:


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## K-Bill (May 14, 2009)

baldona523 said:


> Wow that blows me away they don't have insurance, I agree with knowing what you are getting into but I would bet most people don't know that if the Forklift operator drops your boat you are responsible and not them. I have never stored there but I know many friends that do, I am going to ask them if they know their contract. I would bet most just assume.
> 
> I can see the company not covering things like outriggers, trim tabs, etc because the boat owner could leave them down and the forklift operator have no idea or control. But a dropped boat not being covered? That's absurd imo.
> 
> Does normal boat insurance cover dry storage accidents?


Yeah it does - collision if its impact damage, comp if a plug is left out and the boat sinks after they splash it. Now there's an interesting conversation...


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