What can you tell me about your boat's insurance policy without peeking at it?
Insurance:
By: Captain James Clausen
Physical Damage Insurance: Describes the Yacht with a specified dollar value placed on hull damage, and also describes a deductible from that value. Our policy says we have $300,000.00 on our boats hull, with 2% deductible, $6,000.00.
But which type of coverage do you have? Is it a "replacement value policy", that will pay you the previously declared and agreed replacement hull value of $300,000.00. Or is it an "agreed value policy" (ACV) which will pay you the average value of a similar boat, Perhaps only $255,000.00 . If it’s an agreed value policy remember, you must be "made whole" after the loss. Beware, there are many ways to value a boat after a substantial loss, and you may have to fight to get what you consider a fair settlement. A replacement value policy, where you both agree to a previously declared value, before a loss, is usually much better.
Liability: Many policies are sold with $100,000.00 liability, the brokers I've spoken to agree that this is just not enough. It could cost from $3. to $25. to get to up to the preferred $300,000.00 coverage. When asked about Liability coverage, many owners and agents say a million dollars coverage is needed. It was suggested that an umbrella policy from the agent who provides your homeowners is the preferred way to go for coverage in the Million Dollar range and above. It cost less and covers more. A boater I’ve spoken to was under the impression that his boat could be covered under a umbrella policy alone, this is not the case, you must have a boat policy. Does your policy cover wreck removal? If it doesn’t, and your boat sinks, you are liable to remove it. And if you policy limits the wreck removal cost to $5,000.00 or 5% of the hull coverage and your boat sinks in a fresh water drinking reservoir of 200’ depth, you will be the one paying the additional cost of removal. What about fuel spill liability, does your policy cover it? Environmental cleanup costs have become sky high, and in some cases clean up can continue for years. Can everyone say Exxon Valdez. Will the insurance pay for the salvage cost of your boat if lost? Do these salvage costs deduct from the liability coverage amount, or are they in addition to it? Our policy will pay “IN ADDITION TO THE AGREED HULL VALUE”, very important words, “the necessary salvage cost up to, but not to exceed the agreed hull value.”
Medical Payments: Medical payments are sometimes limited to $1,000.00, more typically $5,000.00 per incident. Payments in excess of this are usually covered under your homeowner's policy or umbrella policy. As a point of information, 95% of all medical claims are under $5,000.00. The cost to increase your Medical Payments from $1,000.00 to $5,000.00 is usually $2.00 to $15.00. But you have to ask for it.
Uninsured boater: What does your policy say as to your coverage and your rights? Some policy's mimic the value of the liability coverage, others have their own declared limits. You should have at least $250,000.00 in uninsured boater coverage. We have opted for $500,000.00
Navigation Limits, Home Port: Marine Insurance policy’s have specific navigation limits in which you can operate the vessel. Ours is stated as, “Eastport Maine, to Cedar Key Florida including the Bahamas.” To which we have expanded to include Canada and Inland Rivers, by endorsement, at a modest additional premium. Your boat permanent location is a determining factor in your premium, (cost).
Policy Extras: Read your policy, we found we have $500.00 to cover towing, fuel drop, or mechanical repairs, and it included at no additional cost to us, we pay up front for the service and the insurance company pays us back. And we have a $500.00 per incident "Named Storm" expense included. Which states that the insurance company will pay to haul us out, and/or have our canvas removed and/or have extra lines installed up to $500.00 total, to protect our boat from storm damage. None of the above is subject to a deductible. Our policy also raises our deductible from 2% to 3% for any damage from a named storm or tropical depression, not great, but acceptable to us.
For an extra $25.00 I can add a Club Program, which raises my towing to $1,000.00 per incident and adds $150.00 for on road assistance for my boat trailer and gives discounts at numerous marinas. Sound familiar?
Survey: Regarding Insurance, how old does your boat have to be to require a survey for the insurance company? The answer is normally 10 years or older. Insurance and appraisal surveys cost about 8 to 10 dollars a foot, + cost to haul. VS a condition and value survey, which is typically 12 to 15 dollars a foot. A mechanical survey is also available but insurers generally do not require it.
Getting Quotes: Get your auto and homeowner agent to offer quotes on your boat insurance, there may be a discount on multiple interlocking policy’s. Look at Allstate, State Farm, Progressive, NBOA, GEICO, and who ever else is recommended to you. BUT beware, boat insurance is a small world, if you ask you local agent to quote you, they may go out to a company like Royal. And NBOA may go out to Royal also, Royal, like many insurers usually will not bid the second request for the same boat. You might want to make copy’s your present policy, be sure to blank out the premium and your present insurance company’s name and policy number, then pass them out at your next big boat show and ask for quotes.
Policy Discounts: If you're insured with BoatUS and take their online boating course, you will receive a 10% discount on your premium, It's a 30 minute online deal, and well worth your time! Other insurers will discount their policy if you have taken the USPS, United States Power Squadrons boaters safety course. Having a US Coast Guard Captains License also rates a discount with many insurers. And the biggest discount is to be a proven safe boater, with multiple years and no claims, yes your claims history is checked.
Lay Up: If your policy is for 12 months of operation and you "Lay Up" unexpectedly, typically for a 6 month period, you can receive a rebate. Seasonal 6 month policies are also available at a reduced cost and are typically used up north.
Miscellaneous: Can a wooden boat be insured; sure but there are fewer and fewer companies who will do it. Can a Grey market boat be insured in the US, sure but you need to call quite a few companies to find one who will, and the survey will be intense and you may be required to update the boat based the surveyors findings. Can a boat older that 25 year old be insured, again sure, many of these boat are antiques in superior condition, but some are dry rotted hulks. A survey will normally be required and the premium will reflect the condition of the vessel and the value of the boat. Boats refused insurance are refused for good reason, would you want them next to you at your dock?
Insuring just before the storm; Once a storm is named, you cannot get insurance for that storm, nor can you increase your coverage for that storms damage.
Equipment Listed: This is the part of your insurance application where you list the number of Bilge Pumps, GPS, Compass, VHF, Etcetera. While it does not effect your premium costs, this is where you should list the serial number on your equipment. Its just smart to do now and here’s the perfect place to record it.
Omissions and Errors: Your agent is a licensed professional, he carries insurance too. He has an Omissions and Errors policy which covers him in case he does something inappropriate. This could be as simple as transcribing the wrong hull number on to you policy. It could be he wrote you with a bad or failing insurance company. It could be the policy it coverage and options were not properly explained to you. The chance of you ever needing to know this or use this is slight, but again, knowledge is power. Ask, educate yourself, don't just listen, read the policy and ask questions. Shop your boat policy, you will be amazed at the different policy's and prices.
In Conclusion: Ask your agent about what you don’t know or understand, if you are still unsure about the answers you receive, send a letter to your agent, and ask for a response in writing. Feel free to ask your question again and include what you though their response was and ask if you understood their answer. Its your money. And its better to ask questions now that to argue later after a loss.
About the author; James has boated in power and sail for over 35 years, he has a USCG Captains license, Private Pilots license, boated extensively in the Bahamas and Caribbean and done the 6300 mile great Loop of America, in 2000-2002. He is a member of American Boat And Yacht Council, Great Lakes Cruising Club, and Maxumowners.org
James Clausen
7067 Villa Estelle Drive
Orlando, Fl 32819 USA
ZINCS, Zinc Saver, Bonding and Corrosion Control
Galvanic Corrosion occurs when two different metals are immersed in a liquid. This essentially describes a common battery, two different metals immersed in a (electrolyte) liquid. On board you boat the liquid is the one the boat is sitting in and the metals are your through hull fittings, propellers, and shafts along with any other metal immersed in the water. Galvanic corrosion causes the more active metal to deteriorate. The more active metal is called the anode.
I now know the answers, where before I had the theory and some half truths. I purchased from Professional Mariner of Portsmouth NH (phone 603-433-4440) their Test Meter Half Cell Part # 2008 and their Corrosion Control #20001 Workbook along with two shaft brushes # 20035. The name Professional Mariner may sound familiar to you, it is the company Maxum chose to supply their OEM battery chargers and ZINC Savers in our electrical panels. To completely understand these subjects buy the Corrosion Control book from Professional Mariner and read it. To get a working knowledge of the subject as it relates to our Maxum boats read on.
We have multiple power sources aboard our boats, 12 vdc battery power, 12 vdc from the battery charger, 12 vdc alternator power from each engine as well as 12 vdc alternator power from the Westerbeke gen set, 120 vac shore power, 120 vac inverter power and 120 vac generator power.
Lets add to this mix the voltage potential of the water our vessels sit in, the content of salt or chemicals and/or metals in the water. Now consider the boats electrical systems interconnection wiring and the green wire bonding system. Lets also add the quality of the shore power wiring along with the potential of having a neighboring boat adversely affecting your vessel.
With that said how many of us really know what is going on around, and inside of our boats?
This scope of the subject dictates we break it down to manageable bites.
Zinc Saver, Bonding "the green wire" and Corrosion Control. Our boats sit in water, our boats have metal in the water, therefore, our boats are a part of the big cosmic battery. Just as our boat bottoms attract marine growth and must be painted with bottom paint, our under water boat metal must be protected by zinc. It is described as "sacrificial zinc" because we plan to offer it up to the gods of "dissimilar materials" rather than give up our through hull connection, props shafts and rudders. On the noble scale of metals, the metal, that is more actively electrically (zinc) will deteriorate first, while the metal that is less active electrically (stainless steel, and bronze) will be protected. This actually works quite well as long as everything is originally done properly, and the owner understands why things are done, so that they can properly maintain them as designed.
All metal connection through the hull are bonded with the "green wire", this keeps all the metal of the boat at a common potential. Further the bond wire provides a low resistance connection with the water the boat is floating in, and provides a path for lightning and adds to the boats ground reference, which can minimize impressed background noise on the ground and neutral bus. The bond wire is run bow to stern in our boats and branches off to the seacocks and through hulls, it is also connected to the negative of the DC system. Further it is connected to the boats AC (green) ground via the Zinc Saver in the electrical panel. The Zinc Saver stops zinc loss to other boats and to the dock while maintaining the AC safety ground protection on board.
Zinc location. I speak from experience on my Maxum, and other boats I have looked at and owned. After reading this you should be able to verify your own boats wiring. With common bonded connection throughout the boat, your boat metal is at the same electrical potential. This being said you should only need one zinc location. Wrong. All your boats connections are not common to the bonding system. Your shaft comes up to the transmission and it has many possible connections to the engines ground connection, but it has no secure or good electrical connection. There are two ways to cure this, one is to add a separate shaft zinc, providing a second independent zinc source, or you can choose to add a shaft brush and join the shaft, prop and connected metals to the boats common zinc source. Maxum has opted for the separate source of zinc. You should know that shaft zinc's expend themselves quicker because of the velocity of the shaft and the abrasion of the water. Either method is acceptable, knowing why something was done, and should continue to be done, is powerful knowledge. Zinc's are also placed on our trim tabs basically for the same reason, a questionable electrical connection in the hinge of the trim tab. In some boat you find zinc's also on the rudders. I am not convinced of the good electrical connection of the rudder shaft to the rudder post and I am going to add a flexible bonding strap between the rudder shaft and the rudder post. You can check this yourself on your own boat with a digital multimeter.
More zinc's aboard. We have engine zinc's aboard inside our propulsion engines and engine generators. Yes, the green bonding wire is connected to both, no the boats underwater zinc will not protect them alone. They are considered as a different body of water and must be zinced independently to protect the engine metals. Never apply Teflon tape or the like when installing engine zinc's this may disrupt the electrical connection of the zinc to the engine block. Engine zinc's die quickly, particularly the lower zinc nearest the water intake.
These are the basics, they should get you up to speed on your boat, but there is more. Do you have too much or too little zinc, do you have any stray currents in your electrical system, and your bonds working? As described above, Professional Mariner, www.pmariner.com has a book as well as a test cell, meters, and devices to help you understand and control corrosion in the marine environment. I am quite pleased with my purchases from them. For additional information contact them, they are the pros.
Safety note: Even though the "green wire" is connected to the boats 12 vdc negative power system you should not connect any 12 vdc devices negative wire to the green wire. To do so would cause current to flow through the system and defeat it's purpose. If you are testing 12 vdc circuits on board, fell free to use it as a temporary 12 vdc negative reference for your light buzzer or meter.
Zincellaneous Information: The data above is for fiberglass hull boats, thing change slightly on wood, aluminum, steel and ferro-cement all of which is covered in the corrosion workbook from Professional Mariner. Electrolysis is not corrosion, or what happens to dissimular metals, or zinc anodes, electrolysis is the process by which water, H20 is broken down into Hydrogen and Oxygen. Magnesium sacrifical anodes are not meant to be used in Saltwater, only fresh water. Your anode should be replaced when it is 50% to 70% eaten away. The anode is the sacrifical metal, the cathode is the metal we are trying to protect.
Compasses;
The Magic of the Magnet.
By: Captain James Clausen
Revised 04/26/2009
I’ve taken it for granted, that if you operated a boat, it had a compass. No need for maintenance, no special handling, it was just there. Well, I should include that I’ve gotten wise enough to check the compass against the GPS, and vice versa. But that was truly IT! Until last week when I went down to the boat and found a light clear oil running down from the flybridge. I looked for the source of the stain and suspected that it came from under the upper sink, a ruptured can of WD40 or silicone spray for the zippers on the enclosure, perhaps the cleaner for the plastic windows. No, you have the answer, it was the compass. The week before, I had noticed an air bubble in the top of the globe and now there was more of a bubble inside along with a pool of compass dampening fluid under it. Joy, another expense and project. Removal was a snap, 4 screws and cut the wire for the light and it was out of the binnacle. Double bag it in trash bags and bring it home.
The boat is 4 years old, the compass should have a warranty, right? I wondered if it still in effect after 4 years? Never having a compass fail in 35 years, I had no clue, but I knew where to find out. Onto the internet, I knew I had a Danforth Constellation, (it said so on the compass card) but there was no model number anywhere to be found. I did find out that the White family who did own Danforth, sold out to ITT Industries, ( Rule, Jabsco, Flojet ) and they now owned the brand. I read through their website and was unimpressed, a work in progress I was later told. I was hoping with the compass in front to me, that I would be able to identify it. But no, there were no dimensions on the website and only limited photos.
Out to the work bench, the leak was from the bottom, not seeing a keyway, I scratched location marks on both upper and lower surfaces and then off with the 8 screws, a quick pop and the magnetic compensation adjustment base was off. I was staring at a rubber diaphragm, just over 3” across. I removed it, dried it off, and inverted it. The rubber was cracked and showed a tear at the point that it flexes. The diaphragm is used to adjust for the expansion and contraction of the oil that the compass card floats in. Simple, order the diaphragm, buy the compass oil that I’ve seen at West Marine and reinstall next weekend. But no, I am told by Danforth, they will not sell me the parts. But, they would be happy to repair my compass just send it in. How much, no idea. Why won’t you sell me the parts? “Repairing a compass is trickier that you might expect it to be.” “I’m a pretty tricky person I reply,” silence on the other end of the phone. Thank You, and good by. Was this common to all compasses? I called Ritchie Navigation, they have been building compasses for 150 years. I asked for parts and asked if they would sell me parts for a Ritchie compass, sure what do you want the pleasant man on the other end of the phone asked. I was shocked, I spoke to the parts man about what Ritchie compass model could replace my Danforth and looked at their website, photos, dimensions, breakdowns and with part numbers, a beautiful job by the way.
Did you ever try to measure the dimensions of a compass? Because of the globes height, you cannot just lay a ruler own on the compass or use a micrometer. You need to have two squares, by sliding them to the proper distance that you want to measure you lock them with one hand, grab the ruler with the other and do a guesstimate. With that information I called ITT back and asked my questions again and was told the compass had a three year warranty, the same as Ritchie. No, they still could not identify the compass model from my description, ITT later told me that they started marking model numbers on their compass bases three years ago.
Still not to be put off, I found three compass repair stations and asked them about identifying my mystery Danforth compass and ordering my part. I took the attached digital photo and now I sent it off to three compass repair stations. Sure they had the diaphragm for my 4 1/2” Constellation. It was also identical to an Aquameter Gemini, sure you could buy it, it’s a #160-1-1, ten bucks plus shipping, make it twelve dollars total with the tax. Sold. Here’s an insider tip, to clarify the dampening oil and remove all the air before sealing the fill plug, fill the compass with oil and put it in the freezer for 15 minutes. Then top it off and seal the unit. The Danforth fluid is Exxon Isopar-M. It is the universal fluid. Ritchie uses Isopar-L, which is of a lower viscosity (L for low). Some manufacturers still use alcohol (45% Ethyl only, cheap vodka will do in an emergency). Also, the fluids dissolve gasses, these must be removed by subjecting the fluids to vacuum at -28 in. Hg. Otherwise, anytime a thunderstorm comes by, a bubble will form.
Now, that I was less of a novice, I E-mailed ITT Industries and asked more questions of management. Oh! Did we say we wouldn't sell you parts, what we must of meant was that its a difficult task and since you didn't know the model number of the compass it would be better if you sent it in for service. Even when I sent the photo to ITT Industries that I have had identified by other compass service shops, ITT Industries could not identify the model compass I had. In fairness, ITT Industries also told me that, if the compass was too costly to repair, they would offer another compass at a substantial discount to me. The problem is, I don't want another Danforth compass, I want a compass from a company like Ritchie, where life is sweet and easy.
The truth: ITT-Rule will not sell parts to users because the company repairers asked them not to as a concession when they revised their service policy last year. The ITT corporate philosophy is company controlled repair centers with repair or replace at the company's option as the primary mode of operation. They eliminated the discount on parts to the repair centers completely. Repair center margins were drastically cut but by eliminating the consumer sales of parts at least keeps them alive. Why didn’t Danforth just direct me to a outside sales and service center?
Resolution: If it was a cheap compass, or a old abused compass, I would have just replaced it. But no, it was over a “C” note and just over 4 years old. The final route taken was to repair it. I found all three Compass shops that I contacted exceptional in courtesy and professionalism. If it fails again can you guess who’s compass I’ll buy?
Island Compasses South, Asa Lassiter, Compass Service:
Charleston, SC
888-269-3810
Island Marine Instrument Co Inc, Bill Haimes, Compass Service:
Everett, WA
888-539-2757
cdrcompass@islandmarineinst.com
L. B. Harvey Marine Electronics, Inc. Compass Service:
Miami, FL
305-856-1583
lbhmarine@aol.com
Ritchie Navigation, Ritchie Compasses
Pembroke, MA
781-826-5131
ITT Industries, Danforth Compasses
Gloucester, MA
978-281-0440
Maxum had introduced Volvo Diesel Engines into some larger new model boats, and in some cases Maxum redesigned their existing models to accept Volvo Diesel Engines. The new 4200 SCR will have the option of a 480 HP Volvo Diesel Engine when it appear at Maxum Yacht dealers around the county this year, (2001). Here's a comparison along with information ALL of us Maxum Owners need to know.
HP
Description
Weight
Fuel
Liners?
Head
Cylinder Block
Turbocharged
Wastegate Turbo
Aftercooler
Oil Cooler
Blow-by
Alternator
Transmission
Marine
Service
Centers
I chose Michigan, Florida and California because they are the top 3 states for boat registration.
Expected
Reliability
Engine Oil
Depending on Fuel sulfur content whichever comes first.
Oil Filters
Coolant
A word on coolant, engine manufacturers are giving notice that "extended life coolants" that contain an organic acid should not be used in their Engines.
It may attack their interior engine seals.
Coolant Change
Starting
Volvo uses a combination of engineering and computer control to achieve this. In the Volvo TAMD74 if the temperature is below 59 degrees F, the computer will raise the engines RPM to 800 for two minutes to warm it up.
Cummins uses a combination of engineering and an air intake heater, before starting the intake air is heated. The air heater will operate until the intake air reaches 95 degrees F. Further it will operate between 350 and 1200 RPM as needed.
Environmental regulations seem to demand ever reduced engine emissions. Boaters demand low idling diesel engines (600) RPM. To run properly and burn the full properly, Diesels like to be warm. Operating a diesel at low RPM for long periods can mean below normal engine block temperatures for long periods.
In reality running a 2600 RPM Diesel's under 800 RPM for any length of time is a bad idea. In fact at low engine temperatures unburned fuel may weep down the cylinder liner into the lubrication oil and contaminate it. I suspect this could happen in the Volvo TAMD74 and in the Cummins 450C if operated @ 600 RPM for extended periods. Call it the nature of the beast.
Responding to this statement above in the prepublication review Cummins says:
While it is still not recommended to idle any engine (Gasoline or Diesel) for extended periods of time without a load, the phenomenon of wash down, (fuel hitting the cylinder wall and washing off the oil) is not as much a factor anymore. This was a common problem in older fuel systems that operated at lower injection pressures. With lower injection pressures, the fuel injected into the cylinder could remain in a stream and not be completely atomized. That stream of fuel could hit the cylinder wall causing wash down at slow speeds. With today's higher injection pressures the fuel becomes atomized into small droplets when it is injected, which allows better combustion and lower emissions. These smaller droplets don't travel as far and do not hit the cylinder wall.
Duty The duty rating is VERY important.
Rating Volvos instruction book does not mention it. Well, I called Volvo, no surprise here for those of you who know me, and asked for it, we looked together in the instruction book and neither of us could find it. My contact at Volvo did find it in the "Engine Installation Manual" in his Sales Packet. Volvo rates the "Duty Rating" of it's engines from 1 to 5. One is Heavy Duty Commercial, five is Pleasure Duty. The Volvo TAMD74 is rated (5) Pleasure Duty, "For pleasure craft applications only, which presumes operation by the owner for his/her recreation. Running hours less than 300 per year, (this is the ISO 3046 fuel and power rating specifications kicking in although it doesn't clearly state it.) Full power could be utilized a maximum of 1 hour per 12 hours of operation period. Between full load operation periods engine speed should be reduced at least 10% from the obtained full load speed." In this case 2600 RPM full load minus 10% is 2340 RPM. This is the TOP of your Cruising range, this is about 360 HP.
Cummins warranty booklet and manuals spell it out. Cummins defines the "Duty Rating" of it's 450C engine as Recreational, High Output for Pleasure Duty. The Cummins Warranty limits its use "For pleasure craft applications only, which presumes operation by the owner for his/her recreation. Running hours less than 300 per year, this is the ISO 3046 fuel and power rating specifications. Full power could be utilized a maximum of 1 hour per 8 hours of operation period. Between full load operation periods engine speed should be reduced at least 200 RPM from the obtained full load speed." In this case 2600 RPM full load minus 200 RPM is 2400 RPM. This is the TOP of your Cruising range, this is about 355 HP.
Responding to this statement above in the prepublication review Cummins says:
Cummins Marine recommends to our boat manufacturers that they prop a new boat so that it will run approximately 50-75 RPM over the maximum rated speed of the engine. In the case of the 450C with a maximum RPM of 2600 that number is 2650 to 2675 RPM. This is done to make sure that once the boat is fully loaded with fuel food electronics gear, etc. that the engines will still run to their maximum rated speed. What we at Cummins want to insure that the engines are not over or under loaded:
&Mac That the engines turn up to their maximum rated speed so that when you back off 200 RPM the engines will be operating under an acceptable load factor for the long term durability of the engine. In other words if the engine's maximum speed is supposed to be 2600 RPM and the engine is only reaching 2400 RPM, cruising at 2400 RPM could cause durability issues.
&Mac I had an owner of a 450C call me up last week stating that he was told to cruise at 200 RPM off the maximum speed of his engines. His engines were turning at 2700 RPM, and he was cruising at 2500 RPM, This can cause long term durability issues also.
Extra information for our Cummins B Series 370 HP Owners. This is also a High Output, Pleasure Duty rated Diesel Engine. In this case 3000 RPM full load minus 200 RPM is 2800 RPM. This is the TOP of your Cruising range, this is about 305 HP.
Extra information for our Cummins B Series 330 HP Owners. This is also a High Output, Pleasure Duty rated Diesel Engine. In this case 2800 RPM full load minus 200 RPM is 2600 RPM. This is the TOP of your Cruising range, this is about 262 HP.
Extra information for our MerCruiser Gasoline Engine Owners.
After break in, operation at 3/4 throttle setting or lower is recommended. Refrain from prolonged operation at maximum (full throttle) RPM.
Let's review… Who cruise's at what % of rated RPM 100% of the time.
Cummins will cruise @ 92.3%, Volvo @ 90.0% and MerCruiser @ 75%
This is where Diesel's have their claim to fame, BRUTE POWER.
Let's review… How long can you run @ full rated RPM?
Cummins 1 hour in every 8, Volvo 1 hour in every 12,
and MerCruiser, refrain from prolonged operation at maximum (full throttle) RPM
Fuel / Performance curves:
Individual boat performance may vary depending on weather conditions, hull/propeller condition, boat loading etc. The above data was selected from the manufacturers data so that it most accurately represented an "Apples to Apples" comparison.
Engine Manual
Warranty
List Price
So it boils down to $20,000.00.
And the question is, for what? About 5 HP per engine @ Top End Cruise?
I've looked at the data we have on a Maxum 4600 SCB with a 370 hp diesel Vs a Maxum 4600 SCB with a 450 hp diesel, that 80 HP per engine difference gives you 3 mph. 26 mph Vs 29 mph. With that comparison to guide us, and only an 5 HP per engine difference between the Volvo and Cummins engines at cruise, it seems you may get less than 1 mph top end for $20,000.00. And looking further, by extrapolating the graph, the Volvo seems to use more fuel than the Cummins at similar high end power settings.
Personal comment:
Green Volvos, or White Cummins, the color is not a factor, I have loyalty to a degree to a company that does right by me, and stands by its product. My son's godfather has had a Volvo Diesel, I've had the Cummins 450C for a couple of years. I also have had the 315 Yanmar Diesels, as well as the 2GM and 3GM Yanmar Diesel, and both Perkins and Westerbeke generator sets. I have had good luck with all my engines, I treat them well and they have all done the same by me. As with life, what you give you get, mostly. We've both learned about Diesels, and we're still learning, I hope we never stop. As for a favorite… If it runs we can be buddies.
I was driving home today and I pulled up besides new Volvo truck, just under the Volvo logo, I saw a Cummins logo? What? Well, I looked up Volvo trucks on the internet, yep, they offer Detroit's, Cummins, Caterpillar's and Volvo engine combinations. I also found out Volvo has made over 750,000 trucks. Oh My.
I really don't like paying in the neighborhood of $100,000.00 for engines, then being told I can't buy the engine shop manuals from Volvo, I have to go to a dealer and ask very nicely to buy them, the dealer can and has said no. That twists me the wrong way. Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to rip the engine down and rebuild it myself, but I expect full disclosure for a six digit purchase. Cummins goes so far as to provide you with the their prime suppliers names and addresses. That’s what I'm looking for. I may never need it, but if I do it's there. And one more thing, the instruction book Volvo does supply seems to be translated from Swedish into British, and from British to American, that is may or may not true but the manual just reads poorly. Here's an example, VDS (Volvo Drain Specification) where did this lingo come from and what does this mean? (I suspect oil change interval)
And the Volvo Instruction book is missing and/or unclear on some basic information, like what oil weight to use and when to change oil? Even the Volvo Diesel expert has given me information which was contradicted by another (Volvo Diesel expert). If you’re an "expert" you should know what kind of oil you engines use.
I won't tell you what to buy, if you have made enough money to buy this boat you're smart enough to compare the data.
You might have wondered WHY US Marine has add the Volvo diesel as an option on Maxum Boats? The following two articles are from the Internet, all public record.
This is in the SEC filing from Brunswick Corporation:
Form 10-Q for BRUNSWICK CORP filed on Nov 15 1999
(public record) Maxum and US Marine are Brunswick Company's
On December 23, 1998, Volvo Penta of the Americas, Inc., the Company's principal competitor in the sale of sterndrive marine engines, filed suit in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. That suit, Volvo Penta of the Americas v. Brunswick Corporation (Volvo), also invoked the antitrust allegations of the Concord action and sought injunctive relief and damages in an unspecified amount for an unspecified time period.
LAKE FOREST, Ill., Oct. 7 1999 /PRNewswire/ -- Brunswick Corporation announced today that it had reached agreements to settle three pending lawsuits. As a result, the company said it would record a charge to operating earnings estimated at approximately $31.0 million after tax, or $0.33 per diluted share, in the third quarter of 1999. All three complaints followed the allegations contained in an antitrust suit brought in Little Rock, Ark., where, as previously reported, a jury awarded a group of 22 boat builders treble damages totaling $133 million in June 1998.
The settlements cover a suit filed by Volvo Penta of the Americas, Inc., Brunswick's principal competitor in the sale of sterndrive engines; a class action suit filed by a former Brunswick boat dealer purporting to represent all marine dealers who purchased from Brunswick MerCruiser sterndrive and inboard engines and boats equipped with such engines; and a class action suit filed by an individual purporting to represent all retail purchasers of boats equipped with MerCruiser sterndrive and inboard engines in 16 states and the District of Columbia. In addition, as part of the settlement with Volvo Penta, the company has entered into a long-term supply agreement to purchase diesel sterndrive and inboard engines from Volvo for use in certain models of boats manufactured by Brunswick. The two class action settlements are subject to approval by the courts.
The company said its appeal of the Little Rock verdict is currently pending, and the company anticipates a decision in the next three to six months. While there can be no assurance, the company believes it is likely to prevail on appeal and obtain either a new trial or judgment in its favor. A class action suit seeking to represent all boat builders not represented in the Little Rock case has been stayed on the merits of the claims pending the
outcome of the appeal.
Headquartered in Lake Forest, Ill., Brunswick is a multinational company serving outdoor and indoor active recreation markets with leading consumer brands including Zebco and Quantum fishing equipment; American Camper and Remington camping gear; Igloo coolers and ice chests; Mongoose and Roadmaster bicycles; Brunswick bowling centers, equipment and consumer products; Brunswick billiards tables; Life Fitness, Hammer Strength and ParaBody fitness equipment; Sea Ray, Bayliner and Maxum pleasure boats; Baja high-performance boats; Boston Whaler and Trophy offshore fishing boats; Mercury and Mariner outboard engines; and Mercury MerCruiser sterndrives and inboard engines.
SOURCE Brunswick Corporation
We have contacted Volvo, Cummins, and US Marine (Maxum) to verify the above information.
James Clausen, Maxum Owners Group,
VHF Radio and Weather Band Frequencys
What they Mean to You:
When Dr. Edward Murray sailed Eagle Light to Block Island, arriving after sunset, he strayed out of the channel, running aground about 200 yards from the harbor. When he couldn't power his 33-foot Freedom sloop off the shoal, he called for a tow.
Since Sea Tow, stationed on the mainland, would take several hours to arrive, Dr. Murray called Safe/Sea, a nearby Boat/U.S. towing franchise which had a vessel docked minutes away.
Based on prices Safe/Sea had quoted to other mariners on the radio in the past, Dr. Murray assumed his bad luck would cost him the usual $127 for a short tow to a mooring. He was right on one count: The tow was short.
For pushing Eagle Light off the shoal a federal court in 1997 granted Safe/Sea a $9,000 salvage award, about 20% the value of Dr. Murray's boat.
As illustrated by the Eagle Light incident, the distinction between salvage work and a traditional tow is, as Mark Twain said, as great as that between lightning and the lightning bug. But how do you know when assistance from a towing company, a professional salvor or a passing Good Samaritan is one or the other?
In the classic tow scenario, a boat owner plagued by engine trouble or equipment problems calls a towing company who meets him at sea and brings him back to port. Typical towing fees run between $75 and $150 per hour. In contrast, salvage assist is when there is peril and they operate on the concept of "no cure, no pay." This means they can work for days and, if unsuccessful, receive nothing for their efforts.
A salvor who succeeds is entitled to a percentage of the value of a rescued vessel, usually between 10% and 20%. Salvors collect their awards from your insurance company after an arbitration hearing or a lawsuit, or if you do not have insurance, directly from you or through a preferred maritime lien on your yacht.
Anybody, including professional towers, passing boaters, passengers and professional salvors can make a salvage claim if they satisfy the legal criteria below.
The Elements of Pure Salvage
Three essential elements make a particular situation pure salvage rather than just a tow.
All three elements must be satisfied.
First, your boat must be "in peril." Peril is any situation that might expose her to loss or destruction.
Second, the salvor's actions must be voluntary and he must not be under any preexisting obligation to help.
Third, the salvors must be successful in saving some or all of the property at risk. If your boat is lost, salvors are not entitled to compensation.
Courts have found the first element of maritime peril wherever destruction appears imminent or inevitable. Classic examples of peril include when:
o The vessel is at the mercy of the sea and winds as a result of collision or lack of power.
o There is widespread fire aboard a ship.
o Explosions are likely.
o The vessel is leaking with the possibility of sinking.
o The vessel is listing with a shifting cargo.
o The vessel is stranded or aground and being pounded by waves.
o The vessel is moored to a buoy that is blown adrift or is a vessel in tow that breaks loose during a storm.
o The vessel is docked but close to a raging fire.
o The vessel is on course at sea but with a crew stricken with disease or without water.
o The vessel is on course but the crew is without water and delirious.
o The vessel is about to fall into the hands of pirates.
Yet not every case is perilous. Several situations where salvage awards were denied demonstrate the distinction:
For instance, salvors John Fine and Rick Trout were not entitled to a $38,000 salvage award they sought for patching an underwater hole on the powerboat Lion's Whelp after it was towed into the Ocean Reef Club in Florida in 1995. By the time they were hired to help, the boat was in no danger of further harm. The court noted that when the divers patched the hole, the weather was clear, the seas were calm, the vessel was secured to the dock, and emergency personnel were present.
Yet there was peril for a charter sailboat that needed a little push off a Texas Gulf Coast oyster bed. In a very broad decision, a federal court granted Clear Lake Rescue, a Texas salvage company, an award for pulling a chartered sailboat off an oyster bed in Galveston Bay in March, 1997. In the case, the only testimony of "peril" was the salvage company's statement that oyster shells are "not good for the bottom paint" and could damage the vessel.
Likewise, in Dr. Murray's case, the court found "a degree of peril" as there were nearby rocks, even though the court noted the passengers were in no danger, there was a rising tide, the waters were calm, the wind moderate, and the boat was sheltered on the leeward side of the island.
Generally, running aground alone is not enough for a finding of "peril" unless there is a high probability of serious damage from surf, rocks, coral, tides or impending weather conditions.
The second element of a salvage claim is that the salvor's actions must be voluntary. Your local fire department, for example, would not be eligible for a salvage claim. Nor would the U.S. Coast Guard, as their job is to provide assistance. Yet the U.S. Navy is an eligible salvor. In addition, if you subscribe to a Sea Tow or BOAT/U. S. towing plan, they will not be eligible for salvage awards.
A formal contract is not required, however. A prior relationship or oral understanding has the same legal effect. When a Sea Tow franchise, Flagship Marine, filed a $125,000 salvage claim against a barge it had a prior relationship with, the court rejected the claim, because Sea Tow usually worked on a flat running rate basis with the barge.
The contract exception for salvage is best memorialized in a 1858 case, The Triumph, named for a schooner off Cape Cod that struck another ship in the night and started to sink. When it was clear the vessel was doomed, all hands rushed on board the ship they hit except the cook, who was sound asleep below deck. "Being roused by the crash, [the cook ran on deck, found no one there, hailed the other vessel, and begged that he might not be deserted. " But for reasons unclear in the record, the master of the other ship refused to turn back.
After the professional seamen fled cowering, this clever cook rigged a pump, found the leak, patched it up as well as he could with the cotton from mattresses, and managed to save the schooner, navigating after a fashion for many hours until he reached Harwich, Massachusetts.
The courage of the cook was matched only by the chutzpah of The Triumph's owner, who was loath to give him money for his efforts, believing that a seaman cannot be a salvor of his own vessel as it is his duty. It was an argument the court rejected, ruling that whatever duty the cook may have had to save the vessel was discharged when
the crew abandoned him with the ship. The cook's salvage award? $300,000 6% of the value of the vessel.
The third element of a salvage claim is that the salvor's efforts must be successful in saving all or at least a substantial part of a vessel and cargo.
This is a foggy area for boat owners, as courts often seem to uphold sketchy salvage awards. The most boater-friendly standard, imposed by some courts, is that the boat and its cargo be saved intact, without damage that materially affects its value. Other courts apply a liberal standard, granting awards as a percentage of anything that is
saved from destruction, even if what is saved is a small fraction of the original value. Unfortunately, there is no rule as to when courts will use liberal standards and when they make more boater-friendly decisions. Much of it will depend on the skill of the attorneys on both sides of the dispute and how well each applies the facts of a particular salvage incident.
Ancient Maritime Legal Doctrine
Despite occasional grumblings by boat owners facing exorbitant awards, the legal doctrine of salvage is ancient, well-settled and little-changed since it was first recorded, probably in the maritime code of the island of Rhodes around 900 BC.
The Rhodian law, later adopted by the Romans, is thought to have provided that "if a ship be surprised at sea with whirlwinds, or be shipwrecked, any person saving anything of the wreck, shall have one-fifth of what he saves." Similarly, "if the ropes break, and the boat goes adrift, and if any person finds the boat, and preserves it safe, he shall restore everything as he found it, and receive one fifth part as a reward."
Perhaps the most significant reason this particular doctrine has survived for almost 3,000 years is that it is efficient, rewarding people when they preserve property, promote commerce and save lives. As Chief justice John Marshall wrote in one of the earliest U.S. salvage cases, "When property on land exposed to grave peril is saved by a volunteer, no remuneration is given, [but] let precisely the same service, at precisely the same hazard, be rendered at sea, and a very ample reward will be bestowed in the courts of justice." The "ample compensation for those services ... is intended as an inducement to render them."
Another judge wrote that salvage awards are generous to "encourage the hardy and adventurous mariner to engage in these laborious and sometimes dangerous enterprises, and with a view to withdraw from him every temptation to embezzlement and dishonesty, the law allows him, in case he is successful, a liberal compensation."
This liberal compensation prompted one journalist (and no small number of boat owners) to ask whether salvors princes or pirates? The answer probably depends upon whether you ask a captain whose yacht is in peril or one whose boat is safely tied to the dock.
When In Doubt, Don't Sign Anything
Assuming there is no peril, as in the case of Dr. Murray, be wary of any proposed contracts. Our advice is to sign nothing because you do not need a contract for a tow, only enough cash to cover the fee or, alternatively, your membership number if you are covered by a towing plan.
Even if the company asks you to sign a receipt at the end of a tow, be sure to read through it carefully (front and back) and look for language like, "no cure, no pay," "salvage," "percentage" and "arbitration," typical salvage buzzwords. In Dr. Murray's case, he signed a salvage contract in the dark of night without reading it, thinking the document merely obliged him to pay Safe/Sea's hourly rates.
In addition, when you discuss rates with the tow/salvage boat or "tower," remember that most have standard printed prices, $75 to $150 per hour in most places. A particularly hard grounding may sometimes carry an additional premium of $5 to $10 per foot depending on the size of your vessel. Nor is it uncommon to face surcharges of $20 to $50 for adverse sea and weather conditions, or for work at night.
If a tower hassles you about signing forms before commencing work, we suggest a variety of reasonable excuses to defer paperwork to a time when you can properly review it: pitching decks, for instance, are not an appropriate place for reading forms; it is tough to concentrate when you are distracted by maintenance problems or equipment failures; if it is a night tow, light conditions are not satisfactory to read a contract.
Don't forget, however, that oral agreements are binding too. For example, if the tower never agrees to a price but instead suggests a payment arrangement whereby you "pay nothing unless he is successful," reject it. That can be tantamount to a salvage agreement. Likewise, never agree to "work out" or "worry about price later."
If a salvor indicates to you that all you need is a tow and then files a salvage claim anyway, you are probably to recover punitive damages. Also, if there is any theft of property from your vessel during a salvage, the salvor is not entitled to any recovery.
If nothing is said between you and a tower to suggest a salvage contract, and a dispute arises anyway, a court will usually infer that in the absence of evidence of peril you and the tower had a contract for which he was supposed to charge a reasonable price, usually determined by applying, his standard rates.
Avoid Lloyds Forms, Even Outside U.S. Waters
Even if your situation is desperate and salvage is your only meaningful alternative, never sign a "Lloyds Open" (LOC). While signing anything may seem reasonable when your floorboards are floating and freeboard is falling, what you probably don't know is a LOC obligates you to foreign arbitration. Lloyd's is Lloyds of London, and if you sign on the dotted line you can expect a costly and protracted legal battle an ocean away.
Drafted in the 1890s, LOCs were intended for the salvage of commercial, not recreational vessels. However, some salvors still use them, probably because arbitration in the U.K. significantly raises the cost for you to defend against their claim.
Like most salvage contracts, LOCs entitle a salvor to payment for the time and cost of a salvage and/or a of the vessel's value (an average of 10% to 20%, but as much as 90%). A provision of the contract that the salvage be a "no cure, no pay" effort where the salvor can claim a reward only if the salvage is successful and voluntary. Disputes over rewards or fees are settled by a Lloyd's arbitration panel in London.
The good news is that LOCs were recently held unenforceable when the salvor and boat owner are both U.S. citizens, and the salvage incident took place in U.S. waters. That was the rule imposed after Sea Tow of Freeport, New York, asked a boat owner to sign a LOC in the dark of night, without his reading glasses and when Sea Tow assured that his insurance company, BOAT/U. S., "was familiar" with the contract. To sweeten the deal, Sea Tow wouldn't let him call his lawyer and said that if he didn't sign, the company would strand him on the beach.
Even if you are cruising in foreign waters, if salvage is your only meaningful alternative and the salvor will not work without a LOC, our advice is to cross off Lloyds and write in BOAT/ U.S., which offers its own arbitration process here in the US.
Communicating With Your Insurance Company
A salvage claim is a textbook example of a loss you should be completely insured against. Insurance policies vary in their coverage. Most will cover the entire loss, including any court, arbitration or settlement proceedings between you and a salvor. Other policies require you to pay an award first, followed by a request for reimbursement. Still others may require the policy holder to pay up to 50% of the claim. We recommend the first type of coverage and advise you to check your insurance policy if you don't know what coverage you currently have.
Also, when you purchase insurance be sure your answers to the insurance company's written questions are accurate, keep your policy current and keep the provider apprised of any significant developments. If you don't, they may not cover your salvage claim, even ones that come after years of paying premiums.
The owner of a custom steel-hulled 50' sailboat, Pipestrelle, learned this the hard way when Continental Insurance Company refused to pay a $25,000 salvage claim resulting from a hard hit on the rocks off the coast of Block Island, Rhode Island.
Damage Caused By The Salvor
A salvor is also responsible for any damage he causes to your vessel. In a case that reads like a dime novel, an employee at a Fort Lauderdale, Florida yacht brokerage stole a new 39-foot Mariner sloop,
sailed it into the Gulfstream and hanged himself from the mast. The boat then drifted hundreds of miles before its course crossed that of the Polaris nuclear submarine U.S.S. Woodrow Wilson off Cape Canaveral. In salvaging the yacht, the submarine's crew scratched and gouged the hull, causing $37,000 in damage. The damage was
offset by the salvage and neither side recovered.
Nevertheless, as Luis P. Diaz and Blaise H. Coco, Jr., of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, found out, proving that damage done to your boat during the course of salvage was the salvor's fault-and not Mother Nature's or your own-can be difficult. When their Hinckley Sou'Wester 50, Alegria, struck a reef in the Virgin Islands and started to take on water, the boat's captain called for a salvor when he was unable to free the yawl himself.
Although the parties' accounts differ, a few things are certain: After the "salvage," Alegria was no longer grounded-she was sunk. In the process, the salvor, Immel's Marine, yanked off the boat's windlass and dragged the boat across the reef. After she was towed to deeper water, the salvor's pumps couldn't keep up with the ocean. The next day the salvor had to raise the boat before towing it in. Yet Alegria's owners could not recover damages for negligence and in the end had to pay the salvor $32,000 for his efforts.
Other Interesting Cases
The largest salvage award in history was handed down in 1998, after the 688-foot oil tanker Cherry Valley saved the vessel, crew, and cargo aboard the barge Poseidon and her escort J.A. Orgeron. The Orgeron lost both her engines to fire and gear box failures eight miles off the coast of Fort Pierce, Florida.
The barge was caught in the clutches of tropical storm Gordon, drifting quickly towards shoal waters that could have destroyed the vessels and their precious cargo: an external fuel tank for NASA's space shuttle worth $53 million.
Because of the storm's ferocity, the Coast Guard was unable to help. The only other ship in the area was Cheny, which in spite of the storm, heavy surge, and shoal waters ahead, made haste to help Orgeron. After a few failed attempts, the tanker towed the Orgeron and its cargo to safety, but only after the ships had drifted within a mile of shore.
According to federal appeals Judge E. Grady Jolly, the risk involved, the perilous weather conditions, the value of the property at stake and the 11 exemplary seamanship" of Cherry Valley's captain (fittingly named Capt. Strong) entitled Cherry Valley's owner to an award of $4.125 million.
In Debt of Honor, Tom Clancy dreamed up an even larger salvage award when an ocean-going tug saved the U.S.S. Enterprise after a Japanese submarine torpedoed her propellers. The tug boat captain smiled the entire way across the Pacific, imagining a 10% share of the $3 billion, nuclear powered aircraft carrier.
Reprinted with permission.
PRACTICAL SAILOR Volume 26 Number 14, July 15, 2000
Copyright 2001. Powerboat Reports/Practical Sailor.
For more information call 1-800-424-7887
Stay in the Federally Regulated Channels. Safe boating, James
Boating Trivia
Every once in a while I run across an intersting item, I will try to pass them along to you here.
Be forwarned, intersting to me may or may not intersting you, James
Time keeps everything from happening at once.
The "Flying Dutchman" of saltwater fame has been reported to have been sighted by the notable English mariner Sir Francis Drake. This Saltwater legend has followed the seaway into the Great Lakes, each of which has it's own version the ghost ship.
Did you know that Salvage law is different on the Great Lakes than in Salt Water? On the Great Lake if a ship and cargo is lost it, it still belongs to the owners of the ship. In Salt water, the owner's rights are quite a bit less, it's finders keepers, along with ownership by the state that it lies in.
Some saying about weather I've come across are.
Red Sky at night sailors delight.
Red Sky in morning sailor take warning.
Evening red and morning gray will set the sailor on his way.
Rainbow at night sailors delight.
Do you know where the words, Port and Starboard came from?
This is how the names Port and Starboard came into use. Early ocean going sailing ships were maneuvered by a so-called steering oar, which was hinged to the right side of the hull, the principle being similar to the manner in which an oarsman controls a canoe. The right side of a ship soon became known as the "steerboard side." This was later shortened to "starboard side." "Port side" comes from the fact that ships of the 17th century could be loaded from only one side, the left, as they had only one loading port on the left side of the ship. This side became known as the "Port side."
Ahoy! This Seamans hail was originally used as a call by English farmers to get the attention of their hogs. In the US early telephone operators used "Ahoy" in place of "Hello", it did not take.
Growing Old is Inevitable; Growing Up is Optional
Why is a Sextant, called a Sextant?
Because it's scale was on an arc of 1/6th of a 360 degree circle.
An earlier instrument to the Sextant was called an Octant, yes, based on 1/8th of a circle.
With rising wind and falling glass
Soundly sleeps the silly ass.
Learn from the mistakes of others.
You won't live long enough to make all of them yourself.