If you’re involved in the boating industry,  it’s vitally important to have a plan in place to protect your business in the event that liability issues crop up.

Today no business is immune from litigation. This point was driven home when Channel Islands Surfboards, the largest surfboard manufacturer had a lawsuit filed against them by a surfer who was injured while using one of their boards. He claims that the fin was too sharp and therefore resulted in an injury to his leg. Almost two years later, this lengthy and expensive legal situation continues it’s slow journey through the court system.

It may seem obvious that surfing is dangerous and coffee is hot, but that may not protect your company from a liability lawsuit. Regardless of the outcome, it’s easy to see how a lawsuit like the one facing Channel Islands Surfboards can have devastating financial effects on any business. That’s why proper planning with a marine insurance agency is so important, from water sport insurance, yacht club insurance, charter fleet insurance, passenger boat insurance and water ski school business insurance there are policies to cover all types of businesses in the boating industry.

There are benefits for your child in learning how to sail.  Sailing gives character education, in responsibility and respect for the environment, perseverance, integrity, self-discipline, trustworthiness, following rules and water safety.  Sailing can also help your child to gain self-esteem and confidence as they learn to teamwork.  Sailing enhances fitness with a new enviromentally friendly sport.

With to the public’s increased attention to Olympic-level sailing and highly competitive offshore yacht races, the popularity of sailing has skyrocketed in the past few years.  If you are new to sailing it is a good idea to take a sailing leasons at a saling school. By taking leasons you will be able to areceive training in the areas of:

Professionalism
Skill assessment and correction, specific to entry-level participants
Effective interventions and teaching methods for application to introductory and first experience programming
Program delivery training according to the principles of the Fundamental Stage of the Long Term Sailor Development (LTSD) framework
Use of emergency action plans (EAPs)
Providing a safe environment, fun atmosphere, and active experiences on land and on water
Communication of progress to participants and parents

To ensure that you are adequately covered in the event of an accident, be certain that you meet the safety standards and regulations where you are boating and understand the terms of your boat insurance policy so that you never take unnecessary risks. Take boating safety courses to learn how to manage in times of disaster or emergency and give yourself – and your passengers – peace of mind.

If you are in control of a boat when an accident occurs, you will most likely be found at fault if you are believed to have acted with negligence. In other words, if you have not acted reasonably, have failed to take adequate precautions, and have failed to follow maritime laws and regulations, you will be found at fault for a boating accident.

If you have caused an accident on the water you may face both civil and criminal litigation. Victims are fully within their rights to sue you just as they could for a car accident.  This could include damages to property, medical expenses and more. The state could also make a case against your for being a reckless boat driver, driving under the influence of alcohol, or being grossly negligent. Most boat insurance companies will not cover loss or damages for a boater who is guilty of negligence, driving while intoxicated or operating the boat in an unsafe manner.

According to the United States Coast Guard (USCG), a boating accident occurs any time that someone disappears, is hurt or is killed while boating. The USCG says that over thirty percent of all accidents include a boat driver that has been drinking alcohol. Just as with drivers of automobiles, anyone caught BUI will also face heavy fines or jail time if convicted. They also encounter many situations when accidents occur because boaters lack adequate experience for the situations. To help prevent and reduce boating accidents, the USCG has safety guidelines for boaters and offers courses to improve boating safety and understanding of maritime laws and regulations.

Any boating accident that results in loss of life is a tragedy, but recently cases of alleged negligence show how badly things can go when crews are not skilled and prepared to deal with emergency situations.

Consider the accident last July in New York that took three young lives after a celebration went wrong aboard an overcrowded boat with 27 passengers and far too few life jackets. Another example is the tourist fatalities aboard a duckboat on the Delaware River, when a crew member was believed to be texting moments before the vessel hit a barge. The wrongful death suit filed by parents of the deceased asserted that crew members were not prepared to deal with a maritime emergency and didn’t react quickly.

There is a difference between an accident like the one recently caused by heavy rains in Guyana and these others where the crews didn’t observe maritime law or safety protocols. And the difference can impact insurance coverage.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard, each day they conduct over 100 search and rescue cases, saving 10 lives. They protect over $2 million in property and investigate an average of six vessel casualties – ranging from collisions to groundings. The USCG is our country’s insurance against a vast variety of tragedies.

The Coast Guard has marine inspectors, vessel examiners, and pollution investigators who also serve our country by conducting safety checks and enforcing the law. That’s not all: Buoy tenders ensure navigational aids are operating well and traffic service controllers help the ships in American ports. Coast Guard auxiliary members also do their part by teaching boating safety courses and providing safety inspections.

You can contact your federal congressperson and let them know you appreciate the U.S. Coast Guard and all it does for marine safety in our country. Because for all the good work they do reducing injury and keeping boaters safe, the Coast Guard has about the same number of personnel now as it did in 1967 – and it isn’t even as big as the NYPD.

The Coast Guard acquired a new 45-foot response boat last fall, making the Long Island Sound safer as it replaced an aging utility boat.

Known as the RB-M, this new boat is excellent for rapid response to emergency situations for many reasons. It is a high-speed and self-righting craft used mostly for search and rescue or enforcement of maritime laws. Amazingly, it operates safely even in 12-foot seas – even if facing 55-knot winds.

No doubt this new vessel will enhance the safety of the citizens of Long Island and Connecticut, and any visitors who travel in those waters.

Mercury Marine is known as an industry leader in the world of recreational marine power. The company was founded in 1939 and since its inception has been building, engineering, and manufacturing the most powerful marine outboards in the world. Mercury Marine maintains a global headquarters in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and employs more than 4100 individuals around the world.

The extensive Mercury Marine product line has Mercury MerCruiser inboard and sterndrives, as well as Mariner and Mercury outboards, Mercury Racing high-performance outboard motors and sterndrives, inflatable boats, SmartCraft electronics, and various boat-specific oil and parts. If you have ever taken a spin on a boat – whether it was a small speed boat or a large charter cruise – you have likely encountered a component that was manufactured by Mercury Marine.

Mercury Marine is a company that is committed to providing high quality products and outstanding customer service. They strive to continually enhance their product line using the latest technological advances. Their goal is to continually improve their quality while reducing costs and expanding their product selections to meet the needs of their customers around the world.

To date, there are currently more than 5,000 Mercury Marine dealerships across the U.S. The company’s ability to provide outstanding customer service and reliable boat and maritime equipment has increased its demand worldwide. Mercury Marine aims to expand its reach even further. Recently, Mercury Marine has opened five new dealerships in North America. However there is no plan to stop here, Mercury is always looking for new dealership opportunities.

If you or your company wants to become a Mercury Marine dealer, you should consider contacting company headquarters to learn more about the requirements of becoming a dealer of one of the most trusted maritime equipment companies around. Dealers must agree to the company’s dealer requirements and continue to help Mercury Marine attain their company goals each year. Of course, make sure to give a Global Marine Insurance representative a call regarding your commercial boat insurance needs.

It is the vision of Mercury Marine to become the unquestionable industry’s leader. If you want to help your customers enhance their boating experience by providing them with access to a product line that has been proven reliable again and again, partner with Mercury Marine and become an authorized dealer. You will not only help your customers obtain the quality products that they demand, you will become part of an established marine company that is known throughout the world.

More than a week after the death of British sailor Andrew Simpson in a training accident, none of the four America’s Cup teams have withdrawn from the competition, which is still scheduled to begin in early July in San Francisco.

But the teams have made significant proposals for change, none more publicly than Luna Rossa Challenge, whose team principal, the Italian fashion mogul Patrizio Bertelli, made it clear on Friday that the team wanted lower wind limits for racing or it would consider not participating.

If you are a fisherman, a warm winter means an abundance of fish to catch. In recent years, winter temperatures have been approximately 5 degrees warmer than normal. The five degrees makes a substantial difference in the fish activity in northern waters. It also makes a substantial difference in your comfort level as you spend time outdoors. Striped bass, bluefish, and mackerel are amongst the prime winter catches that you will find if you head outdoors to fish during a mild winter. Don’t hesitate to grab your fishing pole and put that boat in the water as long as it isn’t frozen!

Hitting the sea for a charter dinner cruise during the winter can be a great mini-getaway. Many charter boats offer outdoor viewing and decks where travelers can take in the sun and enjoy a break from the normal indoor activities of winter. Mild winter weather brings visitors and tourists out in droves.

If you live in a northern region, your outdoor activities are likely limited by the onset of cold winter weather. Try as we might, boats simply do not travel well on frozen lakes and rivers. However, surprising mild winters and the ability to set your sails toward a tropical destination can extend your boating season indefinitely.

Once your boat is up and running and has proper insurance coverage, you are pretty much free to travel with it as you wish. If you live in the coastal areas of the northern United States, you might not be far from the ocean. Why not put your boat in the water in the fall and spend a few weeks traveling down the coast to warmer climates? Heading to a place such as Miami, Florida or even Key West, Florida could not only mean an amazing vacation, it could also be the boating adventure of your life time. Of course if you own a ski boat or it’s January already you may have to come up with a different boating plan for this winter.