1. Your Boat Is In Poor Condition – A vessel that is deemed unsafe or in poor condition can be very difficult to insure. Performing any necessary repairs and getting your boat in the best possible shape can boost your chances of getting a great policy lined up.
2. Boating Violations – Many people are surprised to learn that boating violations are just as serious as vehicular moving violations. Reckless behavior on the water can lead to violations and tickets than can, if serious or numerous enough, make it difficult to obtain marine insurance.
3. Commercial Use – If you plan to use your small, personal boat for commercial purposes, you may have a difficult time obtaining insurance coverage through traditional recreational insurance carriers.
4. Boat Size – Many major insurance companies have size guidelines in place for boat insurance; vessels that are too large may not be eligible for regular coverage. You may have to seek insurance through companies that specialize in large boats and yachts.
5. BUI – In many states, boating under the influence carries the same penalty as driving a vehicle in the same condition. A BUI can make obtaining insurance almost impossible, especially if you have more than one violation in your past.
6. Driving Record – Underwriters of insurance policies take many different factors under consideration when writing a policy or deciding to deny coverage. One of these things can often be your history on the road, as risky driving habits can translate to unsafe and potentially costly decisions on the water.
7. Multiple Claims – Filing multiple claims, especially for at-fault accidents, can cause an insurance company to drop a client in a heartbeat. Boats are generally very expensive investments, and insurance companies are not in the business of gambling with their bottom line.
8. Insurance Fraud – Any discovery of insurance fraud of any kind is an immediate red flag for underwriters, and the policy will not be written. Those with a history of insurance fraud are unlikely to find coverage through even non-traditional or specialty channels.
9. Speed Boats – High performance speed boats are difficult to insure through major companies, so you may find yourself in the predicament of paying extremely high premiums for specialized high-risk insurance on your state-of-the-art speed boat.
10. Inadequate Number of Life Jackets – Part of the underwriting inspection for your boat is making sure that there are an adequate number of life jackets on board, typically one for every seat or unit of capacity. Failure to provide these at the time of your inspection will probably only hold up the process, but non-compliance will almost always result in the policy not being written at all.

It’s important to remember that boat insurance isn’t that much different from car insurance, and that the laws that govern the water are just as important as those that apply on land. Reducing claims, fines and violations will not only save you money and insure that you obtain coverage, but can also keep you and your loved ones safe.

1. Ship assist to the stern. Large ships can maneuver just fine out on the open seas, but when it comes to making their way into port or through narrow channels, tug boats often will give assistance from the rear to give the nudges needed for these more delicate maneuvers.
2. Ship assist at the bow. A tug at the rear isn’t always enough to move a large ship sideways or alongside of a dock. In these cases, additional tug boats may attach themselves with lines to the bow of a ship so that the ship is being guided from the rear and the front at the same time.
3. Dead ships. When a ship has lost its power source it is referred to as a dead ship. A tug boat will be used to tow a dead ship into port for repairs.
4. Oil platforms. Oil platforms need to be towed to their drilling spot or sometimes moved from one location to another. Since the platforms have no means of propulsion, tug boats are used to tow them to their resting places.
5. Construction equipment. Cranes and other types of large construction equipment are often transported on barges pulled by tug boats. Water transport does not have the size limitations that can be encountered with highway and rail transportation.
6. Construction materials. Construction materials for bridges, platforms, piers and even construction on land are often hauled on barges that are towed by tug boats. Sometimes it is the only way to get the material to a sea based construction site.
7. Raw materials. Coal, iron ore, lumber and other raw materials are often transported on barges pulled or pushed by tug boats down rivers and other waterways. It is an economical and safe way to transport very large loads of material.
8. Garbage. Yes, even our large loads of waste materials from cities like New York are towed on barges by tug boats.
9. Recreational boats – Small tug boats operate out of different ports and marinas providing towing and other maritime services to recreational boat owners. These could include anything from a sailing craft, speed boats to small yachts. In addition to providing towing services when they end up dead in the water, they also assist with boats stranded on sand bars or those needing navigation assistance.
10. Commercial boats – Commercial fishing boats, salvage boats and other commercially operated boats that do not fit into the ‘ship’ category occasionally need the assistance of tug boats as well. The situations may be similar to those experienced by recreational boaters, engine trouble or a tug off of a sand bar.

You may see tug boats providing assistance to a cruise liner, an oil tanker or large sea platform, but you are just as likely to see them hauling barges of coal or towing a cabin cruiser into its home port in the Florida Keyes. Tug boat captains are well respected for their skill of navigation on the water.

1. MV Dona Paz – Often called the “Asian Titanic,” the MV Dona Paz shipwreck caused the deaths of more than four thousand people. The Dona Paz collided with the MT Vector on December 20, 1987 and is the deadliest ferry disaster in history.
2. Titanic – Arguably the most famous shipwreck of all time, the Titanic was deemed “unsinkable” before colliding with an iceberg on her maiden voyage. As a result of the overly-confident designers’ refusal to provide a sufficient number of lifeboats, more than 1,500 people lost their lives in the disaster.
3. USS Arizona – On December 7, 1941, the USS Arizona was attacked at Pearl Harbor by Japanese military forces. As a direct result of this attack, the United States entered World War II. The USS Arizona Memorial site in Honolulu, Hawaii is the final resting place of 1,102 sailors killed that day.
4. Sultana – The worst shipwreck in American history took place on April 27, 1865 when the Sultana’s boiler exploded. Of the 2,500 passengers aboard, most were freed Union prisoners of war making the journey back home after surviving exceedingly cruel conditions in Confederate camps. There were no life boats or life jackets on board, causing more than 1,500 deaths among passengers.
5. SS Edmund Fitzgerald – The November 10, 1975 sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald is shrouded in mystery to this day; theories range from a structural failure to simply falling victim to the stormy traveling conditions. There were no distress signals sent before the wreck, which claimed the lives of all 29 passengers aboard. No bodies were ever recovered, compounding the mysterious and morbid allure of the legend; singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot even penned a hit 1976 song about the disaster.
6. RMS Empress of Ireland – 1,102 passengers of the RMS Empress of Ireland lost their lives on May 28, 1914 when the ship collided with a Norwegian craft near Quebec as a result of heavy fog. Of the 465 survivors, only four were children; the other 134 children aboard were lost in the disaster.
7. RMS Lusitania – The RMS Lusitania was struck by a German U-boat on May 7, 1915 and sank within eighteen minutes, killing 1,198 of the 1,959 passengers. The attack became a key part of recruiting campaigns and spurred U.S. involvement in World War I. Experts disagree to this day about the legitimacy of the Lusitania as a military target; despite carrying rifle ammunition and other war-time goods, there were a large number of civilians aboard.
8. HMS Victory – The flagship vessel Victory was separated from the rest of her fleet in an October 3, 1744 storm and was last spotted by the accompanying ships in the early morning hours of October 4th. Wreckage washed up on the shores of Guernsey, Jersey and Alderney, where many inhabitants heard distress signals but could not provide aid due to the stormy conditions. Each of the 1,150 sailors on board went down with the ship, which was not found until 2008.
9. SS Eastland – In an ironic twist, the sinking of the SS Eastland was caused by a surplus of lifeboats that caused the vessel to become unstable and top-heavy. Many of the 845 passengers that died in the Great Lakes disaster were trapped below deck by the sudden capsizing of the craft and the weight of the luxurious furniture on board.
10. HMS Birkenhead – The February 26, 1852 shipwreck of the HMS Birkenhead established the “women and children first” standard due to the chivalry of soldiers aboard the doomed vessel. Of the 643 passengers, 450 died as a result of the shortage of serviceable lifeboats available.

Countless books, films and television specials document the sometimes-mysterious tales of ill-fated ships. As technology progresses, diving expeditions and explorations are more successful than ever; may wrecks that were once thought to be lost forever have been discovered and thoroughly examined. These discoveries keep the fires of passionate curiosity burning, ensuring that the lives lost as a result of these disasters are never forgotten.

1. Winter – Winter aboard a houseboat is not for the faint of heart. Preventing ice from forming around your boat, braving the cold temperatures on the deck and icy walking surfaces can all be a headache in colder months.
2. Drinking – Houseboat living isn’t recommended for heavy drinkers, as the vast majority of boating related injuries and deaths can be traced back to alcohol consumption. Even the most conscientious boater can make poor choices when a tipple or two too many lowers inhibitions.
3. Marina Neighbors – Though hard partying on a houseboat is a recipe for disaster, it doesn’t stop the party set from flocking to houseboat living. During peak seasons, marinas can be crowded with obnoxious neighbors. The upshot? They usually flee at the first sign of bad weather.
4. Legalities – A permanent land address is a necessity for securing a post office box, registering your vessel and keeping your driver’s license current. Despite the romantic notion of “getting away from it all” and living full time on your boat, it can present a red-tape nightmare if you don’t maintain some sort of dwelling on land as well.
5. Cramped Quarters – Minimal living has it’s perks, and is a growing trend even among land-dwellers. That being said, the space on a houseboat is very minimal. With living spaces as small as three-hundred square feet, there’s very little room for privacy.
6. Permanently Damp Conditions – Under the permanently pervasive moisture of houseboat living, food will spoil more quickly, paint will peel and mildew will thrive. Though there are solutions to each of these problems, it’s something to keep in mind when making the decision to live aboard full-time.
7. Carbon Monoxide – Running your generator while your boat is docked can cause dangerous levels of carbon monoxide to build up, depending on the placement of the generator. Be sure that you’re well-educated about generator safety.
8. Motion Sickness – For motion-sickness sufferers with dreams of living aboard, the idea of constant nausea might be difficult to swallow.
9. Weather Concerns – A storm that a land-dweller would sleep through can be a cause for real concern for those living on a houseboat. Part of living aboard is being vigilant about weather conditions, and prepared for many scenarios.
10. Sewage Pumping – One of the least-appealing aspects of houseboat living is the very real necessity of pumping a sewage tank. There are services that handle this smelly task, but they can get pricey, and legal requirements vary from place to place.

Despite the challenges that come with living aboard, there is a thriving community in North America of year-round houseboat dwellers that wouldn’t go back to “dirt living” at any price. For these devotees, the biggest hazard of their lifestyle is getting their envious land-dwelling visitors to leave!

If you’re new to the boating world and don’t want to get out on the water and behave like a complete and total newbie, here are some important mistakes you’ll want to avoid:

• Not knowing your own boat. You need to understand your boat. You need to know how to control it. You need to know its capabilities and limitations. Some of that can be learned just by studying the boat, but some of that has to come via experience, as well.
• Not using safety equipment. Not having enough life jackets for each passenger on your boat, or not having them in an accessible location is a problem. Ideally, you’ll wear your life jacket while you’re boating. When you pick the right life jacket for your frame and wearing it while you’re out, you dramatically increase your chances of surviving an accident. The leading cause of death when it comes to boating accidents is drowning, and a life vest prevents that.
• Not filing a float plan. You need to make sure you file a float plan before you leave the dock. If something happens to you, you want rescuers to know where to look. A fast rescue can mean the difference between life and death, and filing  a float plan means the difference between a fast rescue and a slow one.
• Ignoring Coast Guard safety regulations. Boats need to comply with federal safety regulations, such as including safety equipment, weight limitations and passenger issues.
• Drinking and boating. For some reason, drinking and driving a boat is more socially acceptable than drinking and driving an automobile. However, drinking and boating is just as dangerous, so just don’t do it.

If you live in Southern climates, you’re likely to be able to have more opportunity to enjoy your watercraft than if you live in those colder climates. (In most cases, this is reflected in your boat insurance premiums, too.) Still, given the opportunity, you should absolutely take advantage of any winter boating opportunities that present themselves. First, however, you need to follow some basic guidelines to make sure your winter boating experience is a good one, and that the weather doesn’t leave you filing a boat insurance claim.

Here are some of the top tips for winter boating:

• Get your boat ready for winter. If you’re not going to be using your boat during the off season, get it winterized in order to protect it from prolonged periods of non-use, and to get it ready for colder temps.
• Cover your boat. Even if you’re not worried about snowfall, you should try to keep your boat covered during the winter. If leaves fall and settle on your boat, for example, they’re going to hold moisture up against the boat. This will contribute to the deteriorating of your hull, so use a cover to help maximize yoru boat’s life.
• Be aware of underwater obstacles. Lake and river levels tend to drop at least a little bit during the winter season. Make sure you’re using the utmost caution when you’re out on your boat to avoid those obstacles. Things like sandbars, stumps, rocks and other obstructions can cause a ton of damage to your boat. Consider a depth finder to help you navigate around objects, as it’s considerably cheaper than having to replace your prop.
• Dress for the weather. Even if it’s not freezing, you can still be in a ton of trouble in the water when it’s cold. Make sure you’re dressed appropriately, and that you’re dressed to endure the cold winds that come from traveling across the water in winter.
• Inventory your safety gear. The changing of the seasons is a great time to make sure that you’ve got all of the safety equipment you need to have on board.
• Prioritize communications. While it’s always a good idea to let someone know your float plan before you go out and to make sure you’ve got a cell phone, the dangers involved in winter boating makes this step even more important.

When the boating season ends, many folks are anxious to get their boat out of the water and get it into storage. They might do a few quick winterizing activities, such as thoroughly drying and draining the boat or cleaning the hull, but some folks neglect to take the time to winterize the boat’s motor. The fact of the matter is that your boat insurance isn’t going to cover damage that occurs to your boat’s motor during winter storage, so you need to be diligent about getting it ready for those cold temps and the long months of storage.

Here are the things you need to do in order to winterize your boat’s motor:

• Get your boat out of the water and do the rest of your winterizing. Start with the rest of the winterizing steps. Clean your entire boat, including the deck and cockpit. Make sure you drain your bilge pump. Drain and clean your toilet facilities per your manufacturer’s recommendations. Open up your storage areas so they don’t build up any moisture. Make any necessary repairs.
• Check your owner’s manual. Make sure you can use moisturizing spray lubricants, for example, and see what else the manufacturer recommends and suggests you should avoid when it comes to storage and winterizing.
• Clean the fuel system. To clean your boat motor’s fuel system, fill the tank with some fuel stabilizer and marine fuel. Run your motor for a while to make sure that the treatment gets to the engine and the fuel lines. This keeps your fuel from spoiling or getting gummy over the winter, and helps to avoid oxidation as well as condensation.
• Flush the cooling system. Take out the plug and drain the water from the engines. Use a flushing kit on the engine. After you’ve flushed it, pump anti-freeze into the system. If you don’t flush, you’re looking at the possibility of your lines freezing and causing engine damage.
• Oil the engine. Apply a spray oil to help keep rust from building up. Consider a fogging oil specifically made to not slide off your boat cylinders. Change the lubricant in your gear casing, making sure to not leave any water in there to freeze.

As the summer boating season has come to a close and those last few weekends out on the lake are quickly becoming a memory, it’s time to think about boat show season. The off-season is, according to anyone who has an opinion about such things, the best time to buy a boat. That’s why, in part, the off-season corresponds to boat show season. This is a great time to get the best deals on a new boat, take advantage of manufacturer incentives, meet dealers and just learn more about boats and boating. You might even find a new company to buy boat insurance from. Even if you aren’t currently looking to buy a boat, going to the boat show can be a wonderful way to learn more about the hobby and to expand your knowledge.

Here are some tips to help you make sure that you get the most you can out of your boat show experience:

• Do some research prior to the show. You should have some idea of what kind of boat you’re looking for. You should also have some idea of how much that boat normally costs. This will take some effort, as many boat dealers don’t put their prices online. Still, with a little bit of work you can get pricing directly from vendors or from brokerage websites.
• Try to visit multiple shows. Between January and March you’re likely to have several boat shows within striking distance. By attending as many shows as you can, you can increase your knowledge, narrow down the list of new boats that will work for you and find the right dealer for your boat needs, too.
• Shop for both a boat and a dealer at boat shows. Shows are a wonderful time to make some contacts with boat dealers, too. You want to find a dealer you can stick with over the long term. Don’t just pick the cheapest dealer. You want to find one that will negotiate a good price, but you also want one that’s willing to stand behind his products.
• Never buy a boat on impulse. In fact, you shouldn’t buy a boat on your first boat show visit. Ideally, you’ll attend the show on the first day. That way, you can start collecting information. You’ll have the rest of the boat show – usually at least a weekend or longer – to consider the purchase and decide whether or not it’s really the right boat for you.

Now is the time of year when you’re going to get the best deal on a used boat. Folks are packing up their boats for the season, and many are trying to sell off their old boats in hopes of buying a new one at a winter boat show. Before you write that check or call your boat insurance agent, however, you need to make sure you thoroughly inspect the boat.

Inspecting a used boat isn’t like inspecting a used car. There are not tires to kick, and many of the problems may not be apparent. You might even consider hiring an inspector to take a look at the boat before you sign.

Still, if you think you’re up to the task of doing it yourself, here are the things you need to take a look at:

• Start with the hull. You’re looking for any obvious damage or leaking. Make sure to check the underneath of the boat, of course. You’re not going to be able to tell whether a boat has a leak with the naked eye, so you’re looking more for things like blatant holes or any sign of rot at this point.
• Check the steering and cables. You want to make sure that there isn’t any binding when the wheel is turned.
• Test the electrical controls and pumps. You’ll want to make sure that the controls and lights are all working, as well as your bilge pump, baitwell and fish pumps.
• Carefully inspect the floor. Look under any carpet. In particular, you’re watching for soft spots. Floors are an extremely expensive replacement. If there’s a problem here, it’s a good sign that the former owner didn’t keep up on his care and maintenance.
• Look at the engine. If you’re not an expert at how the engine is built or should sound, you really might think about getting a mechanic to look at it. You’ll want to make sure that you start the engine from cold. If the engine is warm before you start it, it could be that the owner is trying to make it seem to be an easier starter than what it is.
• Take it for a drive. Get it out on the water, and see how it fares. Don’t buy a boat without being able to take it for a spin. This gives you a chance to see how it performs, as well as identify any major leaks.

We’ve all seen boats in movies and been inspired, awestruck, or terrified.

Movies can offer us a great escape from reality, and the boats we’ve seen in some movies are far from realistic! That’s the great thing about fiction, although some of these boats were all too real.

1. The Titanic – Obviously, everyone has heard of this one – both the movie and the ocean liner, which sank in near freezing waters in the Atlantic Ocean on April 14, 1912. This tragedy is proof that while boat insurance is a must-have, it can’t fix everything in the case of disaster. For the filming, a full-size model of the ship was constructed in a 17 million gallon tank on 40 acres of waterfront near Playas de Rosarito in Mexico. Only the starboard side of the constructed set was completed, which required some scenes to be reversed to allow for the appearance of the port side of the ship.
2. Orca – You may not remember the name, but you surely will remember this boat, which appeared in the original Jaws movie in 1975. Much of the film takes place on board the Orca, and in the end, it’s tragically destroyed by the great white in one of the scariest movie scenes of all time. “Well, this is not a boat accident! And it wasn’t any propeller; and it wasn’t any coral reef; and it wasn’t Jack the Ripper! It was a shark.” – Matt Hooper, played by Richard Dreyfuss.
3. The Black Pearl – This is the fantastical ship from the famous movie trilogy, Pirates of the Caribbean. As legend has it, Captain Sparrow was commissioned to sail the ship (then named the Wicked Wench) and its cargo from the West Indies to the Caribbean. After learning, however, that the “cargo” was West African slaves, Sparrow released them and in his rage the ship’s owner, Lord Cutler Beckett had the ship sunk. After serving out his prison term, Sparrow returned to raise the Wench, but his early attempts failed. It was only after receiving assistance from Davy Jones that the ship could be resurrected. The two agreed that Sparrow would owe Jones his soul after 13 years of captaining the ship, which he christened, The Black Pearl.
4. The Red October – The starring role in the 1990 film, The Hunt For Red October was played by this massive (although wholly fictitious) Soviet submarine. Who can forget Sean Connery as Captain Marko Ramius or Alec Baldwin as Jack Ryan in this blockbuster hit? “The hard part about playing chicken is knowin’ when to flinch.” – Capt. Bart Mancuso, played by Scott Glenn.
5. Das Boot – This film was one of the most expensive German films of all time, and the bulk of the film’s $15 million budget was spent constructing U-boats. Three different scale models were built for different shots and special effects, the largest of which was 35 feet. On that model, modified Ken dolls acted as stand-ins for human actors.