Harsh winter months and the worsening weather can cause damage to boats both in the water and laid up ashore.

Here are the first steps you should take if your boat is unfortunately damaged due to the weather:

1. Get in touch with your insurance company:

Contact your insurance company as soon as possible! They can offer advice on the steps to take to protect your boat from further damage, advise on the claim process if required and they may send a surveyor to assess the extent of the damage and let you know how best to get repairs underway.

2. Protect your boat from any further damage:

It is important to protect your boat from getting damaged further – this could mean hauling the boat out, removing anything that could cause further damage from the area around where the boat is located, and making sure there’s no ingress of water from rain or leakage into the hull itself.

3. Document the damage:

Take photos of the damage! If it was caused by an incident, be sure to take photos of the damage caused to any other vessels involved too. Remember to get the contact and insurance details of the other boat owner if applicable.

4. Keep your marina operator in the picture.

They have a responsibility to their customers to keep their boats safe to the best of their ability. Be sure to inform your insurance company of all stages of the repairs including the company chosen to assess, quote and carry out the repair work.

We hope you’ve found this helpful!