Insurance update

After making many calls and talking to different agents, surveyors, and anyone else in the marine industry that could shed some light on us getting coverage to travel to the Bahamas, I think I may have figured out what’s going on and what I need to do to get coverage.

What’s changed since 2019, the last time we effortlessly went to the Bahamas? The biggest is Odyssey celebrated her 20th birthday. From what I’ve discovered, once a boat reaches 20 years old, the insurance industry puts it under extra scrutiny, which is why the insurance company is requesting a current marine survey and valuation report. Since my standing rigging is over 5 years old, they’re also requesting a rigging survey.

The only item that the insurance company has changed since 2019 is they no longer offer the Bahamas coverage for boats from non Atlantic states and their 120 day limit.

At this time, we’ve moved our boat’s storage location from Illinois to Florida, which almost doubled out premiums. We had a rigging survey done when we stepped the mast in Pensacola. Yesterday, we had a marine surveyor come out and perform an in-water boat survey. The surveyor said he would have the final report written up and email to us by Friday. He felt Odyssey was in great shape and does not see why it wouldn’t get coverage.

Much like the rest of the country, it’s COLD here. We’ve been waking up to temps in the low 30s in the morning. Not fun when you’re on anchor and don’t have heat. Yeah, were sitting in warm water, and the inside of the boat never gets below 50, but it’s still COLD.

We are currently anchored outside of the Panama City cut. We have a weather window to sail down to the Dry Tortuga’s Wednesday morning. The computer says it’s going to be a 2.7 day trip and 100% of the time the waves will be less than 1 meter.

If all works out, we’ll be in the Tortuga’s when the survey comes in. I’ll send that to the insurance company and if we’re approved, we’ll start making way to Key West to do one last provision and then head off to Bimini. Did I mention how nice StarLink is. High speed internet anywhere. What a game changer.