Capt's Training Requested by Insurance

If you did, would you have some liability ramifications down the road?

I woudl ask the underwriters what their specific requirements are and if they have any minimum number of days they require,

Beyond this the owner should be able to demonstrate his ability to safely operate the vessel including close quarter maneuvers, basic system operations and navigation,

If the owner is experienced, have him get a license, that should satisfy the insurance company and you are off the hook.

If he does not have the Sea-Time for a ticket and if you sign him off to go solo,
you may be sticking your neck out?

(Been a Certified Flight Instructor for 36 years and have been very careful about about signing my name to anybody remotely questionable)

Getting a license is often not worth the hassle for many owner - operator. Twic, medical, drug test, CPR etc

I don't think that this is much different from a check out on a new airplane

This. Find out from the insurance company what they want. If he's experienced It might be better to refer him to the USCG power squadran and have them sign off on him and you have no liability, then again what can the insurance company do to you for signing off on him. Having him take a USCG power squadran safe boater course would also help with the insurance company.

I give operating lessons to new owners and sign off for insurance companies all the time. They often prohibit inexperienced owners from operating boats larger than 40 feet until they get on-the-water instruction. Sometimes it's a couple of three hour lessons, sometimes it's ten lessons, sometimes more. It depends on the client and the boat.

Some larger insurers like Markel Marine have a form to fill out. For others I write a letter to the agent which they file and then release the owner to operate.

There is no more liability than what comes with walking out your front door everyday. When I sign off I only state facts, and that the client exhibited an understanding of each area of instruction and operated the vessel in a competent manner.

I do agree that a power squadron course in addition to on-the-water training is a good idea.

That's the key is facts only on whatever it is they request. Just simple wording. For instance a huge difference between saying what you instructed on and that the things they completed in a competent matter vs. saying something like "I believe John will make a very competent operator." The latter exposes you if he doesn't. The former method doesn't expose you since you've only stated the facts of the training.

My insurance company wants a captain to sign off on me. I figured after the 11 day trip up from Stuart Florida to Knoxville Tn, via the Tenn-Tom, he will be able to do so. We will be doing the trip in April with the captain and many other friends and family.

Yes, I would think if you can handle the boat proficiently and have 11 days of practice, it shouldn't be a problem.

I've signed off on a few. There were no forms. Requiring the new owner to get training is a fairly new practice, and a good one. Unlike with PWCs there is no set mandatory course nor legal requirements for proficiency nor the teacher's compitency. They just want to know the guy knows more than a guy who just plunked down his cash and plans to cast off solo for foreign shores. I wouldn't guaranty the proficincy of half the licensed captains I know, much less your average Joe. If the Coast Guard isn't getting sued for issuing licenses, I doubt anybody's going to raise a stink because you tell an insurance company that you worked on giving a person a few skills, unless you guaranteed that the person would never have a mishap and I don't see anyone doing that.

Do you have no choice due to time but to make that trip a fast delivery trip? I'm asking as 11 days is a challenge plus passing so much by.

It would be awesome to take our time, but yes I will be on a time schedule and will need to do it as fast as possible. Traveling from first of dawn to night. The insurance company does have a form they sent me for a captain to fill out.

...hmmm. Fast as possible? Sounds rushed. Tight time schedules force you to make bad decisions. When I deliver a boat the first thing I tell an owner about schedules is thanks, we'll see how it goes. Every day I have a plan A destination (farther) and a plan B destination (closer) just in case. I don't run on schedules. I run on prudent decisions.

That's not to say I don't like to get from A to B and punch my ticket. If the weather is good and the boat isn't broken I don't waste that day at the dock.

Glad it worked out. The insurance companies are pretty easy about this. They basically just want to know that the boater takes running a boat seriously enough to take some instruction. The one thing I wouldn't have mentioned (nor permitted) is the running without radar. Even though it was a clear day it is mandatory that radar be used if the boat is so equipped.

BTW, how big was their previous boat. If that boat was 2' longer the insurance company probably would have asked them to have a captain aboard through the first season if his move up were more than 10', but I think the set the bar at 50'..

That's not necessarily true. Read paragraph 11 http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=navRulesFAQ#0.3_11

That decision is up to the master, dependent on prevailing conditions. While it may keep you out of court if you always use it, the decision is yours to make.

For example, there are certain parts of the world that locals hate radar, and will holler and badger until you turn it off. If you're navigating on a clear day, in a channel, it may be safer to turn to standby and save yourself the distracting harassment.

I think you're misreading that paragraph. Basically it's saying (IMHO) that it's up to the master whether or not to use his radar, but his goose is cooked if there's a collision and he's not. It also made specific mention of "electrical drain or crew shortage" as reasons for not having the radar on. I wouldn't take that specificity lightly by trying to expand it to something like 'the boss' wife or the boats in the harbor don't like it being on'.