Ultra-relaxing cruise on the Clarence River - photo © John Curnow
Dear Recipient Name
You certainly are when you get to look at a river like this. When you then see the cruisers enjoying some time on the glorious and somewhat expansive Clarence River, well it just sought of makes a whole lot of sense. I guess that means I am not the only lucky one, so it is nice to know the wealth is being shared around.
I am also lucky, for soon I will get to see, and experience first hand, Bavaria's new C57. Ensign Shipbrokers have one being all set up for the Sanctuary Cove show. If it is even remotely as good as the brilliant C45 we tested last year in our video review, as well as also what we wrote about her, then spending time aboard her is going to be a great day, indeed. Yep. Lucky boy. Cannot wait...
The post-administration model rationalisation means this is the largest one Bavaria will make, and like the C45, she has her lines penned by Maurizio Cassutti. That will mean she is not quite as radical as the French have gone, for her innovation is subtler, and her slippery form takes a little longer to comprehend and appreciate. There is volume for'ard, and a long waterline, which is fully utilised when heeled over, from knuckle to transom.
The C57 also employs many a superyacht style system, with twin electronic throttles, an athwartships galley, and a longitudinal garage to fit a 2.8m Williams Jet Tender are all part of the equation if you so choose. Here in Australia, Ensign has delivered eight of the new C craft in under 12 months up and down the East Coast. Six of these will be at Hamilton Island this year, so look out if youre in the Performance Cruiser division. All in all it is an exemplary effort, so ell done Bavaria, Ensign Ship Brokers, and of course, the clients who bought them!
Moving on, and if I may be so bold... We all love to hate financial institutions, to vary degrees at any rate. Insurance is certainly one of those, but without doubt, it is now very much time to have a bit of a paradigm shift in terms of the way we look at, approach, and embody the question of insurance. You see, marine insurance is close to being on the chopping block. Like anything, it is first and foremost a business, which means it has to be profitable in order to survive. Look no further than the recent Lloyds fiasco, should you need any further clarification on this point.
So it is clear that boat owners need to address insurance as a privilege, and not a right. One also needs to be accountable to oneself, and your insurer, for the level of seamanship carried out aboard your vessel. Simple reason is, now more than ever, you need to treat it like being in partnership with the underwriter. This is akin to a business partner, or one of your health professionals. Do the wrong thing, and it is going to be hard for them to assist you, and a material breech could well have catastrophic consequences!
Certainly, premiums have gone up of late. Yet if you can, and you really do need to try, you may need to look at this like you're lucky to have only a small 10% increase, for many face much more, and some are not going to be covered at all. Equally, named storm cover is no longer available in the Caribbean, yet Pantaenius has been able to offer said cover for Australia, which is a real bonus. That is more than handy when you consider they would be the world's largest insurer of blue water cruisers.
Furthermore, conditions are placed on your policy, and this is all designed to make it clear what is, and is not covered. Treat it with disdain, and you could well be slapped in the face with a wet fish on the other side. By way of example, leave your vessel at anchor to go ashore for an extended period, and should it drag and end up on a lee shore, then don't cry wolf later on. At all times, owners must think of what is 'fair and reasonable' in terms of the partnership we mentioned just before.
So yes, your policy document is now the bible, as such, and you should not only read it, but comprehend it like you are going to have a snap test on it tomorrow. At stake is one of your biggest assets, and perhaps even your own health. That said, it would seem like a no brainer to me. By the way, we'll soon have a bit more to say on it all in a separate article, so keep a weather eye out for that.
In the last little while, Henk and Lisa Benckhuysen gave us permission to run their piece: Cruising With Kids. Many thanks for that. I loved how they kept the dream, stayed big and took all four kids away with them. Nice work! It is a tremendous read for any family contemplating the move to water, stretching their legs across the might Pacific or beyond. They look at what you can see, do, experience, and happily address all the concerns. Please read it...
Today you will find that we have information for you about Multihull Central at the Pittwater Sail Expo (including the Seawind 1260 as displayed above), the World Cruising Club, Cape Horn, the ARC, helping remote communities, the Great Barrier Reef, Jeanne Socrates, GPS, gear from B&G, as well as much more.
So you see, there are stories, lessons, inspirations and history to regale yourself with. Please do savour... We're really enjoying bringing you the best stories from all over the globe. If you want to add to that, then please make contact with us via email.
Remember too, if you want to see what is happening in the other Hemisphere, go to the top of the Sail-WorldCruising home page and the drag down menu on the right, select the other half of the globe and, voila, it's all there for you.
In the meantime, do you love being on the ocean? Well remember to love them back too. They need our help. Now more than ever! Until next time...
John Curnow
Editor, Sail-WorldCruising.com
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