On Mar 20, 2025, at 7:55 AM, David Lochner via groups.io <davelochner@...> wrote:

?Velcro Beach is not an autocorrect, it is a nickname for Vero Beach amongst cruisers. The municipal marina has an excellent mooring field well protected from all winds and seas. It is used as a hurricane hole. It seems many cruisers get here and have difficulty leaving. For Florida, it is a pleasant location focused mostly on high end tourism, not to the level of West Palm, more upper middle class. Lots of Mercedes, Benzes, a Maserati or two and no carnival rides or spring break shenanigans. Cruisers seem to have a hard time peeling away. We’re on day 5 of a 2 day stay. Happened last time we were here, too. Others have stayed much longer or come for the winter. The boat we’re rafted to has been here 2 months and will stay another 2 months or so.

There are worse places to be.

Dave

Second Star

S362 #113

Fair Haven, NY/Lake Ontario

On Mar 19, 2025, at 11:12?PM, Bill Kellner via groups.io <bkellner48@...> wrote:

Hi Dave, Glad it worked out. Hopefully you can get unstuck from “Velcro Beach” and get over to the Bahamas. I hate autocorrect.

Bill Kellner

S32 Sandusky Ohio

On Wed, Mar 19, 2025 at 8:33?PM David Lochner via <davelochner=[email protected]> wrote:

We all like bashing insurance companies, or so it seems and for 41 years I’ve not had any complaint about BoatUS insurance, until this week. In the end, everything worked out, the process just sucked.

We have been working our way to the Bahamas since last summer. Our current coverage included Inland and Coastal waters of the US and Canada out to ?75 nm so long as I didn’t enter waters governed by any other nation. Since the Bahamas were on our agenda, I called GEICO last October to inquire about any specific requirements for us to get a Bahamas endorsement as Second Star is celebrating her 32nd birthday. I was told I would need a Valuation and Condition survey that could be done in or out of the water. Fine and consistent with their policy to havre all 30+ year old boats surveyed.

We are now in Velcro Beach and looking at a weather window for crossing next week. On Monday I called GEICO to request the Bahamas endorsement and was told I now needed a survey and?a rigging inspection. I just about blew a gasket but managed to maintain some self-control. After informing the agent I had called last fall and no mention was made of a rigging survey they tried to locate the call and couldn’t find it, or so they say, and denied my request for the endorsement. I did inform them I had been a customer for 41 years with no claims, had a 6 week old survey that found the boat in average or above condition with the recommendations for corrections being “none currently”.? I informed them the rigging was replaced 5 years ago, however the recipes were 1,000 miles away. The request was kicked up a level and the supervisor said no.

I was able to download my call records from ATT and there I found a call I made to BoatUS Insurance on Oct 14. I called them back and gave the agent this specific information and was denied again, although he did connect me with a kind supervisor who actually listened to my argument, 41 years of no claims, recent excellent survey, prior experience sailing to the Bahamas, nand repeated suggestions I would be looking for new insurance provider. She was sympathetic and agreed to review it with the next level of management and get back to me with the decision.

Under some domestic pressure to follow up I called again and was told it had been reviewed by management and was denied. I was perhaps a bit more force full in my response suggesting a change in providers and a complaint to the NY Insurance Commission. Shortly there after I received a call from GEICO on a private line, unfortunately I was helping another boat unjam an in-mast furler. I returned the call to voice mail. An hour so later the kindly manager I had spoken called me and said they would provide the Bahamas endorsement. It was the hardest I've ever worked to spend $20, the cost of a 2 month endorsement.

The lessons from the tribulation are simple:

• Record the exact date and time of any inquires made about your policy. A cell phone makes this easier because that information (at least on ATT) is readily availble on their website.
• If your boat is 30 years old expect to need a survey.
• If your boat is 30 years old expect to need a rigging survey
• Be firm in your dealings
• Loyalty does pay off

I believe loyalty and knowing the precise date and time of any contact made the case for my appeal. Had I known a rigging survey was needed, I would have had one done.?

Forewarned is forearmed. Hope this is helpful to others planning similar trips.

Dave