Met Jim last week here in Japan.
He bought a 36 foot steel cutter in NZ. He sailed solo to Oz. Up the inside of the reef. West end of Papua and to the Philippines.
Checked into Japan in Okinawa. Got to the the main island and got a foot infection, which ment he couldn't walk and couldn't get off the boat for a month.
Visa running out and time short to head up the east coast on Japan and over to Alaska.
Four days and nights dodging nets fishing boats and other marine traffic.
Pulled into Tashirou jima for a rest.
Big 24 ton 3 story game fishing boat came in and rammed Jim's boat in the stern.
Swim ladder destroyed stern slightly caved in and the exhaust fitting crunched.
The owner of the offending boat called the yard that I have a connection to and I was called into translate for the insurance assessor.
Siting around the office table with two other local boaters and the yard owner and watched them do a job on the assessor.
Of course he knew what was going on.
“The delay for the repairs and waiting for the insurance payment will make it impossible to get to Alaska before winter”
“Yeah, Too right, Impossible and deadly”.
Absolutely deadly. No way I would do it!”
“Me neither.”
I looked across at Jim and said ,”It looks like you have the whole team batting for you.”

Now in truth Jim was looking at laying up the boat in Japan up north and heading back to the U.S. For the winter. An expensive proposition but he really had left it to late.
The insurance payout will be.
Repair.
Lay up fees until March '27.
All fares from the boatyard in Japan to his folks house in Seattle and back.And living expenses in the US. (To be negotiated)
He will get back in March. Have a month to clean up the boat and get ready and then still have 2 months visa in japan before he heads off for Alaska.
That bump sure worked out well. Full insurance is a winner for some.
His boat is now next to a 38 foot Benny and every one is commenting on what would have happened (damage wise) it it had been the Benny.
Gary