Hi All,

New member. Have found a Top Hat Mk1 for sale in pitt water. for only $3000.

Pretty sparse - but that is ok.

I have spoken to the owner by phone and he has since sent me some more photos and a partial copy of the NSW Registration.

a few questions...

1. Too good to be true?
2. Currently sitting on a private mooring- what are rough pricings on a simple swing mooring in that neck of the woods?
3. to Survey or not Survey? Can I get insurance (mostly 3rd party if there is such a thing) without a full survey?
4. recommend a gentle Surveyor for a first timer?


http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/werrington/sail-boats/top-hat-mk1/1053047291

nswsailor said..
Wade,

For an unprepared Top Hat [that's for cruising] the price is a bargain.

Brad has been enthusiastic about that Top Hat but as he said he has to go back west for work etc.

If you want a Top Hat be quick as I don't reckon this one will last long.

Have you been onboard yet? If you haven't/or have, if it feels right go for it!

For the mooring cost there you will have to wait for a local or you may talk to brad,
after all he will have to have an 'approved' boat on that mooring to keep it. Maybe he doesn't know that!

Insurance will require some sort of inspection. Go to www.tophatyachts.com [join to get full access] and
search one of the recent topics where insurances were discussed.
There was a discussion here recently also.

Thank you SO much.

I spoke to Brad tonight. Very keen. I really don't need anything flash - some where to lay our heads, make a meal.

I prefer the outboard any way.

I haven't been onboard yet, I would shoot up this weekend but I am diving in Narooma Saturday.

I wouldn't be looking to keep it up there long term past a few seasons as I want to move it closer to the South Coast.

I feel like making an offer pending inspection ( both by me and enough to at least get it insured), after getting the mooring issue sorted.

W

$3000 will get you a decent yacht these days. I certainly would not bother with a survey to buy but you may need it for insurance purposes. Top Hats are fairly small, even for a 25 footer but are seaworthy. For sailing and a weekender, you really only need a basic fit out. Consider a mooring in Greenwell Point. For you it will be about $350 dollars a year. The new highway makes it an easier trip here from Canberra than Batemans Bay now. We already have one Canberra boat and one owner from Goulburn here.

Yara said..
Gosh- it was 2 years ago that I looked at this boat. See www.tophatyachts.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=890

Thanks to all.

Sadly, it is not anything the boat has or doesn't have that is preventing me.. purse holder has said no. Fair call i guess.. we did buy a house the same weekend.

W

I was sent a letter late last year by ClubMarine listing the ports, suburbs where they DO NOT INSURE yachts.
Amongst the places was Greenwell Point as well as Manly NSW.
Be careful!

Ramona - My yacht is on a mooring in Belmont Bay, Lake Macquarie and is insured with Club Marine.

The product disclosure statement says the following;

General exclusions These exclusions apply to all Sections of the Policy.
Mooring
Any claim for loss or damage caused by or arising as a result of the mooring used by Your Boat or any boat covered by this Policy not being:
- Of a suitable design and weighting for Your Boat or any boat covered by this Policy;
- Appropriately sited; and/or
- Regularly maintained on at least an annual basis and in good order.

I am no lawyer but that suggests to me that providing those conditions are met and you have evidence of these things the boat is covered. That at least is the understanding I have been operating under assuming that my yacht is covered. If there is a legal brain here that has a different opinion I would be keen to hear it.

aus005 said..
swing mooring at port sorell insured with club marine as mat said i believe we are covered

As I found out recently it's not until you try and pay the renewal you find out if they cover your moored vessel. I was insured with Apia and have not used Club Marine since the sixties.

Why Greenwell Point would be on an exclusion list is weird, probably the safest mooring spot I know off.

aus005 said..
does the apia policy cover a boat on a swing mooring did not know they insured boats now i am of that age i will get a quote

They did but have stopped covering boats on moorings everywhere! They made no announcement, just posted my renewal fee back to me.

Crustysailor, did you read this bit " as well as loss or damage to your boat by fire, theft, malicious or storm damage." No mention there of groundings, breakages, floods, rig failure etc. Essentially they don't insure your boat for the things that are going to bight most of us.

Ramona said..
They do not mention who underwrites the marine section of their insurance either, only the car caravan sectors. The website actually is not all that helpful.

Actually they do, it's GIO, says so on the first page of the PDS ......


The insurer is GIO General Limited ABN 22 002 861 583 AFSL 229873.
This product is distributed by Resilium Pty Ltd ABN 40 098 080 810 AFSL 232703.

MorningBird said..
Crustysailor, did you read this bit " as well as loss or damage to your boat by fire, theft, malicious or storm damage." No mention there of groundings, breakages, floods, rig failure etc. Essentially they don't insure your boat for the things that are going to bight most of us.

I don't have my boat insured with Resilium, ( I use QBE via a broker, who have been ok in the past when I have had to claim)
I included their link for others as they seemed to help many members who had experienced difficulty in getting insurance for boat on swing moorings.
Resilium just seemed take more policies on when others said no. And loosechange is right, they are underwritten by GIO.

I have seen at least 4 different insurers who will cover boat on swing moorings ( at least in our clubs location), but you should also note this can depend if you want third party only, or fully comp. 3rd party with public liability will usually be all that's needed to stay in a marina when visiting, or to meet Parks requirements.

I have also seen that you can sometimes get a '"comprehensive"' policy for a basic boat amount eg. $10k, for bugger all more than some tpo policies.

I must admit to not fully reading my policy cover to cover for a few years, but know I have records of annual mooring maintenance, and that my rigging is being done in a month as required.

Maybe since we are all challenged with insurance every year, it would be good to update the thread with a bit of feedback, good or bad.

aus005 said..
swing mooring at port sorell insured with club marine as mat said i believe we are covered

Hey Matt now that I know where you hang out im comming over to bump you boat, lets put Club Marine to the test...?