Guides
Confirm the yard arrangement before the lift
Provide the yard with accurate vessel measurements, displacement information and relevant manufacturer lifting guidance. The yard and appropriate professionals should decide equipment suitability and procedure. An insurance guide cannot approve a lift. Separately, ask your insurer about the proposed lifting and storage activities, particularly if repairs or a change of location are involved.
Keep your hull policy separate from the yard contract
A yard having insurance does not establish that your boat is covered for every incident or cost. Read the work agreement and ask about responsibility, proposed operations and any terms you do not understand. Your own policy may have conditions concerning lifting, repairs, contractors or storage. Obtain clarification before relying on a general statement that the boat is insured ashore.
Record condition and instructions
Keep the work order, relevant condition photographs and communications about the agreed scope. If an incident occurs, report it and preserve the factual record. Distinguish damage from pre-existing findings and ordinary work ordered before the incident. Ask about assessor access and repair approval rather than letting a disputed scope merge into an unrelated refit invoice.
Documents and questions to prepare
- Correct vessel measurements and applicable lifting information.
- Yard work order, storage period and location.
- Policy terms for lifting, ashore storage and repair work.
- Condition record and incident notification contacts.
Worked ownership scenario
A catamaran is booked for routine service at a new yard. The owner confirms the proposed operations with the yard and asks the insurer about cover at that location. The owner's enquiry does not assume that the yard's liability policy is equivalent to comprehensive insurance on the boat.
Turn the guide into a written insurance brief
Keep the relevant photographs, invoices, reports and correspondence together. Separate facts you can document from questions that remain unresolved. When requesting a decision, identify the vessel, the intended activity and the exact policy term you need clarified. Record who replied, when the response applies and whether an endorsement is required; a general brochure statement may not answer the specific question.
Record the policy wording and unanswered questions
Use the comparison worksheet to keep each requirement beside its document reference. Leave an item unresolved until the insurer has answered it.
Frequently asked questions
Does the yard's insurance replace my own hull policy during a lift?
Do not assume that. The contracts cover different parties and liabilities. Clarify your own cover and the yard agreement separately.
Can this guide confirm a travel lift is suitable for my catamaran?
No. Suitability and lifting procedure require the yard's and relevant professionals' assessment using accurate vessel information.
Sources and scope
Manufacturer links support identification and design context. Australian insurer document libraries are starting points for checking policy wording, not evidence of acceptance of this boat or activity. The checklists and examples are editorial guidance. Use the PDS version, schedule and endorsements that apply to your own policy; this guide does not rank insurers or provide an individual insurance recommendation.
Related guides
- Catamaran Insurance Guides by Brand, Model and Topic
- Hardstand and Dry Storage Boat Insurance
- Catamaran Insurance During a Refit Ashore
- Leopard 50 Insurance Australia
- Boat Insurance Quote Preparation Checklist
- Catamaran Grounding and Keel Repair Insurance