It can be argued that to feel total freedom in life, one must embark to the seas upon a boat – a pleasure yacht. Thereby allowing oneself the privilege of escaping from the daily strains and stresses of a “normal” life. However, even this may be in some ways restricted by today’s marine safety laws. There are various legal requirements in order to prove your yachting ability and also to prove your vessel’s seaworthiness. It is after all, the moral responsibility of the yacht owner and skipper to ensure all crew and any passengers are not exposed to any unavoidable risks or dangers.

So what does this really mean? It means that yacht skippers should be fully competent in dealing with any type of weather conditions and/or situations that they may encounter. Furthermore, the crew should also be thoroughly competent in assisting the skipper in the running of the yacht and the safety of his or her fellow crew members.

Thus, if you yourself are a skipper of a boat, you should always be thinking “is your sail crew performing?”. If they are not then this could lead to being exposed to danger, not only of course for yourself but for all members of the crew. Any infringements upon local by-laws can indeed attract a hefty fine but what is even worse is that breaches in safe operating procedures can lead to serious accidents, or perhaps even death. Therefore, responsible yacht handling at the very least requires some fore-thought and some pre-planning, as all yacht skippers and sail crew worth their salt would, or should know. And for boating and yachting beginners? Forget about flying the waters! Accuracy is key here, not speed. Speed will come naturally upon development of skills with experience. So, for every boat skipper, even before embarking to the seas, and each time, you must ask yourself this one question above perhaps all others – “is your sail crew performing?”.

A U.S. worker (who spends over six-months at home) onboard a yacht who travels out of U.S. territory occasionally whilst on working duty.

The recommended protection in this case would be to consult a health insurance expert and discuss terms for a state-controlled insurance policy that covers the party whilst abroad. Careful planning for your yacht crew insurance, such as this, will ensure that you are not taking out the wrong policies and that inidividual needs of your crew are considered.

It is recommended that a health insurance expert who specializes in the insurance of yacht crew’s is consulted prior to entering agreement terms with your team. They can often extract the needs of each member and negotiate the correct policy. Such insurance will be essential in reducing the risk of lawful cases filed against you and/or your company should any unfortunate event occurs. Signed contracts overseen by a solicitor will help both parties feel secure in their negotiations. Typical coverage will cover anything from $50,000 to $1 million and are ideally suited for expatriates, missionaries, executives and marine crew who live abroad.