Ask a Maritime Attorney - Page 32 of 66

David Weil has been the proud author of the “Ask a Maritime Attorney” column in The Southern California Log Newspaper and Sea Magazine since 2006, with over 300 installments of the column. We have provided links in this section to those articles, covering a wide range of topics of interest to the California maritime and boating communities.

Must Marine Insurance Value Be Based on a Boat’s Purchase Price?

October 8, 2013

I am applying for insurance on a boat that I just purchased. The insurance applications require a lot of information, but I was wondering about the significance of the purchase price and the value. This boat is currently in...

Should I Sign a Release to Protect My Broker in Case of a Deficient Survey?

September 26, 2013

I made an offer on a 40-foot sailing yacht, and I now have two weeks to complete a sea trial and survey. I asked my yacht broker to recommend a marine surveyor, but he won’t do so unless I sign a release to hold him...

Are Boating Anglers Liable for Injuries Caused by a Trolled Fishing Line?

September 11, 2013

On a recent trip to Catalina, we were motoring our inflatable dinghy outside of the moorings, but fairly close to the harbor. Another boat passed in front of us, and we noticed at the last second that they were trolling a...

What Rules Determine a Race Committee Boat’s Liability in a Collision?

August 28, 2013

I am on the race management committee for my yacht club and I have a question concerning possible exposure of the club and its volunteers to liability during races and other events. Specifically, if a member volunteer who is...

Is an MCA License Adequate to Captain a Foreign-Built Charter Boat?

August 14, 2013

I am considering the purchase of a foreign-built yacht that I would like to operate as a charter yacht in California. The boat is now U.S.-flagged with a MARAD waiver to allow it to operate in U.S. waters as a “six-pack”...