browning hideaway fiasco

[Jennifer A Titus]

john was towing our gear to the hideaway and lost control of the skiff. i am out 4500.00 in dive gear. my tanks, regulator,dive harness/weights, and dive computer are at the bottom of hardy bay. my insurance company just denied my claim. argggghhh.
john carries no liability insurance. is this legal for a business operator?

 

[KrisB]

Business operators don't have a statutory requirement to have liability insurance from the standpoint of general operations, though it is prudent.

He may have insurance tied to his vessel operation (like your car insurance), or you could file a claim in small claims court that he may then have to pay from his own pocket...

 

[Jennifer A Titus]

thank you for the information. i have an appeal in to DAN. we shall see how this pans out. i am super frustrated over this event. i really work hard to take care of my gear and to have it gone due to a easily preventable boating mishap is....well.....unfathomable. DAN insurance will not cover gear that is lost overboard while in your "care, custody or control". i am arguing that the gear was NOT in my care, custody or control.

 

[Keith.M]

I'd also look into your home owners insurance. Couldn't hurt.

 

[Jennifer A Titus]

i have an inquiry into my homeowners as well.....we shall see.

---------- Post added June 3rd, 2015 at 09:05 AM ----------

i love the browning pass hideaway and i am so frustrated that there are so many problems with the operation of this place. i love rustic.
i love remote. i just do not love losing my equipment and not being compensated.

 

[shoredivr]

what kind of depth did the equipment drop into?

 

[Jennifer A Titus]

250 feet. you are welcome to go after it. i am not a tech diver.

 

[Divegoose]

Sounds like a small claims case may be in order.

The website for small claims in B.C. is www.ag.gov.bc.ca/courts/small_claims/ You would probably have to file
your claim in the court house in Port Hardy.

Good luck - you should be compensated for your lost gear - no questions asked. Not the first time I have heard of
"mishaps" where gear has been lost by people diving at Browning Pass Hideaway.

Divegoose

 

[Jennifer A Titus]

yes. this time he managed to loose the gear and personal effects for 7 passengers. i "only" lost about 4 k in gear. one of my dive buddies lost everything to the tune of 11K. i have started the paperwork for smail claims court. it seems pretty simple. i will do this if my insurance declines my claim.

---------- Post added June 4th, 2015 at 01:10 PM ----------

next time the dive unit is going to be assembled with the bcd fully inflated. my camera gear is NOT going on a skiff. it will be in my hot little hands. i managed to retrieve most of my personal effects. i packed most of my stuff pretty loosely in water resistant bags. all of them floated for a few hours on the surface of port hardy. i am going to invest in a couple of pelican boxes for the stuff i really treasure.

 

[TSandM]

Why not just go to God's Pocket? I would bet my bippy that those guys have insurance, and it's equally remote, and although a little less rustic, I kind of like hot water.