Insuring Bluebird: cover and premium
sailing boats and sailing yachts · several countries
Bluebird: australian small cruiser for home building. NAMMERT insures a Bluebird regardless of year built or where you bought it, liability, hull, legal expenses and personal accident cover from one house, taken out online in five minutes.
At a glance
Origin
several countries
Class
sailing boats and sailing yachts
Typical sizes
6,7 m
Premium from
from €39 a year for liability
Worth knowing
Bluebird; cover, cost and conditions
The Bluebird 22 is not the product of one yard but an Australian design that has been built since 1947. Ken Watts drew her as a hard-chine plywood sloop, 22 feet long and surprisingly roomy for her size. In Australia the Bluebird became one of the most popular designs for home building, and many were put together in sheds and back gardens. Glassfibre hulls followed later. You recognise a Bluebird by the full keel with a transom-hung rudder and the fractional sloop rig. In Victoria she still races as a one-design class, looked after by the Bluebird Yacht Association of Victoria.
Our model records list exactly one design under Bluebird, the Bluebird 22, entered as a sailing yacht. Recorded build years run from 1947 to 1983, well over three decades, and the length is 6.7 metres. No line reaches into the most recent build years. The long span follows from the history of the design: since many boats were built from plans by their owners, they did not come from one place or one fixed series. Construction, materials and fit-out vary accordingly, from the early plywood sloop to the later glassfibre hull. With a displacement of about 1.5 tonnes and a draft of just under 1.2 metres, the Bluebird remains a manageable boat.
A Bluebird suits bays and estuaries, where her full keel tracks well and her modest draft opens up shallow anchorages. With an amateur-built plywood boat, the condition of the timber is everything: look for soft spots around the chines, the keel join, the chainplates and wherever fresh water can collect. Glue lines and fastenings tell you how carefully the original builder worked, and a moisture meter is a useful companion on any viewing. Glassfibre hulls from later years bring different questions, such as the state of the deck core and the rudder fittings on the transom. Because no two home-built boats are quite alike, a survey and a look at any building records pay off before buying.
Questions and answers
Frequent questions
Who designed the Bluebird 22?
The Australian designer Ken Watts.
The first boat was built in plywood in 1947, and glassfibre hulls came later.
Our model records list the Bluebird 22 with build years from 1947 to 1983.
How big is a Bluebird 22?
For Bluebird: Our model records give a length of 6.7 metres, matching the 22 feet in her name,
which makes her easy to trail and handle.
The cover that fits
sailing yacht insurance
Tariffs, cover and FAQ for sailing yacht insurance in detail.
Third-party liability
The foundation for a boat from Bluebird: damage to third parties, worldwide,
from €39 a year for liability.
Hull cover
Partial or full hull cover for a Bluebird, at replacement value with an agreed fixed value.
For the whole class of boat
For Bluebird: What matters for sailing boats and sailing yachts is the same across every brand;
engine output, how a claim is settled, cruising range and theft protection.
The class page lists every point and every brand in this class, Bluebird included.
Insuring sailing boats and sailing yachts, every brand and every condition
Other builders in this class
Nautical information What counts before you cast off, papers, equipment, waters
Licence
A powerboat licence (inland or coastal) is required from 15 hp (11.03 kW).
Registration
Registration from 3 hp; for trips abroad carry the boat certificate or flag document.
Waters
Inland, coastal and abroad; plan fairways, bridge clearances, draught and tides.
Equipment
Lifesaving gear, fire extinguisher, anchor, signalling equipment and correct navigation lights.
Cruising range
The agreed cruising range is stated in the policy and can be extended at any time.
Weather
Check wind force in Beaufort and wind direction before casting off, and allow for gusts.
General guidance, not a complete account;
what governs are the rules of the waters you are on and the manual of your Bluebird.
Current wind force and direction for your waters are shown on the Home.
Series by Bluebird, build years and cover
Bluebird 22 is a sailing yacht from Bluebird, built from 1947 to 1983.
For the Bluebird 22 by Bluebird series there is no list price left.
That is why we work with an agreed value: you state the figure, we agree it,
and in a total loss exactly that amount is paid, with no deduction for wear.
For the Bluebird 22 by Bluebird series:
On sailing yachts the rig and the underwater hull are the expensive parts:
a dismasting quickly costs a quarter of the boat,
and osmosis counts as wear and is covered by no hull policy.
Bluebird insured in five minutes.
Boat type, year built, length and value of your Bluebird are all we need.
Work out the premium online or call us: +49 3375 29 12 77.
