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Insuring W. Bates & Son: cover and premium
motor yachts · several countries
W. Bates & Son: british Thames yard building motor cruisers. NAMMERT insures a W. Bates & Son 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
motor yachts
Typical sizes
10,1 m
Premium from
from €49 a year for liability
Worth knowing
W. Bates & Son; cover, cost and conditions
W. Bates & Son works from Chertsey in Surrey, on the Thames upstream of London. Its roots go back to the late nineteenth century, when the first boats were built under the name Taylor and Bates, and today the business at Bridge Wharf runs a boatyard and a marina side by side. Bates made its name with the Star Craft motor cruisers, built at first in the classic way in timber. A Star Craft 40 from 1957, for instance, has a hull of double diagonal mahogany planking on oak frames, with teak decks and teak cabin sides. The yard later moved on to glassfibre. One point helps avoid confusion: the Bates Starcraft boats are not the same as the Star boats built by Jack Powles, despite the similar names.
Our model records list one design from W. Bates & Son, the Starcraft 33. It is filed as a motor yacht of 10.1 metres, with build years from 1961 to 1967. That puts it in the middle of the Starcraft family, which the Broads Authority records show in four sizes from 8.2 to 13.7 metres, alongside the Astral 810. Every boat of this line is now at least sixty years old. Whether a particular Starcraft 33 is timber or glassfibre should be confirmed on the boat itself, since the yard built in wood and also made the move to plastics.
A wooden cruiser of this age lives or dies by its maintenance. On double diagonal planking, look for soft spots where fresh water has stood, around windows, deck joints and the stem, and check fastenings and frames from inside where the bilge allows. Teak decks should be watertight at the seams, since leaks there reach the structure below. If the boat is glassfibre, look for osmosis blisters and for stress cracks around fittings. On Thames cruisers the engines have often been replaced over the decades, so ask what is fitted, how many hours it has run and who services it. River boats see many locks; fenders, rubbing strakes and the stern quarters tell how carefully the boat has been handled. A survey by someone who knows classic timber craft is money well spent before any purchase.
Questions and answers
Frequent questions
Is the Bates Starcraft 33 the same as a Jack Powles Star boat?
No.
The Starcraft line comes from W.
Bates & Son of Chertsey on the Thames, while the Star boats were built by Jack Powles.
Our model records list the Starcraft 33 at 10.1 metres, built from 1961 to 1967.
How large were the other Starcraft models?
For W.
Bates & Son: According to the Broads Authority records the Starcraft was built in four sizes from
8.2 to 13.7 metres, so the 33 sits in the middle of the range.
The cover that fits
motor yacht insurance
Tariffs, cover and FAQ for motor yacht insurance in detail.
Third-party liability
The foundation for a boat from W.
Bates & Son: damage to third parties, worldwide, from €49 a year for liability.
Hull cover
Partial or full hull cover for a W.
Bates & Son, at replacement value with an agreed fixed value.
For the whole class of boat
For W.
Bates & Son: What matters for motor 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, W.
Bates & Son included.
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 W.
Bates & Son.
Current wind force and direction for your waters are shown on the Home.
Series by W. Bates & Son, build years and cover
Starcraft 33 is a motor yacht from W.
Bates & Son, built from 1961 to 1967.
For the Starcraft 33 by W.
Bates & Son 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 Starcraft 33 by W.
Bates & Son series: On motor yachts the drive and the electronics together make up about half the
value.
Both belong in the valuation, otherwise the sum insured is too low.
W. Bates & Son insured in five minutes.
Boat type, year built, length and value of your W.
Bates & Son are all we need.
Work out the premium online or call us: +49 3375 29 12 77.
