Last year, River Canal Rescue responded to 123 major incidents – emergency situations involving mainly grounded boats – and 2057 general call-outs (minor incidents) – for electrical, fuel and engine issues, flat batteries, over-heating and gear box failures etc. That’s over 40 call-outs a week.
While the majority of call-outs were covered by RCR’s membership service, around one fifth were for major repairs and rescues, chargeable outside membership, and 145 were generated by 26 members, equating to over five call-outs per boat.
“We actively monitor these types of situations,” says managing director Stephanie Horton, “sometimes boaters just have a run of bad luck, and that’s what the service is for, but other times it’s simply a misunderstanding over what is and isn’t covered by membership fees, and people failing to maintain their vessels.”
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RCR’s four levels of membership – retainer, bronze, silver and gold – range from £75 to £335 per year., providing emergency assistance when a vessel suffers a sudden or unexpected mechanical or electrical engine fault that prevents it from being cruised or continuing a journey safely.
Apart from retainer, members automatically have replacement parts cover, reimbursing them for the cost of replacing most major components when they fail. Membership however, should not be used as a replacement for routine servicing, maintenance or repairs, or to cover faults caused by the actions or omissions of the owner.
Here, Stephanie share some of the common membership misconceptions RCR marine engineers commonly come across:
All parts are covered under Replacement Parts Cover. Specific parts, such as starter motors, starter alternators, gear boxes, drive plates, couplings, fuel injection pumps and hydraulic pipes are covered. Parts not listed in the membership book such as fan belts and filters are not. If a leak is caused through wear and tear or a part fails due to water ingress, it’s classed as a gradual decline and not covered, rather than ‘sudden unforeseen failure’, which is.
Bilge pumps and tunnel lights are covered. These do not affect the engine operation and therefore are not classed as a breakdown. RCR is happy to assist, but this would be a chargeable visit.
I’m covered if I have an accident, hit something underwater or sink. Accidental damage due to a third-party, underwater obstruction or hitting something is not covered by membership. It’s not a breakdown and should be covered by your insurance policy. RCR is usually the first on site and will always try to assist (its Incident Care team works with all major insurance companies to make the claims and repair process as easy as possible).
Everything on the boat’s covered. Membership doesn’t cover anything outside the engine and propulsion system. If the fridge stops working, the lights fail, the shower fails to flow or the domestic water pump won’t turn off, RCR Plus can assist, but there will be a charge.
Can you change my domestic batteries? It isn’t covered under your RCR membership, but RCR Plus can help.
All labour costs are covered. RCR covers up to two hours to attend and rectify a breakdown. Additional time or return visits are chargeable, along with parts, unless the repair is covered by Replacement Parts Cover (85% of call-outs are fixable within the two-hour labour period).
I’m covered for a tow back to my home mooring. RCR offers two hours towing when a vessel cannot be repaired in-situ, taking it to a safe haven such as a mooring, marina or boatyard. Towing takes time and in 80% of cases, engineers can use an outboard motor to move the vessel. If the owner wishes to go further afield, beyond the two-hour towing time, charges will be made. And where a tug is used, the boat owner can be liable for the cost of the tug’s return journey.
Why does a diagnosis take time? As there are a number of potential causes to every problem, engineers have to identify it through a process of elimination. It’s always best to start with the simplest and least-costly element and then work through the system. Sometimes there can be a whole host of issues which are only identified once one has been solved.
RCR should carry engine spares. There are over 600 different engines on RCR’s system and although most craft have the same base engine, the majority will have different marinised parts and installations/modifications, making it impossible to carry all without a HGV. RCR carries the majority of common parts and has access to national distributors, but they tend to be contactable between 9am and 5pm, so not always immediately available when an emergency arises.
Parts should be available the same day. The majority of Replacement Parts claims are completed the same/following day. However, where parts are not easily available, RCR endeavours to deliver and fit them as soon as possible. If parts are obsolete or are a custom installation, alternatives will have to be sourced and modified, which can take time.
You’ll have the right parts when you arrive. Although RCR holds engine details for a vessel, often the engine engineers are asked to help with is different to the information held on the system, or the parts are standard but modified. During servicing, RCR endeavours to ensure the right parts are carried by the engineers, but if this isn’t the case, it will be rectified as soon as possible.
Why aren’t I receiving several daily updates re; when the engineer’s returning? Staff dedicated to providing this service tend to communicate with several boaters at the same time. In order to avoid calls being made when there’s no real information to give – which can be irritating for customers – staff wait and call when there’s something tangible to share. Before making that call, people are liaising with parts suppliers, engineers and couriers.
Whilst you’re here can you sort out this additional problem on my boat? Engineers will always try to assist, but with other jobs to attend to, they often have to concentrate on the most pressing matter that’s covered by the RCR membership.
Why can’t an engineer visit in the middle of the night? Engineers are on standby for emergencies – ie when a boat or person is in danger. Health and safety guidelines restrict call-outs if the boat isn’t easily accessible and the breakdown isn’t urgent. For example, RCR will ask a person calling for help with a flat battery to wait until the morning, as the boat would have to run its engine for four hours to recharge its battery and failing light makes it very difficult to check electrical issues. Asking an engineer to take risks late at night on unlit slippery towpaths can only be justified in a real emergency.
Before joining RCR we used to spend so much on engine maintenance but now there’s no need to service or maintain our vessel. Regular engine servicing and boat maintenance is not only good practise, it’s a condition of membership. RCR cover is for emergencies and not boat maintenance. As with any service provision, there is room for discretion.
Stephanie continues: “At times we support members in scenarios that fall outside of their annual cover, but these are only when we’ve looked at the membership history first, taking into account the number of years they’ve been with us, the number of call-outs, their service history and general attitude.
“While we have a set process to identify if a part or call-out is covered, if a member who rarely calls us has a part failure, which would not normally covered by Replacement Parts Cover, ie due to water ingress, wear and tear or contamination etc, then we may decide to cover the part and its fitting.
“This is, I repeat discretionary, but as we’re keen to offer value for money, deliver on customer service and reward long-term members, it’s important we on occasion, provide additional benefits.”
Stephanie concludes: “Our engineers and support staff want to provide outstanding service and pride themselves on being fair and working in boaters’ best interests. We’d love to be able to provide the additional services required by our members free of charge, but as a business this wouldn’t be feasible. Keeping costs as competitive as possible and exceeding customer expectations is very important to us, but so too is managing expectations.”
To find out more about RCR call 01785 785680 or 01785 338307, email [email protected] or visit www.rivercanalrescue.co.uk
