Leading the Escapadevideo
They Damaged Our Boat… And We Were Left To Fix It! Ep-232
August 5, 2026 · 41 min · 53K views · Panama
What this video covers
A boatyard in Panama damaged the hull of a cruising sailboat during a haul-out operation, causing structural delamination and cracking.2:59 The yard staff ignored the owners' concerns regarding the placement of support pads and continued lifting the vessel despite audible structural failure.5:52 Subsequent inspection revealed that the yard failed to align the pads with the boat's bulkheads or reinforced structural frames, resulting in localized stress concentrations and hull deformation.10:25 When the yard owners refused to accept liability, claiming the damage was a pre-existing condition, the owners commissioned an independent marine survey.17:44 The surveyor’s report confirmed the damage resulted from improper load distribution during the lift and identified no evidence of prior grounding or structural repairs.21:10 The owners are currently pursuing a claim through the yard’s insurance provider while documenting all communications via WhatsApp due to the yard's refusal to respond to emails or engage in direct negotiation.23:48 The incident has delayed the vessel's return to the water and prompted a change in the crew's planned Pacific crossing.28:07
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