Traverse City, our home town, boasts a fully equipped Coast Guard Station, numerous festivals including Michael Moore’s film fest, and amazing ports to dock at and enjoy the award winning wineries and local cuisine.

Last month was the National Cherry Festival. We watched in amazement as the Blue Angels performed right over our boats, and then to cap the off the night, we watched fireworks on the bay. How great is that!?

Words just don’t do it justice, however, this video does a good job of summing up how we feel about our Great Lakes.

To fully understand, you’ll have to come experience them for yourself. In the meantime, we’d love to hear what your favorite places on the water are. Let us know in the comments below.

Speaking of spending time on the water, Global Marine Insurance is excited to be a sponsor of the GOODE Water Ski National Championships.

Many exciting events are planned for this year’s National Championships, taking place August 8th-14th in Illinois. The event features the youngest athlete ever to compete at the national level, 3-year-old Kimberly Westover. Yes, you heard correctly she’s only 3 years old!

According to usawaterski.org:

Kimberly qualified in the Girls 1 (ages 9 and under) division based upon her performance at the 2010 Western Regional Water Ski Championships, July 21-24, in Caldwell, Idaho. A top-five placement at the Regionals earns an athlete a berth in the Nationals.

If you or someone you know is interested in attending, view the schedule of events by clicking GOODE Water Ski National Championships schedule of meetings and functions. We hope to see you there!

Well, this is exactly what happened to Paloma Werner and her boyfriend Ralph Mothes while sailing off the South African coast near Cape Town. Some speculated that the picture above was somehow altered; however, recently a video of this rare occurrence was released. And to everyone’s amazement the story was confirmed to be true.

As rare as it is for a whale to jump on a ship, it’s even rarer to snap a picture of it, let alone a video! Fortunately no one was injured, and it is suspected that the whale only received minor bruises.

The reality is that these things do happen. And while you may never have a whale land on your deck to say hello, you might find yourself wishing you had boat insurance. If you’re interested in boat insurance coverage or would like a boat insurance quote, contact us and we’d be more than happy to answer your questions.

BP has initiated the Vessels of Opportunity program, which pays vessel owners, captains and deck crews anywhere from $1,200 – $3,000 per day to assist in the BP clean-up effort.

BP states on its website:

“As part of the effort, independent vessel owners throughout the Gulf Coast are contracting their boats into a variety of oil recovery activities, including towing and deploying “booms” (floating barriers designed to contain, deflect, or hold back oil floating on the water’s surface), supporting skimming operations, supporting burn-off operations, finding and recovering tar balls and transporting general supplies and personnel.”

The bad news is many vessel owners interested in helping are finding it difficult to get insured. Well, we here at Global Marine have some great news for those interested in helping.

Global Marine Insurance, in conjunction with Markel American, now offers a commercial marine policy that will cover vessels interested in helping with the oil spill clean-up in the Gulf.

If you are interested in insuring your vessel to help with the Gulf Coast clean-up efforts, contact us here at Global Marine Insurance for more information or leave us a comment below.

Many of us at Global Marine Insurance grew up spending our summers on the water. We understand why you love boating, and we understand what you need to enjoy carefree moments on the water. No matter what type of boat you have, we’ll find a boat insurance policy that works for you.

If you’re interested in boat or watercraft insurance coverage, start by getting a free online quote. You can also call us at 1-800-748-0224 or chat live with us during office hours.

Now get out on the water and create some memories!

The family has received much criticism for allowing their 16-year-old daughter to undertake such a journey. Below is an interview with her family after hearing the news that Abbey had been found.

Boaters know the allure of the open water: its beauty, the sense of adventure it inspires. The story of Abby’s journey reminds me of this quote:

“A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.” – John A. Shedd

We want to hear your thoughts. Do you think it was irresponsible of Abby’s parents to allow her to sail around the world? Or are you inspired by this family’s story?

Spring means many things to different people, but we boaters know it’s time to get ready. Because as John Wooden said, “When opportunity comes, it’s too late to prepare.”

So today we have prepared a general pre-boating season checklist. Each boat is a little different depending on the size and type, but this should help get you started.

• Clean off your boat’s hull, deck and topside using a mild detergent.
• Clean windows and hatches, and replace wiper blades if necessary.
• Check spare parts and replace if necessary.
• Put on a coat of wax, and clean and polish metal with a metal polish.
• Make sure your boater’s registration is current and stored onboard.
• Ensure your watercraft insurance is up-to-date and fits your boating needs.

Making sure your boat insurance can cover you in case of emergency will allow you to enjoy the water worry-free.

We here at Global Marine Insurance are boating enthusiasts, and solely provide insurance coverage to members of the boating community. To learn more select Boat Insurance, Yacht Insurance, or Commercial Insurance. And let us know if we can help prepare you for a memorable summer on the water.

For a detailed printable checklist take a look at Discover Boating’s Spring Start-Up Check List.

• Boat is over 18 feet
• Boat is 20 years or newer in age
• Boat value is more than $15,000
• Boat owner is at least 18 years of age and has a valid driver’s license

Have a friend call us today at 1-800-748-0224 for a free quote and get your $20 free gas card! Make sure they mention the “Refer a Friend” offer and provide your name as the referrer so we can send your $20 gas card as a thank you!

For more information, visit www.masterswaterski.com.

…our new site!

That’s right, there’s a whole new GlobalMarineInsurance.com with an updated, exciting layout and some new features (including this blog). Don’t worry – you’ll still find great information for members of the boating community along with the easy, secure online boat insurance quote process you’ve come to expect from Global’s QuoteMyBoat.com. In addition, yacht owners have access to an express form that quickly puts your information in the hands of an experienced yacht and mega yacht insurance underwriter (during business hours – 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Eastern on Saturday; if you submit your info after business hours we’ll get back to you within 24 hours).

Boat dealers, marina owners, commercial marine business owners/operators, and insurance agents will find a number of helpful resources and contact information as well. We’ll also keep you up to date on both Global Marine Insurance Agency news and boating and yachting events.

So come on in and take a look around. Then leave us your comments to let us know what you think about our new home online.

And remember, summer’s right around the corner! If you’ve not given your boat… or your boat insurance…a good spring tune-up, now’s the time.

We’ll see you out on the water.