It is much worse when propulsion is lost while manoeuvring in a harbour, in a narrow passage, or close to shore. The yacht may run aground, collide with another vessel, or be pushed onto rocks. In such a situation, the cost of the propeller itself is the least of the problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog.yachtic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AdobeStock_2152262808-1-1-1024x772.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWho Is Responsible for the Loss of the Propeller?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
If there is clear evidence of faulty installation or inadequate servicing, the operator may be held responsible. If an impact or a rope becoming wrapped around the propeller during the charter can be confirmed, the cost may be attributed to the charterer.
In practice, however, it is most often impossible to prove either of these scenarios. The propeller cannot be found, and the evidence available after the incident does not make it possible to determine when or why it started to loosen.
For this reason, in most cases the loss of a propeller should be treated as an unforeseen accidental event, rather than automatically as evidence of fault on the part of the operator or skipper. The way the crew responded to the loss of propulsion and any subsequent damage may require a separate assessment, but that is a different issue from the cause of the propeller coming off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How Can You Protect Yourself?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
A skipper has no way of checking the propeller’s mounting during a standard yacht handover. Nor is it possible to avoid every object located beneath the surface of the water.
In practice, the only effective protection against the financial consequences of such an incident is appropriate charter deposit insurance. Before taking out a policy, it is worth checking whether it covers the propeller, propulsion system, rudder, and other components of the yacht’s underwater section.
Insurance will not prevent a failure, but it can prevent a situation in which an incident that cannot be explained results in the loss of the entire deposit.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The engine is running properly, we engage the gear, increase the RPM\u2026 but the yacht does not move. One possible cause is the loss of the propeller.This is not a frequent occurrence, but neither is it exceptional. According to our statistics, it happens on average in one out of every 2000 charters. The biggest problem […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40,"featured_media":14280,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[437],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14315","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-yacht-sailing-guide"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n